Cooking Instructor, Camp Kaleidoscope, Summer Day Camp

JCC Greater Boston; Newton (MA); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fitness Center access

Staff bus service from multiple areas

Job summary

JCC Greater Boston in Newton, MA seeks enthusiastic Cooking Instructors to design and lead engaging culinary activities for children in grades 4-8 at our summer day camp. You will bring basic cooking skills to life, guide campers through recipes, and foster a safe, inclusive learning environment.

This 8-week program runs June to August, with daily 8:30am–4:30pm shifts and a starting pay of $20 per hour. You’ll collaborate with counselors, support special events, and help campers build confidence

Qualifications

• High school diploma preferred.
• Experience designing and leading cooking activities for children.
• Customer service experience preferred.
• Ability to foster a safe, inclusive and fun camp environment.

Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare, and lead age-appropriate cooking activities.
• Ensure camper safety and well-being during activities.
• Create a fun, inclusive environment that promotes skill-building.
• Collaborate with counselors and camp leadership for a cohesive camper experience.
• Maintain supplies and equipment for activities.
• Adapt activities for diverse campers' needs.
• Support camp-wide events and large-group programming.
• Assist with overall camp operations as needed.

Skills

Cooking

Teaching

Curriculum planning

Safety and inclusivity

Communication

Education

High school diploma preferred

Cooking/nutrition related training preferred

Tools

Kitchen equipment

Job description

Be a role model. Share your passion!

Do you love cooking, experimenting with flavors, and sharing your passion for food — and want to inspire kids in the kitchen? JCC Greater Boston is looking for enthusiastic Cooking Instructors to design and lead engaging culinary activities for children in grades 4-8 at our summer day camp in Newton, MA. Specialists are role models who create safe, inclusive, and fun program areas where kids can explore, learn, and build confidence through hands‑on cooking experiences.

Do you love cooking, experimenting with flavors, and sharing your passion for food — and want to inspire kids in the kitchen? JCC Greater Boston is looking for enthusiastic Cooking Instructors to design and lead engaging culinary activities for children in grades 4-8 at our summer day camp in Newton, MA. Specialists are role models who create safe, inclusive, and fun program areas where kids can explore, learn, and build confidence through hands‑on cooking experiences.

JCC Greater Boston offers free bus service for staff from Cambridge, Brookline, Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, Wayland, Framingham, Natick, Needham, Newton and Wellesley during the summer season.

What you will do each day:

You’ll spend your day bringing the kitchen to life — whether that’s teaching basic cooking skills, guiding campers through recipes, exploring fun food science experiments, or helping them create delicious dishes. You’ll plan age‑appropriate activities, adapt them to meet the needs of different campers, and keep things safe, engaging, and fun. Beyond your specialty, you’ll also be part of the camp team: helping with transitions, supporting special events, and ensuring every camper feels included, supported, and inspired.

Example Recipes Include:

• Smoothies
• Cookies
• Salsa
• Salads
• And More!

Why work with us?

At our camps, the best part of the day is simple: the campers. Our staff say their favorite moments are playing games, cheering campers on at swim, creating art together, and bonding over shared interests. Staff describe camp as fun, dynamic, and inclusive. Here, you’ll gain leadership skills, make lasting friendships, and create unforgettable experiences — for campers and yourself.

JCC Greater Boston is deeply committed to valuing and celebrating the uniqueness of each constituent. We welcome staff and participants from diverse backgrounds. While being proudly Jewish, we strive in every way to provide an open and welcoming setting for all, irrespective of personal practices, beliefs, or background. We are guided by JCC Greater Boston’s core values – Belonging, Joyfulness, Collaboration, and Transformation – which resonate with many who do not identify as Jewish.

This is what our staff say are the best parts of working at JCC Camps:

• Bonding with the campers
• The activities
• Free swim
• Leadership opportunities
• Making close friends with co‑counselors

Primary responsibilities include, and are not limited to:

• Plan, prepare, and lead age‑appropriate activities in your specialty area
• Ensure the safety and well‑being of campers during activities
• Create a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment that encourages skill‑building and exploration
• Work in partnership with counselors and camp leadership to provide a cohesive, positive camper experience
• Maintain, organize, and request necessary supplies and equipment
• Adapt activities to meet the needs and abilities of diverse campers
• Support camp‑wide special events and large‑group programming as assigned
• Assist with overall camp operations as needed (drop‑off/pick‑up, transitions, lunch, supervision, etc.)

Standard staff expectations include and are not limited to:

• Actively create a welcoming dynamic that contributes to an environment where each individual is valued and respected
• Actively participate as an essential team member
• Support JCC Greater Boston’s mission, vision, and values of belonging, joyfulness, collaboration, and transformation, including through role modeling
• Enthusiastically representing the organization, model excellence and achievement
• Attend JCCGB meetings and trainings as assigned
• Other duties as assigned

This is a great chance to join JCC Greater Boston’s respected and valued, people‑orientated workplace of diverse community services providers, which is rapidly growing!

This is an hourly position with a daily schedule of 8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday. Offering great perks, including JCC Health & Fitness center access, a supportive, vibrant in‑person work environment, and a competitive starting pay rate of $20 per hour. The pay rate offered will ultimately be determined by relevant qualifications, experience, and JCC’s internal equity.

This 8‑week camp program is June 21 - August 20, including staff training. While we prefer candidates who are available all summer, we recognize that candidates may have other obligations and are happy to work with your schedule.

