STEM / Nature Specialist - Summer Camp

STEM / Nature Specialist

Season: June 29 – August 21, 2026
Hours: 8:15 AM – 4:30 PM
Orientation: June 24–25, 2026 (mandatory; compensated at $100/day)
Compensation: $6,000-$8,000 for the 8-week season

About Laurel Hill Summer Camp For over 50 years, Laurel Hill Summer Camp has been one of Suffolk County's most respected day camps. Located in East Setauket, Long Island, we serve children from Preschool through 10th grade across a wide range of specialty programs including sports, arts and crafts, drama, music, gymnastics, karate, swimming, nature exploration, rock climbing, swing shot, tennis, and more.

The STEM / Nature Specialist is a cornerstone of the camp's daily program, leading structured, hands-on instruction that uses our outdoor classroom, gardens, trails, weather, and live animals as living laboratories for science and discovery.

Position Overview The STEM / Nature Specialist designs and delivers age-appropriate science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and nature instruction to rotating camper groups throughout the camp day. This is a hands-on, inquiry-based instructional role requiring strong teaching skills, comfort working outdoors in all summer conditions, and consistent attention to camper safety, animal handling, and materials use. Counselors are assigned to accompany each group and are expected to assist the Specialist as an integral part of every session.

Responsibilities

Instruction & Planning

• Design and deliver structured, age-appropriate STEM and nature lessons to rotating camper groups each day, emphasizing curiosity, observation, experimentation, and fun
• Submit written weekly lesson plans covering daily instruction and rainy-day alternatives
• Teach core concepts across a range of disciplines — including life science, earth and environmental science, simple physics and engineering, basic chemistry, and applied math — adapting content appropriately for Preschool through upper-camp age groups
• Use the natural environment (gardens, trails, weather, soil, water, live animals) as a living laboratory whenever possible
• Scale projects and investigations to suit different developmental stages and provide individual support and encouragement as needed

Safety & Supervision

• Ensure the safety of all campers throughout STEM and nature instruction at all times, especially during interactions with animals, tools, water, or scientific materials
• Inspect activity areas, tools, and specimens prior to each session; remove or report any unsafe conditions (broken branches, ticks, poison ivy, standing water, animal waste) to camp leadership immediately
• Ensure safe storage and handling of all supplies, including any age-appropriate tools, scientific materials, and cleaning agents, in line with age-appropriate material-safety standards
• Communicate any known sensitivities or allergens (e.g., plant material, insect stings, food-based experiments, animal dander) to the Health Care Provider and adjust activities accordingly
• Enforce hand-washing before and after handling animals, soil, or specimens, and model safe, respectful animal-handling practices for campers
• Monitor camper behavior, hydration, and sun and heat exposure throughout outdoor instruction; relocate or modify activities when weather conditions warrant
• Direct counselors on their safety support role during each session

Rainy Day Program

• Report to assigned indoor room on inclement weather days with a prepared rainy-day lesson plan
• Deliver adapted STEM and nature instruction indoors; maintain group engagement and structured programming regardless of weather conditions
• Be prepared to receive unfamiliar camper groups and, if needed, the same group more than once during extended weather delays

Theme Days & Special Events

• Tie weekly projects to the camp theme calendar and collaborate with Art, Drama, Music, and other specialists to support integrated theme-day investigations and challenges
• Organize end-of-session showcases — science fair stations, nature scavenger hunts, garden harvests, or engineering challenges — that celebrate camper work
• Plan and lead at least one full-camp special event or theme day activity during the season
• Actively participate in all camp-wide theme days, color wars, and special programming

Camp Operations

• Select, order, and maintain inventory of age-appropriate STEM and nature materials within an agreed budget
• Set up and take down the outdoor classroom and STEM materials daily; keep activity spaces, gardens, and animal areas clean, organized, and conducive to learning at the start and end of every day
• Care for camp animals and plants on a daily basis, involving campers in safe, supervised routines that teach responsibility and ecological awareness
• Oversee safe transport of materials between indoor and outdoor workspaces as needed
• Assist with arrival and dismissal as directed
• Attend staff meetings, which may occur before or after regular camp hours
• Participate in 1–2 after-hours Late Night camp evenings during the season
• Participate in final-week facility and equipment cleanup (approximately August 19–21, after dismissal)

Qualifications

• Demonstrated background in one or more STEM disciplines, environmental education, or nature programming — formal training, teaching experience, or equivalent practical experience (academic study, classroom teaching, scouting, museum/zoo/farm education, or similar)
• Ability to deliver engaging, hands-on instruction across a range of skill levels and age groups (Preschool through high school)
• Strong classroom and group management skills in an active outdoor environment
• Ability to stand, walk, kneel, bend, and sit on the ground for extended periods across uneven outdoor terrain throughout the camp day
• Ability to lift and carry supply bins, water containers, animal feed, and equipment (approximately 30 lbs) between storage, gardens, and outdoor workspaces
• Ability to work outdoors for sustained periods in summer heat, sun, and variable weather conditions
• Ability to use and supervise campers using age-appropriate tools and scientific materials safely
• Comfort handling and caring for small animals (e.g., chickens, rabbits, reptiles, fish) and basic working knowledge of garden maintenance preferred
• CPR and First Aid certification required (or must be obtained prior to the start of the season)
• Completion of camp-provided child safety and protection awareness training required prior to first day with campers
• Prior experience working at a summer camp or in a youth science / nature program preferred

Conditions of Employment

• Mandatory attendance at orientation (June 24–25)
• Submission of written lesson plans by June 22, 2026
• Active participation in all camp programming, theme days, and special events
• Availability for staff meetings and after-hours camp evenings as scheduled
• Participation in final-week facility and equipment cleanup

What We Offer

• Competitive seasonal salary with bonus and tip eligibility
• A high-energy, team-oriented work environment with a deeply experienced leadership team
• The opportunity to make a lasting impact on campers through hands-on science, environmental stewardship, and mentorship

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit an application via the link below: https://airtable.com/appR2ZlcwVqFVQbxy/pag0IWjKITsNyX25v/form

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary

Pay: $3,000.00 - $4,000.00 per month

Application Question(s):

• Have you applied via the application form? Only these applications will be considered

Work Location: In person

Salary : $3,000 - $4,000