The Conejo Valley Unified School District's Outdoor School is hiring seasonal staff to lead hands-on environmental education for 6th grade students at Camp Ramah in Ojai, California.
The Conejo Valley Unified School District's Outdoor School is a 4-day, 3-night program that serves the 6th grade students of the Thousand Oaks area, running January 18 – March 26, 2027.
The program is held at Camp Ramah in Ojai, California — a 400-acre camp a few minutes from downtown Ojai, in a natural area of chaparral and riparian woodlands. Students learn about the environment in which they live by taking "trail classes" led by Naturalists who are skilled in the subjects they teach. There are no classrooms or desks; students learn about the environment by going out and seeing it first-hand.
Naturalists teach by first-hand discovery, discussion, activities, experiments, games, and songs. Trail classes include astronomy, botany, geology, ecology, hydrology, zoology, and team-building activities. In the evenings, students relax and have fun — watching and performing skits at the culminating campfire, and learning about nocturnal animals and astronomy on the Night Hike.
Outdoor School staff make that week happen — leading trail classes and evening programs and building a safe, supportive community that fosters teamwork, environmental awareness, and personal growth. It is demanding, rewarding work, and many team members return year after year.
The Conejo Valley Unified School District's Outdoor School hires four seasonal positions for the 2027 program (January 18 – March 26). All are paid hourly and include room and board, with free weekend housing available. Choose a position to see its duties, pay, and qualifications.
Lead interpretive hikes and hands-on lessons in astronomy, botany, ecology, geology, hydrology, indigenous people traditions, and zoology, and run evening campfire programs.
View position → Student LifeWork alongside high school counselors to keep a safe, positive atmosphere for 6th graders in the cabins and across camp, and help students resolve conflicts.
View position → LeadershipSupport the Program Coordinator: direct curriculum in the field, supervise naturalists, cabin leaders, and counselors, and keep activities safe and on schedule.
View position → HealthProvide health care for 6th grade students — administer medications, assess conditions, and give first aid / CPR / AED — under district health procedures.
View position →You do not need an environmental degree or years of camp experience. You do need to be someone who:
What a season at Outdoor School actually looks like — the training week, where you'll live and eat, the daily rhythm, and the dates.
To apply, send us your resume by email and we will follow up with next steps. All staff positions are for the full season.
Send a current resume as a PDF or Word attachment to:
thoegeman@conejousd.org
We review resumes on a rolling basis until positions are filled.
Questions? Email the same address or call the Conejo Valley Unified
School District's Outdoor School Office at:
1-805-497-9511 ext. 4248
No. Many of our staff are in their first outdoor-education job. We provide paid training and pair new instructors with returning staff. Leadership roles do require prior experience.
Our staff positions are filled for the full season. Please apply only if you can commit to the entire season, including staff training.
Yes. Staff housing is provided at no cost throughout the season, including weekends, and all meals are provided while camp is in operation. See Room & Board for details.
You may bring your car, this makes it easy to travel and sight-see on the weekends. You will have the weekends off, these are non-paid days, but you can stay on-site at no cost if you wish. There is high-speed Wi-Fi available in the Staff Lounge and ‘White House’ areas.
Everyone hired to work with students must clear a background check. This includes a fingerprint-based criminal screening (Live Scan) and a TB clearance, both will be scheduled and paid for.
Yes, a quick note to the same address is all we need. Mention that you are returning and which season(s) you worked.
A look at Outdoor School in video and photos.