About JCC Greater Boston

Since opening its doors in 1983, JCC Greater Boston has been committed to creating a vibrant, inclusive, diverse community by nurturing meaningful, lasting relationships. Through our network of early learning centers, day camps, regional teen and family programs, health and wellness offerings, and adult arts and ideas classes, JCC Greater Boston provides highly valued connections, learning, and experiences for the Jewish community and friends.

JCC Greater Boston staff enjoy working in an innovative, friendly, and welcoming environment where their talents and contributions are appreciated. In our recent employee survey, staff rated their direct management and organizational alignment experiences close to 90% positive. If you want to upgrade your working experience and have a better work‑life balance, we encourage you to explore becoming part of the JCC team!

The JCC is deeply committed to valuing and celebrating the uniqueness of each constituent. We welcome staff and participants from diverse backgrounds. While being proudly Jewish, we strive in every way to provide an open and welcoming setting for all, irrespective of personal practices, beliefs, or background. We are guided by JCC Greater Boston’s core values: Belonging, Joyfulness, Collaboration, and Transformation, which we hope resonate with all.

To learn more about what makes JCC Greater Boston a wonderful place to work, please visit our careers page at https://www.bostonjcc.org/careers/

JCC Greater Boston is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, color, religion, national

Education and Experience:

• High school degree preferred
• College degree, concentration, certification, or equivalent experience in cooking, nutrition, or related field preferred
• 1+ season (summer camp, semester, other) instructor experience planning and leading activities for children
• Customer service experience preferred
• Equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted at the JCC’s discretion to meet minimum criteria.

Skills and Abilities:

• Genuine enjoyment of working with children and helping them grow
• Passion and expertise in your specialty area (arts, sports, music, cooking, science, etc.)
• Ability to plan and lead age‑appropriate, engaging, and inclusive activities
• Excellent group management skills
• Strong communication, teamwork, and collaboration skills with campers and staff
• Safety awareness and ability to manage risks during activities
• Creativity, flexibility and patience to adapt activities for diverse camper needs
• Positive, energetic attitude and commitment to fostering an inclusive, joyful camp environment
• Proactive problem‑solving and willingness to ask for guidance when needed
• Self‑starter who takes the initiative
• Must be able to work well with others, building/sustaining collaborative solid relationships
• Ability to manage situations effectively and diplomatically and ask for help, guidance, or clarification when needed
• Commitment to build strong relationships with campers, co‑workers, and camp leadership.

Physical Requirements:

• Able to work well in a busy, dynamic, and sometimes noisy environment involving multiple tasks and priorities
• Ability to work in variety of weather conditions for extended periods of time in case of rain, heat, humidity, cold, or other environmental factors to ensure the supervision and safety of campers in our care.
• Able to lift and carry objects weighing 30-40 pounds (boxes of supplies, children’s backpacks, etc.
• Able to sit and kneel; getting down at eye level with children regularly.
• Ability to swim and supervise children in pool (able to stand in pool)

ADA Statement

Individuals must possess these criteria for knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation and using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Education and Experience:

• High school degree preferred
• College degree, concentration, certification, or equivalent experience in cooking, nutrition, or related field preferred
• 1+ season (summer camp, semester, other) instructor experience planning and leading cooking activities for children
• Customer service experience preferred

Equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted at the JCC’s discretion to meet minimum criteria.

Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent group management skills
• Flexibility in plans and positive attitude
• Ability to work with a variety of cooking supplies and equipment
• Ability to work with allergy and dietary restrictions as needed
• Enjoy working with children and a strong desire to make a difference every day
• Safety awareness and ability to communicate any issues and concerns with supervisors
• Ability to ensure safety of participants when working with cooking supplies, tools and variety of ingredients and food
• Exhibits leadership skills, including teamwork, patience, flexibility, and diplomacy
• Demonstrates positive attitude at all times
• Commitment to build strong relationships with campers, co‑workers, and camp leadership
• Self‑starter who takes the initiative
• Ability to manage situations effectively and diplomatically and ask for help, guidance, or clarification when needed
• Must be able to work well with others, building/sustaining collaborative solid relationships

Physical Requirements:

• Able to work well in a busy, dynamic, and sometimes noisy environment involving multiple tasks and priorities.
• Able to lift and carry objects weighing 30-40 pounds (boxes of supplies, children’s backpacks, etc.
• Able to sit and kneel; getting down at eye level with children regularly.

ADA Statement

Individuals must possess these criteria for knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation and using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Benefits

In addition to offering rewarding work and great career opportunities within our mission-driven, values-driven, and family-centric environment JCC Greater Boston proudly offers employees the generous benefits listed below.

JCCGB Perks! Each seasonal employee is eligible for access to JCC Greater Boston's top class fitness, recreation and wellness facility in Newton! Seasonal access to the JCC Fitness Center includes:

• Use of the Fitness Center at Leventhal‑Sidman JCC during active seasonal employment
• Free or discounted enrollment for camp programs may be available for camp employees' children based on availability

Benefits are subject to review and change by the Organization, and plan documents are the primary determinant.

A Great Place to Work!

JCC Greater Boston is consciously evolving as a great place to work! In our recent 2023 employee engagement survey, at least 88% of our staff gave us top ratings on:

• Supportive colleagues
• Team camaraderie
• How their managers treat them
• Individual autonomy
• Knowing what their work contributes to and how it impacts others
• Pride in working for the JCC
• Program and service quality
• Holding ourselves accountable

Our staff and leadership bring experience, excellence, and commitment to everything we offer and we are dedicated to a culture where all our employees may thrive. Our culture is built on our values, driven by our mission, and nurtured through the expert contributions of our professionals.