Cabin Counselor – Summer Staff
Location: Camp Bear Creek – Eastern Iowa
Website: https://bearcreek.camp/current-job-openings/summer-camp/
Dates: May 23-July 24, 2027
Being a Cabin Counselor is exhausting. It’s messy. It’s challenging. And it’s also one of the most rewarding things you can do with your summer.
Camp Bear Creek is a Christian summer camp in Eastern Iowa serving kids from kindergarten through 12th grade. We’re looking for passionate, fun, dedicated people who want to spend a summer making a real difference — in the lives of campers and in their own.
What We’re Looking For:
We want people who:
- Love working with kids
- Can serve as strong, positive role models
- Are ready to lead
- Are excited to help young people grow in faith
- Don’t mind unplugging and spending a summer in the woods
We aren’t going to lie, being a camp counselor is incredibly hard work. You’ll be responsible for the daily care and well-being of the campers in your cabin — making sure they eat, sleep, brush their teeth, wear socks, and feel safe. It looks different each week and could mean sitting up with them at night when they’re scared of the dark. It means teaching them how to paddle a kayak, supporting them at the rock wall/zip lines, building fires for skillet enchiladas (you’re going to love it), dancing to Grooveship worship and answering their questions about Jesus in Bible It also means picking up a kid when they fall in the dirt, giving them a high five when they finally hit the bullseye in archery, and letting them cover you in mud in the creek. It’s all part of walking alongside campers through a week of fun, growth, and faith—and helping give them a summer they’ll never forget.
At Camp Bear Creek, counselors don’t just supervise- they lead. You’ll gain real world experience in:
- Leadership and public speaking
- Curriculum planning and facilitation
- Conflict resolution and creative problem-solving
- Teamwork across diverse backgrounds.
These soft skills are essential in every career field. You’ll also lead a variety of camp activities and work with different age groups- giving you the opportunity to grow into a well-rounded leader.
We are also willing to work with you to ensure that this job can be used for internship credit in fields like Education, Public Health, Recreation & Leisure, Youth Services, Psychology and more. However, any student in any field can benefit from a summer camp experience like this.
You’ll be part of an incredible team of about 30 college-aged staff from across Iowa, the U.S., and even around the world. We work hard. We play hard. We show up for each other every day. You’ll be surrounded by people who push you to grow — and who feel like family by the end of week one.
This is more than a job. It’s a ministry, a leadership opportunity, and a summer you’ll never forget. You’ll give this job everything you’ve got — and it will give even more back.
So, if you’re looking for a summer full of purpose, adventure, community, and growth, don’t let this opportunity pass you by. For more information about working at Camp Bear Creek or to apply, visit https://bearcreek.camp/current-job-openings/summer-camp/