Now Hiring at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove
We’re excited you’re interested in becoming part of our Team!
The UMaine 4-H Learning Centers at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove provide opportunities for people to connect to the natural world and each other. Each year we hire folks like you, well-rounded individuals keen to carry out hands-on programming that builds skills, inspires creative problem-solving and helps young folks reach their full potential. You will play a huge role in the success of our programs whether you serve as an educator or a member of our kitchen crew!
Tanglewood & Blueberry Cove are both unmistakably beautiful places to work, nestled in the woods along the Ducktrap River and overlooking Tenants Harbor respectively. Our communities are welcoming ones, for we recognize that every individual who works here plays an equally essential role in carrying out our mission.
Please read through the job descriptions and program pages thoroughly to determine which site and program position is the best fit for you.
We are getting things set for hiring for the 2025 program year.
Stay tuned for updated job descriptions.
Please email one of the following folks if you’d like to learn more.
Reed Bridge-Koenigsberg, Tanglewood: reed.bridgekoenigsberg@maine.edu
Jessica Decke, Tanglewood: jessica.decke@maine.edu
Ryan LeShane, Blueberry Cove: ryan.leshane@maine.edu
To Apply
Please apply using this online application form (the link will open up a new tab).
**Note, if you are not currently a student, you will be notified and we will direct to the University of Maine hiring platform, Oracle, to complete your application process.**
Three-Season Positions: April to Late October
Outdoor Educator, based at Tanglewood (with spring and fall only options available)
You will provide hands-on ecology immersion for students as part of our Open Air Classroom. All school programming is customized and highlights our Earth Connections curriculum and teaching methodology. Programs work with students across grades K-12 in day and overnight program formats.
To read the full job description, click here.
Food Service Supervisor (lead cook)
The Food Services Supervisor will work with the director in ordering food, creating schedules, and ensuring the kitchen is kept at Maine State health code standards. You will be responsible for preparing 1-2 meals per day for the camp community. This position is part-time seasonal (April-October).
To read the full job description, click here.
Food Service Technician
The Food Services Technician is responsible for the application of established standards, policies, and procedures to ensure the delivery of safe and cost-effective food and beverages. You will serve as the prep cook/assistant to the lead cook. This position is part-time seasonal (April-October).
To read the full job description, click here.
Facilities and Grounds Worker, based at Tanglewood
The essential duties of this position are to maintain sanitation and grounds. Your day-to-day work will involve active, outdoor tasks with opportunities to learn and develop practical skills related to facility upkeep and maintenance. This position is part-time seasonal (April- late October).
To read the full job description, click here.
Summer Positions: Mid-June to Mid-August
Overnight Summer Camp Counselor
Overnight Camp Counselors are responsible for fostering a supportive, inclusive, and respectful living environment for campers, prioritizing their safety, enjoyment, and personal growth. This role requires counselors to model positive community living and guide campers in learning to live responsibly and sustainably. Through active engagement and leadership, Overnight Camp Counselors help campers develop a sense of connection to both the community and the natural world around them. We have three levels of Overnight Camp Counselors with different requirements and responsibilities for each level.
To read the full job description, click here.
Day Summer Camp Counselor
Day Camp Counselors are responsible for fostering a supportive, inclusive, and respectful living environment for campers, prioritizing their safety, enjoyment, and personal growth. This role requires counselors to model positive community living and guide campers in learning to live responsibly and sustainably. Through active engagement and leadership, Day Camp Counselors help campers develop a sense of connection to both the community and the natural world around them. We have three levels of Day Camp Counselors with different requirements for each level.
To read the full job description, click here.
Summer Program Coordinator/Unit Leader
You will work closely with the Director and Summer Program Coordinator to carry out a successful summer program for both counselors and campers. Each week will vary in duties and intensity depending on which programs are in camp and where support is needed.
To read the full job description for the Unit Leader and Trips Logistics, click here.
To read the full job description for the Unit and Focus Leader, click here.
