Join a team that inspires you to inspire others…
Now hiring for the 2024 season!
Welcome to OMSI Outdoors
We are one of the largest museum-based outdoor education programs in the country, and you could join the Outdoor Science Education Team at one of our two camps:
- Camp Hancock in the extraordinary John Day Fossil Beds National Monument near Fossil, OR
- Camp Gray on the stunning Oregon coast in Newport, OR
Explore our Programs
Outdoor Science Instructors, Camp Cooks, and Program Supervisors are hired for the “full season” or all nine operating months. Everyone starts together in February for training and says goodbye in early November after some cleaning. Summer Camp Counselors join our team from mid-June through mid-August for Summer Camp.
Outdoor School
Spring: Early March through early June
Fall: Mid-September through the end of October
School groups travel to one of the sites and stay overnight for 3-5 days. Teachers bring adults or high school students from the community to stay in the cabins and support the students.
Learn More:
Summer Camp
Mid-June through Mid-August
Summer Campers sign up individually based on age and program themes. OMSI staff provides transportation between the camps and Portland. Cooks stay onsite during the summer, and everyone else stays in Portland on the weekends.
Learn More:
Summer Camp At Camp Gray
Summer Backpacking Trips
Summer Camp At Camp Hancock
Why choose OMSI Outdoors?
Benefits
Full season* staff qualify for:
- – 86% paid health insurance
- – Wellness (sick) time accrual
- – Paid vacation days
- – 11 paid personal/cultural days
- – Daily wage $135 – $180 (position-dependent)
- *Must work the whole nine-month season. Click here to learn more about benefits and pay rates for shorter-term positions.
Housing + Food
Free housing and food!
Housing is provided with no cost to staff (internet and utilities included). Food provided when groups are at camp.
- Camp Gray = private dormitory-style housing, with shared common spaces
- Camp Hancock = private individual housing, with shared common spaces
Membership
Free OMSI Family Membership
ASTC Passport: Admission to 325+ science museums across the country
Reciprocal Employee Attractions Pass: Access to local attractions like the High Desert Museum and the Portland Art Museum
Community
We value an intentional and inclusive community at camp.
Small staff teams and small group sizes:
- Educational groups ~ 1:15 ratio
- Summer cabin groups ~ 1:8 ratio
Unique summer weekend housing
You are welcome here.
OMSI respects, values and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person who they are. We believe that we will be successful in accomplishing our mission and vision when we seek out and respond to diversity of participation, thought and action.
Professional Development
We invest in you. Trainings for public speaking, small group facilitation, and time management are part of our life. Staff will also need to safely prepare and serve food, drive participants and provide first aid. These trainings and more are scheduled throughout the season.
Meet our Team
Camp Cook
Camp cooks are responsible for providing delicious and nutritious meals for our programs. They do everything: menu planning, food orders, inventory, cooking, prepping, cleaning, and dishes. During the February – October season, they bring the comfort and feeling of home in each meal they provide.
Outdoor Science Instructor
From February – October, instructors create more than educational adventures! They create life-changing experiences and memories that last a lifetime. Instructors plan and facilitate lessons while working with other staff to care for the facility and build safe, inclusive spaces. Instructors’ roles vary as they support different program aspects throughout the season. They care for the site, teaching tools, and classrooms and support kitchen staff during meal times. During the summer, instructors drive vans and buses, utilize their Wilderness First Responder certification, and help summer camp counselors.
Outdoor Science Program Supervisor
From January – November, program supervisors are the master planners and organizers overseeing the day-to-day operations. They schedule and coordinate every group to ensure a safe and fun experience. They provide school information, help with check-in and check-out, give announcements, and keep activities on schedule. Program supervisors manage the instructors and counselors, support site managers, and the kitchen staff when needed.
Summer Camp Counselor
Counselors support the physical, emotional, and social well-being of every summer camper. They meet campers at check-in and ride the bus to camp with them. Counselors stay overnight in cabins, eat meals with campers, and build community-forming friendships through games, conversations, cabin activities, and campfires. Housing and meals are provided during programming; weekend housing is available for 18+. Counselors must be sixteen or older by June 1st.
Explore Our Facilities
Camp Hancock
Uniquely situated within the Claro Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Hancock Field Station has access to one of the world’s most significant fossil sites, nearby canyons, archaeology sites, and the John Day River.
- Paleontology: The local fossil record unlocks the evolutionary paths of plants and animals
- Geology: Hike through the geologic history of Oregon
- Ecology: The juniper-sage grassland steppe provides a model location to study arid land and fire ecology
- Astronomy: Without light pollution, the Milky Way stretches over the camp at night
- Summer Camp: All of these, plus white water rafting and survival camps
Private Housing
Instructors, Cooks, and Program Supervisors are assigned a small, one room A-frame cabin for the season. The cabins are equipped with electricity, heat, a twin-sized bed, a small desk and chair, and storage closets.
Staff House Media Room
A short walk from the cabins is a shared staff house. A converted three-bedroom house is where the bathrooms, showers, kitchen, living room, laundry, games, media, and other amenities live. The staff house is fully furnished.
Berrie Hall Kitchen
This charming little kitchen has all that you need to cook for large groups. Walk-in cooler and freezers, convection ovens, flat top griddle, range top, mixer, and a three-step sink.
What to do on the Weekends
Beautiful hiking trails surround Hancock. There’s camping by the John Day River, and if you need to head to town, Fossil is 3o minutes, and Madras, Redmond, and Bend are 1-2 hours away.
Camp Gray
Nestled between Yaquina Bay and the expansive dunes of South Beach State Park, Camp Gray is surrounded by world-class coastal locations and a diverse economy. Yaquina Bay has supported people since time immemorial. We honor that legacy by learning local history and the current sustainable efforts to protect the land and water in and around Camp Gray.
- Coastal Ecology: Hike from the beach to the forest to observe forest succession
- Marine Biology: Listen to the sea lions bark while bird-watching at the bay
- Climate:
- Emergency Management: Camp Gray is in the tsunami hazard zone. We live by the motto, “Be prepared, not scared.”
- Summer Camp: All of these plus art/design, surfing, and backpacking
Private Rooms
Bedrooms in the staff house come with twin beds, a desk and storage. To build our intentional community, each week the house will meet to chat and talk about the house.
Kitchen and Living Room
The staff house has a kitchen, full bathrooms, laundry, and wi-fi. A TV also hang on the wall for weekend movie nights. Camp Gray is close enough to town to receive cell phone reception.
Meyer Hall Kitchen
The kitchen has all that you need to cook for large groups. Walk-in cooler and freezers, convection ovens, flat top griddles, range top, mixers, sinks and dishwasher
What to do on the Weekends
There’s a lot to do and explore on the Oregon Coast, from hiking and surfing to tide pooling and farmers markets. Grocery stores, restaurants and fitness gyms are all nearby. Also, Corvallis, Eugene and Portland are within a day’s drive.