Hospitality Specialist, Palmyra Atoll

Palmyra Atoll, USA.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Grounded in science, we develop innovative solutions to the world’s toughest environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity; respect for people, communities, and cultures; and a collaborative, bipartisan approach. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world. 

Established in 1980, TNC’s Hawai‘i program has forged partnerships to manage over 2 million acres of natural lands and has grown to include Palmyra Atoll. We currently manage 14 preserves and other sites in Hawai‘i and Palmyra Atoll. In Hawai‘i, we work with government agencies, private landowners, businesses, community partners and local stakeholders to protect and restore Hawai‘i’s native watershed forests, coral reefs, and nearshore fisheries for both their ecological value and the many benefits they provide to people. At Palmyra Atoll, a National Wildlife Refuge 1,000 miles south of Hawai‘i, we facilitate research in this living laboratory to better understand and address global questions around sustainable fisheries and resilience to climate change.

The staff and facilities on TNC’s Palmyra Preserve supports scientific research by TNC, the USFWS, and world-renowned research institutions. Staff are hired on a seasonal basis for approximately 3 months at a time to run the operations, maintain the facilities and support visitor and research trips. Board and lodging are provided while on-island.

Palmyra Atoll is one of the most spectacular wilderness areas on Earth. Located 1,000 miles south of Hawai‘i, Palmyra is a 680-acre atoll with 480,000 acres of lagoons, coral reefs, and submerged lands. TNC’s Palmyra Preserve is located within a US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Refuge within a protected Marine National Monument. The Nature Conservancy owns and operates a Preserve at Palmyra to care for this special place while learning and developing innovations to improve ecosystem health and resilience and enhance biodiversity. Supporting research and management at Palmyra is a rewarding challenge for the right applicant (see nature.org/palmyra).

The Hospitality Specialist is responsible for planning and preparing the facilities to receive visitors. They are responsible for daily galley clean-up including dishes, floors, storage areas, bathrooms and showers and systematic deep cleaning of all cabins, associated living areas, recreation areas and the galley. This position is also responsible for planning and preparation of high-quality meals, of breakfast, lunch and dinner for guests, staff, and volunteers. The Hospitality Specialist is responsible for tracking inventory, stocking food items in refrigerators, freezers and dry storage, and the proper rotation of all food and hospitality inventory items to ensure efficiency, organization, and safety. The Hospitality Specialist, like all Palmyra seasonal staff, should have the ability to respond to medical emergencies and other duties as assigned.

Cooking and hosting at TNC’s Palmyra Preserve are unique experiences.  Although TNC maintains commercial cleanliness standards, the Palmyra Program does not operate a “commercial kitchen.”  To maintain these standards in Palmyra’s challenging environment, our Hospitality staff spend approximately 50% of their time doing daily and deep cleaning.  Palmyra’s galley produces meals based on a simple inventory that includes shelf stable items.  Producing high quality meals from a predetermined ingredient list requires our cooks to have the ability to make many items from scratch and to have the creativity to incorporate canned and packaged food into high quality meals for guests and staff.

We’re looking for an individual experienced in housekeeping and producing high quality meals for a remote facility. If you are eager to be part of a dedicated group that supports terrestrial and marine conservation, apply today!

The successful candidate must possess, or be able to obtain, a valid Passport with an expiration date later than your term of employment, proof of a physical examination showing good health and a current tetanus vaccination and a first aid/CPR certification current throughout assignment.

•    High School Diploma and at least 1-year culinary experience in a professional food services environment within the last 5 years or equivalent combination of education and experience.
•    Current working knowledge of kitchen operations including meal presentations, baking, sautéing, grilling, and the preparation and proper handling of meat, fish, assorted cold foods, and safe knife handling skills.
•    Culinary experience maintaining a sanitary kitchen work environment and knowledge of a facility deep cleaning process.  ServeSafe or equivalent certification.
•    Experience with MS Word and Excel in producing reports and maintaining inventories
•    Ability to perform physically demanding work and lift up to 50 pounds, sometimes under adverse conditions.

Each person who works at TNC contributes to our goal of protecting nature for future generations. Another one of TNC’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees around the globe feel that their unique contributions are valued. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “You’ll join for the mission, and you’ll stay for the people.” To learn more, head to YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.  

We’re proud to support the health and wellbeing of the people we employ. We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package that includes healthcare coverage, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, and other benefits that support work-life balance. 

If you’re interested in working with us, please apply—we’d love to hear from you.

The starting pay for this position is generally $17 per hour. Returning Palmyra staff are provided higher rates due to experience. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

These seasonal positions are recruited for year-round when there are vacancies so you might not hear a response for a few months. Typical deployment timeframes are March - June, June - September, September - December, and December - March. Please indicate your timeframe interest in your cover letter.

To apply for job ID 54590, submit your materials (resume and cover letter) online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/ by 5:59 PM HST on December 31, 2024. Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.

Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military or veteran status or other status protected by law. The Nature Conservancy is also a “big tent” organization. We believe that all people benefit from conservation and that the cause should be inclusive of everyone regardless of their political persuasion. We work hard to make conservation a non-partisan issue through partnerships with stakeholders, elected officials, and industries that span the political spectrum.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.