Southern Dharma Retreat Center is a rural mountainous retreat center, where staff and volunteers live and work together. Full-time staff benefits include medical coverage, a monthly salary, two weeks of paid time off, housing, food and the opportunity to sit in on retreats. Staff support one another along the Path through spiritual community and friendship, operate and maintain the Center, provide for guests, and conduct retreats.
Southern Dharma is committed to creating an inclusive community of individuals of different backgrounds, gender identities, races, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages.
If you are interested in applying for a staff position and you have not sat a retreat at Southern Dharma, we ask that you visit the site either in person or virtually so that we can get to know one another. Please email info@southerndharma.org for more information about this option.
In accordance with Southern Dharma’s current vaccination policy, all staff must provide documentation of full and up-to-date Covid-19 vaccination prior to beginning employment.
Staff Positions
Full-time, Residential, Salaried Position
Kitchen Lead
Southern Dharma Retreat Center offers rustic and intimate teacher-led retreats grounded in Buddhist practice traditions with a unifying thread of meditation, contemplation, and silence.
We are currently seeking a Kitchen Lead to join our retreat team. The Kitchen Lead is responsible for menus, cooking, and serving buffet/family/community-style meals for on-site programs and residential staff needs. In the context of retreats, the Kitchen Lead oversees staff, volunteers, and retreatants doing service work in the kitchen, and prepares and serves 2 meals a day (lunch & dinner) when on site.
- Manages and schedules part-time kitchen staff
- Prepares and updates core meal instructions for part-time kitchen staff
- Prepares and serves balanced vegetarian lunch and dinner meals according to the retreat menu.
- Oversees 1 hr silent working meditation periods for 2-5 yogis who may have varying degrees of skill and experience
This is a full-time position (40 hour/week) that can include on-site room and board, as well as support for attending retreat sessions. This position is also eligible for benefits, including paid time off and full medical insurance.
Compensation: $1,600 - $2,200/month, depending on experience
To apply: Send resume, cover letter, and two professional references to info@southerndharma.org.
Deadline for applications: June 1st, 2022
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Manages and schedules part-time kitchen staff
- Prepares vegetarian lunch and dinner meals for 25-40 diners, according to the retreat menu
- Sets the serving table with attractive table linens, appropriate serving utensils, and ingredients lists for each dish
- Serves meals on time according to the retreat schedule
- Supervises dish cleanup and proper leftover storage
- Supervises food preparation tasks, including safe handling of food, cutlery, and related tools and equipment
- Tracks food usage, food waste, and inventory
- Maintains a quiet, safe, organized, and clean workspace
- Advises on the purchase and maintenance of kitchen equipment and appliances
Qualifications
- 1 or more years of ServSafe certified professional food service or equivalent experience
- Experience preparing vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-restricted meals, as well as ingredient substitution in recipes
- Time Management
- Customer service experience
- Reading, writing, and oral proficiency in English required, must be comfortable with communicating with staff, retreatants, and teachers professionally
- Ability to handle stressful situations with kindness, calm, and focus
- Must be open to and have respect for diverse spiritual traditions and cultures
- Active interest in the integration of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion into the workplace and the Dharma teaching & learning ecosystem
- Preferred: Supervisor or manager level experience
- Preferred: Retreat/wellness/hospitality industry experience
- Preferred: Basic knowledge of Buddhist teachings and practice
- Preferred: Retreat Center experience
Part-time, Residential and Non-Residential
Retreat Cook
Southern Dharma Retreat Center offers rustic and intimate teacher-led retreats grounded in Buddhist practice traditions with a unifying thread of meditation, contemplation, and silence.
We are currently seeking a Retreat Cook to join our staff team. The Retreat Cook is responsible for preparing and serving 2 meals a day (lunch & dinner), and tracking usage and preparations under the supervision of the Kitchen Lead.
- Prepares and serves balanced vegetarian lunch and dinner meals according to the retreat menu. Most meals are vegan with some optional egg and dairy side dishes.
- Oversees 1 hr silent working meditation periods for 2-5 yogis who may have varying degrees of skill and experience
This is a part-time (48-96 hours/month) hourly position that can include on-site room and board overnight on work days, as well as support for attending retreat sessions.
Compensation: $13.50 - $17 per hour, depending on experience
To apply: Send resume, cover, and two professional references to info@southerndharma.org.
Deadline for applications: June 1st, 2022
Duties and Responsibilities
- Prepares vegetarian lunch and dinner meals for 25-40 diners, according to the retreat menu
- Sets the serving table with attractive table linens, appropriate serving utensils, and ingredients lists for each dish
- Serves meals on time according to the retreat schedule
- Supervises dish cleanup and proper leftover storage
- Supervises food preparation tasks, including safe handling of food, cutlery, and related tools and equipment
- Tracks food usage, food waste, and inventory
- Maintains a quiet, safe, organized, and clean workspace
Qualifications
- 1 or more years of ServSafe certified professional food service or equivalent experience
- Experience preparing vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-restricted meals, as well as ingredient substitution in recipes
- Time Management
- Customer service experience
- Reading, writing, and oral proficiency in English required, must be comfortable with communicating with staff, retreatants, and teachers professionally
- Ability to handle stressful situations with kindness, calm, and focus
- Must be open to and have respect for diverse spiritual traditions and cultures
- Active interest in the integration of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion into the workplace and the Dharma teaching & learning ecosystem
- Preferred: Retreat/wellness/hospitality industry experience
- Preferred: Basic knowledge of Buddhist teachings and practice
- Preferred: Retreat Center experience
