A group of Bay-Area based Lair staffers are available for hire this summer to help local campers with various odd jobs, including tutoring, childcare, car washing, lawn mowing, painting, swim lessons… click here to learn more.

Photo credit: Angela Lang, Christopher J. Holmes, Michael Kawano, Nancy Rubin

Whether you’ve grown up camping at the Lair, or this is your first time hearing about us, we hope you can join us in the mountains this summer. You will develop friendships that will last forever. You will become part of a very long and rich Lair staff tradition. You will enter a unique family that will make an indelible mark on the rest of your life. Work at the Lair of the Golden Bear! Read on for application details.

Applications for summer 2020 are now live! Please read this page for more details and follow the instructions on the FAQ page.

What is the Lair?

Opened in Pinecrest, CA in 1949, the Lair of the Golden Bear is the oldest and largest university-affiliated family camp in the United States. A three hour drive from the Bay Area, you’ll find the three camps that make up the Lair, Camp Blue, Camp Gold, and Camp Oski. Each offers it’s own facilities, including Dining Hall, pool, sports courts, art areas, and more. Read more about the Lair.

What are we looking for in a Lair staffer?

We’re looking for creative, team-oriented individuals who will take their job responsibilities seriously and who will breathe life into our summer season in an exceptional way. Successful staffers are friendly, approachable, reliable, flexible, honest, positive, and spirited, among many other things. Additionally, our staff members are role models to our camp kids and provide outstanding customer service to our camping guests each and every day of the summer.

If you love the outdoors and are excited about networking with Cal families and making lifelong friendships with fellow students, then you will love this job.

View the complete list of job descriptions.

Lair Staff Selections Timeline 2019-2020

Final selections will be announced by mail or email in March 2020.

2019 2020 Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Application Period Open Camp in session

What else do I need to know?

Am I eligible to apply? When will I be required to arrive at camp? Do I have to stay the whole summer? What is the application process?

Please read our Staff FAQ Sheet, which addresses some of the most common questions and requirements regarding employment opportunities with the Lair of the Golden Bear.

If you have any other questions after you’ve read the FAQ page, please call Josh Dobson at 510.900.8257 or email josh.dobson@alumni.berkeley.edu.

Follow Work the Lair and join Work the Lair 2020 on Facebook, and Work the Lair on Instagram, for up to date information about the upcoming summer.

Ready to Apply?

Great! Go ahead and reread the FAQ page, even if you’re a returning staffer. Applications are now live!

New Staff Applicants Veteran Staff Applicants

COME AND MEET THE STAFF: Still not convinced this is how you should spend your summer? There will be a few Lair informational meetings on the Cal campus during the fall and spring semesters. At the meetings we will provide details about the Lair staff experience and give you an opportunity to meet other prospective staffers and ask current veteran staff and camp administrators about their experiences. These events are open to ANY college students – so tell your friends and we’ll see you there! Please follow Work the Lair on Instagram, and give a like to the Work the Lair page on Facebook for updates on these meetings.