Bruin Woods Job Application Information

Staff supervision and programmatic oversight for the Bruin Woods Family Camp is under Student Affairs, specifically UCLA Recreation Youth and Family Programs. UCLA Student employees and counselors are the heart of the Bruin Woods experience and we are thrilled to align our work at Lake Arrowhead with the longstanding principles and values of student-centered work demonstrated in our campus-based programs. We are passionately committed to the well-being, dignity and safe working conditions of all our employees and we are bringing this longstanding commitment and many years of camp supervision experience to our role with Bruin Woods.

Camp jobs offer invaluable skill-building, leadership, training, and enrichment opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else. Regardless of your college major, camp experiences allow you to learn and develop skills that will enhance your job marketability. The benefits go far beyond a paycheck. Business executives often note that experience as a camp counselor translates into excellent management and personnel skills.

Live, play, and work in the great outdoors
Go on active adventures
Meet & be mentored by UCLA alumni
Learn and develop leadership skills
Make an impact on kids and families

Work for Bruin Woods! For 10 weeks in summer, the north shore of Lake Arrowhead reverberates with the happy sounds of nearly 800 UCLA Alumni families. More than 50 of UCLA’s finest students join 100 Bruin Woods career staff to provide a memorable vacation for the guests.

Applications for summer 2026 are will be live SOON! Read below for more details about working at Bruin Woods and the application and interview process.

About Bruin Woods

What is Bruin Woods?

UCLA Alumni families come up for one of our 10 week-long sessions to join 80 other families at our charming resort in pristine Lake Arrowhead. UCLA student camp counselors share their Bruin spirit with the families while they all make new friends and reconnect with past camp buddies.

What are we looking for in Bruin Woods Staff?

Bruins Woods staff are creative, team-oriented individuals who can provide a safe and welcoming environment for families. These are some characteristics and qualities that make an ideal Bruin Woods Staff:

Friendly
Approachable
Reliable
Collaborative
Flexible
Honest
Positive
Energetic

We also look for staff members who are looking forward to being a role model to our camp kids and provide amazing hospitality and customer service to our camp families all summer.

Bruin Woods Staff Selections Timeline 2026

Applications will open on December 1, 2025.

Application deadline: Sunday, March 27, 2026 at midnight.

Application Information

APPLICATION PROCESS and APPLICATION LINK

Applications will be live on December 1, 2025. Please check back here for the link to the application.

DEADLINES FOR APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Application deadline: Sunday, March 27, 2026 at midnight.

INTERVIEW INFORMATION

Interviews will be held throughout March of 2026. Interviews will be held in-person on UCLA’s campus. Creativity is an essential element of working at Bruin Woods. Interviews will be held in a group setting with breakout periods for one-on-one interviews. You will be playing and leading games and activities during the interview.

ELIGIBILITY

In order to be eligible staff at Bruin Woods, one must be enrolled at UCLA as a student OR a past Bruin Woods camper for a minimum of 2 years.

REQUIRED DATES AT CAMP

Applicants with availability for the full duration of summer will have priority consideration for hire. Training, Camp, and Clean-up run from June 14 – August 30.

EXPECTED STAFF SALARIES

The base staff salary for the summer is $700-$850/week. All student positions include on-site dorm-style housing and 3 meals daily at Lake Arrowhead Lodge.

BACKGROUND CHECKS

All staffers are required to complete and pass a driving record check and FBI/DOJ fingerprint criminal background check. As a veteran staffer, your fingerprints remain on file with the University of California Police Department. You must complete a new Authorization and Release form each year that you work for CAA so we can run a driving record check.

STAFF HANDBOOK

Guidelines and policies of Bruin Woods are explained for hired staffers in the Staff Handbook which will be passed out during training. Violation of any policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Bruin Woods Staff Position Descriptions

All Staff Duties

Each week all staff members are required to attend a Saturday morning staff meeting. Each staffer will have a primary job, as detailed below, but will also have assigned duties outside of that job. In addition to fulfilling specific job duties, all staff members are required to interact with our guests, be role models for the kids, and participate in all shows and athletic events. Prior to the start of the summer season, all staff will begin with a training week.

