Work With Us
2026 Summer Employment
Can you say “YES” to any of these questions?
• Do you like spending time with kids?
• Can you roast a marshmallow to perfection around a fire?
• Can you go the day without using your phone?
• Have you ever seen a penguin come to tea?
• Are you open to learning new outdoor skills?
• Are you looking for new adventures and friendships?
• Do you take pride in strange sandal tans?
• Are you okay with getting dirty?
• Do you love sleeping out under the stars?
• Are you willing to share your talents and strengths?
• Can you get into singing old sea shanties and goofy camp songs?
• Can you remember how great it felt, as a child, to have a young adult listen to what you had to say?
If you answered YES to any of these…
Take a few minutes today to familiarize yourself with our mission.
Are you ready to work hard to help us achieve it?
We pride ourselves on the best staff, highest quality instruction, and awesome outdoor adventure memories that last a lifetime. Read how our staff have grown from working at Calleva here here, here, here & here. Or read about the benefits of working with Calleva here, here & here.
Trust, communication, honesty, and integrity are keys to the success for our programs, and we hope you’ll consider joining the Calleva community.
Calleva Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
What’s the perfect position for YOU on our Summer 2026 team…
Instructor
Calleva camp instructors are strong leaders & passionate outdoor adventurers who have extensive experience in their field. They’re great communicators, creative teachers, and have proven leadership skills, a strong sense of responsibility & professionalism, PLUS enthusiasm for sharing outdoor adventures with campers. They’re 21 years or older & have a positive attitude, fun, flexibility and a strong work ethic. *We ask that staff commit to a minimum of 8 weeks of work (NOT including the first week of camp). Ideally at least 6 of these are consecutive weeks.
- Certified to facilitate & oversee a specific outdoor adventure activity
- Possess a valid driver’s license and pass an in-house driving test (for traveling adventure camp instructors)
- First year instructors typically earn $660-$840/week depending on the program they are instructing.
Head Counselor
Calleva Head Counselors are strong leaders who are responsible for the overall cohesion of a group during the camp week. Head Counselors have great communication skills & are enthusiastic about teaching & sharing outdoor activities with campers. They have experience working with children, are fun-loving, adapt quickly to changing working conditions & have a strong work ethic. Head counselors work well with a team, receive feedback well & exhibit good judgment in decision-making. Essential traits of a counselor at Calleva are being reliable and able to build good relationships with children. They must be 18 or older by the start of camp.
*We ask that staff commit to a minimum of 8 weeks of work (NOT including the first week of camp). Ideally at least 6 of these are consecutive weeks.
First year head counselors typically earn $500/week.
Junior Counselor
Junior Counselors (JCs) are growing leaders at Calleva, responsible for inclusion of all campers into the camp group. JCs have great communication skills & are enthusiastic about sharing outdoor activities with campers. They are fun, adapt quickly to changing working conditions and have a strong work ethic. Calleva JCs work excellently in a team and are able to take direction & apply feedback. They’re reliable & able to build good relationships with children. JCs must be 16 years old by the start of camp.
*We ask that staff commit to a minimum of 6 weeks of work (NOT including the first week of camp). Ideally at these are consecutive weeks.
First year junior counselors typically earn $250/week.
Frequently Asked …
Where is Calleva camp?
We’ve got 4 campuses. Although all of our camps start & end their day at one of the three above locations, many of our camps are traveling programs and use a variety of local parks as launch sites and overnight locations for our activities.
- Riley’s Lock (MD), on the banks of Seneca Creek
- Calleva Farm (MD), 260 acres in Dickerson
- Madeira School (VA), in a beautiful forest by the Potomac River
- Camp Fraser (VA), NEW 200+ acre forest by Great Falls
How do I apply?
CLICK HERE! Our application is open on a rolling basis. After you apply online, someone from Calleva will reach out to schedule an interview with you.
What is the Calleva hiring process?
Our search for experienced, empathetic, high-energy staff is a robust process.
Application:
Foundational screening questions designed to identify applicants who are aligned with Calleva values & culture. Each application is reviewed by our staffing coordinators before an interview is scheduled.
Interviews:
All potential hires go through a face-to-face or phone interview with a Calleva camp leadership team member. Interviews include open-ended response questions regarding experience, leadership style, and personal priorities.
Reference Checks:
Applicants provide Calleva with at least two references from non-family members. References are asked a series of questions that help us understand the applicant’s character and employment history. Also, we request a specific vote of confidence that the applicant is capable & trusted to work with children.
Background Checks:
Once applicants are fully vetted through the above screening procedures, we run three separate background checks:
- FBI Fingerprint Criminal Background Check
- Child Protective Services Check
- National Sex-offender Registry Check
Offer & Onboarding:
Hired staff receive an employment contract that specifies expectations for their role and initial trainings that will help acquaint them with Calleva standards, protocols & other essential skills. All Calleva staff receive ongoing trainings, on the job mentoring & weekly reviews. We are committed to continuously evaluating, learning and improving as a team!
What should I expect for my summer at Calleva?
You can expect to work hard. You can expect to be outside regardless of the weather, and you’ll head home exhausted each day. You can expect to form lifelong friendships & to gain skills that will serve you well, both immediately and into the future! You can expect to influence the lives of kids.
Can I work if I have limited experience?
Yes! We hire staff who value our mission & are eager to learn new skills. If you exemplify Calleva’s values & are willing to work hard, Calleva will provide all necessary training for you to be successful in your job here!
What are the dates & hours for a typical camp week?
The 2026 camp season runs June 8th – September 4th. Working days start at approximately 8:15am on Mondays (earlier for bus counselors!) and 8:30am on other days; staff work until about 4:30pm.
When working with Adventure Camp, a Thursday overnight is included in the working week, so you’ll be working in the field with campers all night!!
If you have availability before or after the summer season, Calleva often hires seasonal facilitators for our school programs.
Is there a staff orientation?
Our mandatory — and AWESOME — all-staff orientation is June 6th-7th. Expect to meet new people and please come ready to ask lots of questions! You’ll go through a typical “day of camp” & attend training sessions that help you understand Calleva policies AND equip you with a toolkit of games & songs to make camp days fun & engaging!
Interns/Volunteers
Interns make a 6-12 week work commitment and stipends are available in some cases. Internships are not camp-specific but further Calleva’s overall mission.
We like them focused on the individual intern’s area of expertise and education, and projects/workload can be customized or geared to intern’s educational or professional goals. These are couple of Internships we have already in place.
- Agricultural Intern
- Event Planning Internship
- Social Media Internship
- Outdoor Adventure Management Internship
