Must be fully available Mondays through Fridays from 8:00am-4:30pm beginning June 5 and ending August 13, 2025. This position requires staff to participate in Summer Camp team trainings.

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION

Birch Aquarium at Scripps is a non-profit exploration center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. The aquarium showcases over 60 habitats of fish and invertebrates. The interactive museum features research discoveries by Scripps scientists and engages visitors of all ages.

Our goal is to promote conservation efforts that protect our ocean planet. We educate visitors on how our world works and inspire them to become stewards of the planet. Our conservation efforts are based on scientific research, and we aim to connect people with nature and with a shared sense of responsibility to care for our planet Earth.

Location: 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037.

aquarium.ucsd.edu

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Under general supervision of the Youth Programs Coordinator, the Onsite Summer Camp Assistant is responsible for assisting Summer Camp Educators in the implementation of summer camp science education programming, in alignment with Birch Aquarium’s role as the public exploration center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), UC San Diego. The Onsite Summer Camp Assistant will collaborate with the Education Team to create a welcoming, safe, and fun environment for campers ages 4-10. Summer Camp programming will take place at the Birch Aquarium, SIO, and several offsite locations such as La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores. Programmatic responsibilities include helping to implement age-appropriate camp activities; setting up and cleaning up camp spaces and supplies; assessing audience and/or camper needs and communicating them to Educators; and adhering to aquarium and university policies and procedures. Onsite Summer Camp indoor and outdoor activities may include, but are not limited to, games, art projects, science experiments, animal interactions, aquarium exploration, storytelling, free play, and supervised snack and lunch times.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Established cultural competency, such as working effectively with and supporting audiences/peers of diverse ages, ethnicities, and cultural and educational backgrounds.

• Skills to develop original ideas, creative problem solving skills in a varied and challenging environment including service orientation, program management, sound judgment and decision-making, and critical thinking skills.

• Advanced knowledge of program activity.

• Work leadership and interpersonal skills for those in a lead capacity, and the ability to work effectively across the organization, internally and externally.

• Proficiency in the use of basic computer programs relevant to job duties.

• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills.

• May work in youth camps, fitness, and outdoor programs.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Must be available Mondays through Fridays beginning June 5 and ending August 13, 2025.

• Some programs may involve outdoor, water or sea-going activities and may require lifting equipment plus handling live organisms.

• CPR/First Aid certification preferred, and may be provided as part of job requirement.

• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.

Duties require direct contact with children (defined as individuals under the age of 18); completion of the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) training will be required. Must meet CANRA compliance requirement per California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act ("CANRA," Penal Code sections 11164-11174.4).