Camp Operations Lead

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Department:School and Public Programs
Reports to:School and Public Programs Supervisor
Status:Full time, Seasonal
Hours of Work:Work shifts are 8 hours in length, 5 days a week. Shift timings vary between morning shift and afternoon shift
Duration:May 4th, 2026, to September 4th, 2026

Position Overview

The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is seeking a Camp Operations Lead (camp Ops) to help carry out the daily procedures of camp while occasionally supporting camp staff with delivering activities and behavior management. The Camp Ops bridges the gap of communication between camp staff and other relevant entities including members of the School and Public Program staff, other departments in the Seattle Aquarium and even camper adults.

The Camp Ops will, if needed, also act as a substitute Camp Lead or Camp Counselor and work directly with all ages of campers while leading groups of up to 10 at a time.

What is Marine Summer Camp?

Marine Summer Camp at the Seattle Aquarium is a registered Public Program under the School and Public Programs department. It seeks toInspire Conservation of Our Marine Environmentthrough engaging, inclusive and fun educational experiences. Campers range in age from 4 to 12 years and are grouped by age for up to 25 campers per weekly session. Each session is led by one Camp Lead Counselor, multiple Camp Counselors, a Camp Operations Lead and other School and Public Program staff as support.

The camp day runs 9:30am-4:00pm with before and after-care options.

Camp Timeline

Camp Operations Lead must be committed to all set dates/times:

Camp Prep

May 4-June 8:
Preparing camp curriculum and systems alongside the School and Public Programs team

Pre-camp season:

June 8-19:
Camp staff training

Camp sessions:

Post-camp season:

Aug 31 – Sept 4:
Season debrief, evaluation, and cleaning.

Essential Functions

Oversee daily program logistics, schedule-keeping, and problem-solving for the Marine Summer Camp program alongside other members of the camp administration team, Responsible for daily program logistics, staff, camper, and family support including:

Camp emergencies, such as injury.

Assistance with camper behavioral issues.

Helping with camper bathroom breaks and meal times.

Supporting work breaks of camp staff and volunteers.

Coordinate special experiences such as behind the scenes and field trips alongside other members of camp admin team, as well as other Aquarium staff instrumental to these experiences.

Facilitating communication with camper parents and guardians in communication with the School and Public Programs Supervisor.

Ensure the safety of all campers and camp staff.

Foster an inclusive, safe and productive learning environment and interact professionally with campers, their families, volunteers, and camp staff.

Promote behavior conducive to a safe and fun camp environment among all participants and serve as a role model. When appropriate, encourage all campers to participate, observe, discover, and appreciate the marine environment while being respectful of their surroundings on and off site.

Lead small groups of campers of up to 10 individuals, (ages vary from 4 to 12 years old) each week in activities such as marine science lessons; games; and exhibit and behind-the-scenes tours, short field trips along the Seattle Waterfront and day long trip to local beaches or other locations.

Help greet families every day, sign in/out campers, make sure children are prepared for the day with all proper paperwork, lunch etc., and connect parents and guardians to the appropriate staff and program when applicable.

Keep constant lines of communication open and active between the camp admin team, camp leads, camp counselors and volunteers. Will need to be responsible for answering time-sensitive calls and messages from camp staff and determining how to respond. Familiarity with Seattle Aquarium Marine Summer Camp policies and protocols after a period of training will be required.

Support the Camp Lead Counselors in behavioral, medical, and other issues that arise during camp in alignment with Seattle Aquarium Marine Summer Camp protocols and procedures. This may be on both an ongoing and emergency basis to ensure the safety of campers and staff and the success of the camp program.

Develops a successful plan for these issues and communicates them out to the relevant staff. Plan will be expected to be put in writing in order to make steps actionable and open to peer feedback.

All Aquarium staff and volunteers are expected to participate in advancing and integrating into their work…