Waterfront Assistant
Waterfront Assistant
About Birch Trail Camp: Birch Trail is a traditional summer camp for girls aged 7-15 located in Minong, Wisconsin. We provide a safe, fun, and non-competitive summer camp environment for almost 220 campers and close to 140 staff. While in camp, the girls have the opportunity to do a wide variety of activities, including canoeing, sailing, swimming, tennis, water skiing, climbing, land sports, horseback riding, arts & crafts, dance, yoga, and drama.
Although most activities at Birch Trail are led by cabin counselors, each year we hire a few people as Activity Specialists to direct the more-specialized activities at camp. Depending on the applicant’s background, these positions may include cabin counseling responsibilities as well. If you want to work with children in the outdoors, gain valuable leadership experience, and share your skills with others, then a summer at Birch Trail is for you! All staff members have the opportunity to use the camp facilities and enjoy all that camp has to offer. Our staff members regularly describe their experiences working at Birch Trail as “the summer of a lifetime.”
Job Responsibilities: Under the guidance of the Waterfront Director, a Waterfront Assistant’s goal is to provide a safe and enjoyable waterfront program. Additional responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- To disseminate personal knowledge and skills related to all aspects of waterfront programming, including but not limited to: swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, and diving;
- Maintain a clean beachfront;
- Care for and maintain equipment on the beach and water, including but not limited to: the water toy, PDFs, sail boats, and the rescue boat;
- Act as a leader and positive role model for campers;
- Be professional in all job tasks by taking the job seriously, being at work and ready to work on time;
- Using utmost care and judgment when making decisions affecting the well-being of campers; and
- Reporting any problems or concerns to an administrative staff member.
All staff members of Birch Trail Camp must be able to:
- Be capable of appropriate and sustained mental, emotional and social interactions in our constantly changing, youth-centered and community living camp setting
- Think clearly at all times.
- Work cooperatively with staff and campers.
- Exercise good judgment.
- Operate tools, equipment, vehicles, boats and appliances as applicable to job duties.
- Assist staff and campers in an emergency (fire, evacuation, illness, injury or natural disaster).
- Maintain supervision of assigned area(s) while on duty.
- Possess the mental, visual and auditory ability to respond to environmental hazards and internal and external threats to the camp community.
Preferred Experience: Applicants should have experience and/or interest in working with children for extended periods of time. A Waterfront Assistant should be a fun, patient, honest, caring and responsible person who wants to spend time in the outdoors with kids; and they should have experience with all forms of watercraft and water activities and be comfortable teaching these skills to others. We provide extensive training in counseling skills, so that the entire staff is ready to work with our campers when they arrive. All employees are expected to come to camp with current CPR certification or higher and those working on the waterfront with a current Life Guarding certification and experience.
Compensation: Birch Trail staff must be available June 6th - August 8th, 2026. Salaries are very competitive with other camps and based on the individual applicant’s experience. Compensation packages include room & board. Additional salary bonuses are available for certain certifications and for additional weeks worked either before or after the camping season.
How to Apply: Both men and women are encouraged to apply. For more information about Birch Trail and to find an online application, please visit www.birchtrail.com. Applications, letters of interest, and/or resumes can also be faxed or mailed to the winter office. If you have additional questions, please email directors@birchtrail.com or call the winter office.