Early Child Educ Progrms - Inclusion Counselor (Seasonal)

Join the PRIDE and Brookfield Zoo Chicago's mission to ignite emotional connections with wildlife that spark conservation action while leading vital programs to protect endangered species. Our beautiful 235-acre campus offers a living classroom that is home to over 3,500 animals representing 500 species. Brookfield Zoo Chicago is embarking on a groundbreaking, ambitious Next Century Plan to achieve our vision. It is the beginning of an exciting transformative journey!

The Camp Programs Inclusion Counselor (seasonal) contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago ("BZC") by providing the highest level of quality customer service and extraordinary guest experiences with quality programming to participants to further Brookfield Zoo Chicago's mission of inspiring conservation leadership.

2025 Summer Camp dates are: June 9 - August 8. There is no camp the week of July 4th. Camp staff training will take place the week of June 2. The typical scheduled hours for camp staff are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; until 5:00 p.m. for aftercare. Each staff member typically gets assigned one week of aftercare coverage. Further information about camp programs can be found here. The pay rate for this position is $19.25 per hour. The Benefits Summary Information (for this position, please refer to the seasonal employees section): Benefits Table and/or details also provided below after the job description information.

PRIMARY JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

1. *Responsible for supporting and assisting one or more campers with a disability who are enrolled in Zoo Camp to promote participation in camp activities and independence to the fullest extent possible. Provide direct support to campers who require one-to-one assistance or who require a lower staffing ratio and act as an advocate for the campers receiving support within Zoo Camp.
2. *Work with Camp Programs Counselors to adapt existing camp activities to individual camper needs and abilities. Implement effective behavior management strategies and document challenging behaviors.
3. *Organize and prepare all adaptive materials and inclusion resources for campers in their care. Communicate on a daily basis with parents/guardians of campers receiving inclusion support and address any questions, challenges, or concerns.
4. *Work with the Camp Programs Inclusion Specialist to formulate individualized support plans for campers.
5. Function as a Camp Programs Counselor when called upon.
6. Other related duties as assigned.

* Denotes Essential Job Function(s)

POSITION REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS:

• High School diploma or (GED) equivalent required.
• Must be at least 18 years of age as required by the American Camp Association Guidelines.

• Two months paid and/or volunteer/unpaid experience working with groups of children and/or educating the public in a formal or informal educational setting, e.g., camp, park district, Special Recreation Association, day care, student teaching, school, or cultural institution, required.
• Two months working with individuals with disabilities required, e.g. paid and/or volunteer/unpaid experience at a facility/organization/program such as special recreation association, social service, special education, fieldwork in a therapy or education program at college level, etc.
• Strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills required.
• Must be an enthusiastic and flexible team player and able to work in a stimulating environment.
• English fluency at a professional working proficiency required.
• Excellent customer service skills and experience working with guests effectively.
• Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience.

DESIRABLE/PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• One year of college or two years of equivalent experience preferred, including coursework in special education, therapeutic recreation, rehabilitation, applied behavior analysis, or other directly related field or subjects.
• Experience working in inclusive informal, educational, or recreational programs a plus.
• Experience in a zoo, aquarium, museum, nature center, or art studio environment a plus.
• Working knowledge of behavior management strategies a plus.
• Training or certification in Crisis Prevention and Intervention, Safety Care, Handle with Care or other related certification a plus.
• Multilingual ability, Spanish and/or American Sign Language fluency a plus.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This position description summarizes the primary duties and functions of this position, but should not be considered a complete listing of every duty the incumbent may ever be called upon to perform. Must represent Brookfield Zoo Chicago in an appropriate and professional manner to campers, families of enrolled campers and Zoo guests. Willing and able to learn play facilitation skills. Incumbent must display a positive attitude and be a positive role model to program participants and provide a fun and positive learning environment for program participants including school-aged children. Pre-school camp is for children 4 and 5-years old. School-age camp is for children in grades K-5. Zoo Lab is for middle school children in 6^th - 8^th grades. Incumbent may be scheduled to work non-standard hours including evenings, holidays, overnights, and weekends typically in the fall and spring. Must have the availability to work the weeks that summer Zoo Camp is in session as well as attend all required trainings in the weeks prior to camp starting. Camp programs run from June through August, training takes place in May. The work schedule for Zoo Camp is generally Monday through Friday, 7 to 8 hours per day, based on camper enrollment. Other specialty program schedules vary but are typically in the spring and fall on weekends, holidays, and other non-standard hours. All schedules are based on the needs of the operation.

BENEFIT INFORMATION:

www.brookfieldzoo.org/custom.czs/files/06/06337b2c-b3db-45a2-8eb2-f8362486bd0e.pdf

We are pleased that you are considering joining our dedicated team at Brookfield Zoo Chicago (BZC). Below is a summary of Brookfield Zoo Chicago's generous employee benefits. Please note, benefits vary based on whether benefits are provided through the Teamsters Union for positions represented by the Teamsters or by Brookfield Zoo Chicago for non-union positions. For non-union positions, some benefits also differ by pay grade classification if noted.

Seasonal Employees

Mental Health: Support, counseling, and resources for life issues at no cost to you. Eligible employees and their immediate family have access to Perspectives, a dynamic Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) which provides 24/7, confidential care and resources to address work and life stressors.

Retirement Savings: A 401(k) savings plan is available for all employees. Choose either pre-tax and/or Roth after-tax contributions. First of the quarter following one year of service, eligible employees receive matching contributions of 50% of the first 6% you contribute.

Other Benefits & Perks for All Employees (unless otherwise noted)

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• Chicago Zoological Society | Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Rd, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America