All staff are required to be First Aid/CPR/AED certified prior to arriving at camp. Opportunities will be provided upon hire if you are not already certified.

Arts & Crafts Staff

Duties:

Help facilitate the camp-wide arts & crafts program
Teach ceramics, working with leather and other general mediums to 150 adult guests at the Alumni/Arts and Crafts Room
Teach crafts to children's groups
Balance arts & crafts accounts
Provide individual assistance as needed
Clean the Craft House and inventory supplies
After hours, perform other duties such as firing pottery, receiving orders, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

General familiarity with arts and crafts listed above and/or willingness to learn about and excel in them
Ability to give clear directions
Patience and willingness to answer hundreds of questions a day
Tolerance for lots of people noise
Ability to appreciate and inspire the creative efforts of others

Frontier Village

Duties:

Frontier Village staff help create the Frontier Village atmosphere by decorating the village, teaching outdoor skills and telling stories to guests of all ages

Preferred Qualifications:

Food organizational skills
Ability to teach both children and adults
Energetic, captivating adults and kids
Poise and self-confidence

Kids Group Counselor

Duties:

General supervision of multiple children while facilitating program rules
Model positive behavior to campers through excitement and participation in daily activities
Be energetic and engaging during all activities
Organize group athletic tournaments
Supervise evening cruises and offsite field trips
Help organize the weekly dance
Perform other duties as assigned

Preferred Qualifications:

Prior experience working with children in recreational, educational, and/or large group settings

Outdoor Adventures

Duties:

Organize and facilitate all outdoor adventure activities including transporting guests, leading hikes
Leading mountain biking trips, including monitoring & maintaining bikes
Leading kayaking trips
Facilitate archery open shoots and tournaments as a certified instructor
Assist boat drivers in facilitating fishing trips during mornings and afternoons including delivering instructions, assistance, and monitoring safety
Monitor and care for all OA equipment
Re-stock unused supplies after each event
Inventory equipment as requested
Serve as the resident expert on available field trips or places to go
Drive program groups to scheduled offsite destinations
Keep camp vehicles clean and ready for use
Deliver guests with limited mobility to camp-wide events
Perform other duties as assigned

Preferred Qualifications:

Prerequisites: Assertive; self-starter; work well with others; organized, detail-minded; willing and able to perform behind-the-scenes work required to make trips a success
Sincere love for the outdoors
Comfortable in large bodies of water (Lake Arrowhead Lake)
Enthusiast about excursions and hike 2-3 times per week
Pleasant disposition, outgoing personality, physical stamina
Knowledge of outdoor safety practices essential
Confident and experienced
Must have a good driving record

Other Specialized Positions

Positions:

Kayaking Instructor
Archery Instructor
Mountain Biking Instructor

Preferred Qualifications:

Proper training and certifications in the applicable fields
Strong leadership and teamwork
Ability to improvise and cater to individual groups

FAQs about Camp Life

Where is Bruin Woods Located?

Bruin Woods is in Lake Arrowhead: 850 Willow Creek Road, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352

What will my work schedule and time off look like?

Once offered a position your daily schedule will mostly revolve around duties pertaining to that position. All staff provide coverage in other areas of camp and there are many all-staff events. On any given day you will have a number of programs on your schedule, and a number of hours of free-time to do with what you wish. Most evenings staff will have unscheduled personal time unless assigned to specific evening programs.

What are the living conditions like?

All staff members live in the Cedar Lodge, a two-story guesthouse. There is a lounge on the first floor where you can hang out, and you'll share a bedroom and private bath with one or two or three fellow staff members. Bruin Woods furnishes clean bed linens and towels each week.

How do meals work?

The Bruin Woods staff receives 3 meals a day in the dining rooms with families. One assigned meal will be taken apart from families as a break.

Contact

Email:  bruinwoodsHR@recreation.ucla.edu

Phone: 310.206.7689