Job Openings
North Cascades Institute is a 501(c)3 educational organization focused on transformative learning experiences in nature, including place-based environmental education, outdoor recreation, health and wellness, conservation, environmental justice and community engagement.
Our goal is to help people of all ages experience and enjoy the mountains, rivers, forests, people and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest – so all will care for and protect this special place.
Current Employment Opportunities
North Cascades Institute is committed to building an inclusive and culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds to explore our current openings and apply.
Locations
Our main site is the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center on Diablo Lake in the heart of North Cascades National Park. Open year-round, positions at the Learning Center include educational instruction staff, kitchen and housekeeping, office administration and maintenance. We all work together to support programs at the Learning Center like Mountain School, Base Camp, Family Getaways, Skagit Tours and Conferences & Retreats.
Our kitchen team create healthy, delicious meals in the Environmental Learning Center's historic lakeside Dining Hall.
Staff may be offered rental housing in modern duplexes on campus or at one of our houses in the town of Marblemount, approximately 30 minutes away. The Blue House, for instance, is situated on a 5-acre property bordered by the Skagit River and Diobsud Creek and features a historic farmhouse, a contemporary ADU (additional dwelling unit), community space and organic garden space for staff.
Working inside the national park means recreational access to countless trails, rivers, peaks and lakes.
The Learning Center is in a remote setting, and community building comes from potlucks, holiday parties, movie nights, recreational outings and other opportunities.
We also have an administration office in Sedro-Woolley that we share with the National Park Service and US Forest Service. Staff that work here live in Sedro-Woolley, Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Anacortes and other nearby towns in Skagit and Whatcom counties. Teams based here include fundraising, human resources, finance, marketing, tech support, office administration and directors.
North Cascades Institute hires many seasonal positions each year, including instructors for programs at the Learning Center and in the field.
BENEFITS
North Cascades Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package to all eligible permanent employees that includes:
- Medical and dental insurance
- Long and short-term disability insurance
- Life insurance
- 403(b) tax-defined annuity and contribution retirement plan
- Generous paid-time off
- Yearly stipend for attending Institute programs and free online programs
- Staff rental housing may be available
VALUES, CULTURE AND BELONGING
North Cascades Institute is committed to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and to promoting equal opportunity for students and staff in the field of environmental education. Ecosystems thrive when communities have opportunities for meaningful experiences outdoors in nature, from a neighborhood garden to a national park. We have a shared responsibility to open the doors to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to ensure their outdoor experiences are powerful and rewarding. When people connect with nature, our communities are strengthened, nature is protected, and we all benefit.
Our culture is shaped by many values, including
WE BELIEVE
- Intimate contact with nature helps people lead healthy, well-balanced lives
- Hands-on learning about the environment begins in childhood and lasts a lifetime
- Education, combined with critical thinking and civic engagement, is a primary tool for conservation
- We all benefit when people have equitable access to nature
- Access to public lands is vital for education, recreation and renewal
- Transformative learning lies at the confluence of natural and cultural history, science, art and literature