Summer Camp Coordinator
Your role is pivotal in ensuring the success of diverse Summer Programs. Collaborating closely with the Director and program leadership team, you’ll be responsible for planning, executing, and evaluating our overnight camp, leadership and trips programs. You will serve as a mentor for staff, providing supervision, support, and feedback. The Summer Camp Coordinator supports the intangible magic of camp, melding education, engagement, and fun creatively. You have a deep appreciation for summer camp and are committed to creating positive, life-changing experiences for campers and staff.
To read the full job description, click here.
Trip Leader
As a Level Three Camp Counselor, you will play an integral role in leading outdoor leadership programs for teenagers, guiding them through 3-6 day trips that include camping, hiking, and canoeing adventures. You will participate in a comprehensive two-week training to hone your practical skills, after which you’ll co-lead multiple-week sessions focused on essential leadership skills such as communication, team-building, and outdoor safety.
To read the full job description, click here.
Health Care Provider
This position’s essential duties are to work closely with the Director and camp administration to ensure a successful summer program for both counselors and campers. Each week will vary in duties and intensity depending on which programs are in camp and where support is needed. As a staff support team member, you will play a crucial role in mentoring best practices for maintaining program quality, participant safety and wellness, and staff wellness. Time management and the ability to work independently at times are necessary.
To read the full job description, click here.
“Tanglewood was the best camp experience of my life. My peers and mentors are some of the greatest people I have ever met, and I hope to offer a similar support system for everyone there, either camper or staff.”
— former summer counselor —
About Working at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove
Tanglewood & Blueberry Cove are centers for positive youth development, emphasizing discovering our connections to the natural world. That means not only do we teach children to respect the earth and their surroundings but that we also practice environmentally friendly methods of running our programs.
Being a leader at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove is not about blowing whistles and being “in charge.” It is about teaching, sharing, and supporting kids as they learn that it is OK to be themselves because they are the innermost (and most important) part of their environment.
Joining our staff team involves a commitment to living together with trust, honesty, and integrity. Fostering a healthy and vital community is one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of being a part of our teams.
Facilities
While we do our best to make sure you are comfortable while living at camp, our facilities are rustic and may not be what you’re used to. Be prepared to spend a lot of time outside exploring and playing with the young folks we work with, this includes spending a lot of the day on your feet and walking around with the campers.
The Basics
You will live in a shared cabin, which consists of an extra-long twin bed, shelves, and a dresser. It’s not much, and we encourage you to be creative and make it your own. You and your cabin co-leader share the space with up to 8 campers who sleep on bunk beds. Our summer cabins are non-insulated, with screens rather than glass for windows, so at night it can sometimes be cold, but during the day the lack of windows can be very welcome! Cabins for spring and fall staff are insulated, with glass windows, and a wood stove. However, there’s also no electricity in any of the sleeping cabins, so flashlights are a must.
The cabins are arranged into living units, each with a simple bathhouse. There is also a modern bathroom facility with showers and a staff-only bathhouse with extra showers and cubbies for you to store toiletries!
Time Off
Summer Camps
The exact schedule of time off you receive will depend on your position in camp, although as a general rule, staff has about 2 hours off each day and about 4 hours every other evening. Trips staff, who are on duty for the duration of their trips, receive additional time off during their weeks in camp to compensate.
Some examples of what staff has done on nights off include:
- Watching movies
- Mini-golf
- Going for ice cream
- Playing games
Each week of camp is also split with a “weekend” of time off between Friday afternoon (approx. 5:30 PM) and Sunday morning at noon.
Other fun weekend outings:
- Hitting Popham Beach for some sun and sand
- Hike the trails in Acadia National Park
- Go on shopping trips to Freeport, Maine
- Cook special meals together
- Spend time at the homes of local staff for some “family time”
School Programs
Most weeks follow a Monday-Friday schedule. Depending on the programming of the week, evenings may or may not be free as well — overnight school program days wrap up around 8:30 PM, though educators are not responsible for students after program time (chaperones and school teachers cover those).
In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).