Todd Barnett, pictured here with his family, founded Field Camp in 2000 and has served as its Owner and Director ever since. A longtime educator, Todd was the Founding Head of School at Field School in Crozet, Virginia, for 14 years. During the camp offseason, he serves as Assistant Head of School at Canterbury School in Fort Myers, Florida. Todd holds a B.A. in English and Government from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Meredith Montague (Camp Poplar’s chef), and their four children divide their time between Charlottesville and Florida.
Field Camp’s Staff is one of its greatest strengths. In 2026, our 25 counselors and administrators averaged 12.5 years of involvement with Field Camp, reflecting the remarkable continuity of our camp community. Most of our counselors first came to Field Camp as campers themselves and return year after year because of their attachment to the place, its traditions, and the community that has grown up around it. Our staff includes experienced local teachers, longtime returning counselors, and students from universities including Stanford, UC Berkeley, Cal Poly, Virginia Tech, James Madison, and the University of Virginia, as well as Charlottesville, Monticello, and Western Albemarle high schools.
Lifeguards — Summer 2027
Blue Ridge Swim Club, Charlottesville’s historic outdoor swimming pool, is hiring lifeguards for Summer 2027.
Responsibilities include swimmer supervision, member check-in, routine pool maintenance, and light groundskeeping. Applicants should be dependable, friendly, and comfortable working outdoors. Lifeguard, CPR, and First Aid certifications required by the start of employment.
Flexible schedules, part-time positions, and competitive hourly pay.
Assistant Camp Director & Experienced Camp Staff — Summer 2027
Field Camp of Charlottesville is seeking experienced, enthusiastic adults to join our summer leadership team.
We are particularly interested in candidates for an Assistant Camp Director position, as well as mature, capable individuals who enjoy working with children and participating in an active outdoor community.
Responsibilities may include supervising counselors, supporting daily camp operations, managing camper activities, helping maintain facilities and equipment, and participating in hikes, swimming, overnight adventures, and camp traditions.
Ideal candidates have experience in residential camps, outdoor education, teaching, youth development, or related fields. Leadership experience, good judgment, flexibility, and a genuine enjoyment of children are especially important.
Positions vary in responsibility and duration. We welcome inquiries from college graduates, teachers, experienced camp professionals, and others interested in spending part or all of the summer outdoors in central Virginia.
Ivy Outdoor School — Future Leadership Opportunity
We are also developing Ivy Outdoor School, a new outdoor 501-c-3 education initiative intended to serve schools and youth organizations in the Charlottesville and Albemarle County area during the spring and fall.
The program will emphasize environmental science, experiential education, local geography, outdoor exploration, and team building, making use of Field Camp’s established facilities and extensive outdoor resources.
We are beginning conversations with potential directors and program leaders who might be interested in helping build this initiative over the next several years.
We are particularly interested in educators with backgrounds in environmental science, outdoor education, experiential learning, or school leadership. The ideal candidate will combine educational expertise with initiative, organizational ability, and enthusiasm for developing a distinctive outdoor learning program.
This is an emerging opportunity rather than an immediate opening. We welcome inquiries from individuals interested in helping shape the program from its earliest stages.available. Competitive hourly pay.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should email a resume and brief cover note to:
toddhbarnett@gmail.com
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.