Careers
Come work at SPL
Are you looking for a place to live and work filled with fun, kind, compassionate, hardworking, adventure-seeking individuals like yourself? Join our team for 2025 and beyond, and experience our stellar community, beautiful scenery, and exciting adventure opportunities.
We will be hiring for our seasonal positions in housekeeping, kitchen, dining, front desk, maintenance, and programs starting in January 2025. The majority of seasonal positions run from early April to the end of October. We will begin hiring for our management positions in December 2024.
Our dream team is:
- Passionate about outdoor education and connection
- Inspired by SPL’s mission and core values https://strathconaparklodge.com/our-story/values/
- Strathcona Park Lodge is passionate about diversity in outdoor education and within our organisation. Our dream team is diverse in skills, education, cultural backgrounds (BIPOC), genders, LGBTQ2S+, and any other
- equity seeking groups. We encourage applications from individuals in underrepresented groups to apply.
- Able to thrive in an off grid, environmentally aware, road access wilderness lodge setting
- Clean living in our drug and smoke free property
The majority of our staff live on site in simple accommodation, and pay about $21/day for rent and food, a little less for more rustic accommodation and a little more for more amenities. Others commute from Gold River or Campbell River, each about 40 minutes by car.
Our Team is comprised of 10 committed managers and directors, and about 70 seasonal employees.
If you would like more information, feel free to call at 250 286-3122, or email work@strathconaparklodge.com.
If you would like to apply, please send a copy of your cover letter and resume to work@strathconaparklodge.com
Outdoor Instructor Applications: Please send your application directly to chiefinstructor@strathconaparklodge.com
Please note: All job offers are contingent upon a valid work permit, passing a Vulnerable Sector Police Check and the successful completion of all required certifications.
Managing Chef
Managing Chef
Sharing meals is at the heart of our community. The Managing Chef makes this magic happen by leading the kitchen and dining crew in providing food that is wholesome, sustainable for the planet and delicious. This is done with our food philosophy in mind; using whole and mostly local and seasonal foods and with consideration of various clients groups – active outdoors people, children, athletes, celebration groups, foodies, people who require special diets, and staff, as well as food for backpacking, sea kayaking or day picnicking. This role is both managerial and hands-on.
Salary: bi-weekly salary based on experience $29-$35 per hour, housing and meals subsidized
Term: Seasonal, full time, March – November
Starting Date: Immediate
Candidate Attributes: You are passionate about leading your team in planing and preparing healthy and delicious meals using locally sourced, organic where possible, and in-season ingredients. While menu planning you keep the environment and people’s well being in mind. As part of the management team you are a role model for SPL’s mission and values amongst our guests and staff. You have experience leading a team and are excited to create an inclusive and positive teamwork environment.
Responsibilities:
- Oversee all operations of the kitchen and dining, from menu to food sourcing, inventory control, budget control, food production, presentation and service.
- Providing 3 daily meals that are accessible and delicious.
- Working with the Directors on menu planning and budgeting, and with the rest of the management team regarding food for their client groups.
- Knowledge of food sensitivities and ability to cater to a variety of diets from our nut free kitchen.
- Role modelling good food practices, mentoring and developing skills in junior staff. Managing the Kitchen and Dining staff and participating on the Management Team.
- Organizing systems for volume buffet style food prep, food service and food safety.
- Ability to work with fresh raw ingredients and shift menus based on regional and seasonal availability.
- Maintaining a clean and healthy work environment including records and logs.
Required Skills:
- Food Safe Certification
- Red Seal Chef preferred
- Kitchen Management experience preferred
- Class 5 Driver’s Licence and clean driver’s abstract preferred
Reports to: Managing Director
Conditions:
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.

Housekeeping Manager
The Housekeeping Manager builds a culture of teamwork and purpose among staff who take care of our indoor spaces, integrating their work into SPL’s broader ecological values. The Housekeeping Manager has a keen eye for detail while teaching staff to efficiently put care and attention to those standards. This role requires super organising skills and is both managerial and hands-on.
Wage Range: $1980 – $2140 biweekly
Term: Seasonal, full-time, March – November
Starting Date: Immediate
Candidate Attributes: You enjoy a dynamic work environment. Some have called SPL’s housekeeping adventure housekeeping. On our property no indoor space matches the next. From small lake-side cabins over to bigger family cottages with lofts to small and large rooms in every arrangement you can imagine. Our service varies between basic set up for school and youth groups to more elaborate set ups for guest season and weekends. You enjoy the dynamic nature of our accommodations, nestled at the edge of Strathcona Park. You have a keen attention to detail and most importantly the experience, motivation and role modelling it takes to keep your team organised, working together and positive. As part of the management team you are a role model for SPL’s mission and values amongst our staff and guests in the choices we make in our practices.
Responsibilities:
- Train, manage and motivate your staff and role model good housekeeping practices
- Organise self and others for efficient time management
- Plan and schedule based on bookings, looking at daily, weekly and annual projections
- Team oriented and able to work independently
- Inspecting others’ work while coaching staff to self monitor their work as well
- Monitoring inventories. Purchasing environmentally responsible supplies as required.
- Working closely with Management Team members to coordinate details including maintenance, set up for groups or programs, and client needs.
Required Skills:
- Class 5 driver’s licence and clean driver’s abstract
- Computer skills, working with booking system, online ordering etc.
- Housekeeping experience
- Experience supervising people preferred
- Physically capable – walking on uneven ground, lifting and carrying, sometimes making bunk beds in tight spaces
Reports to: Managing Director
Terms & Conditions:
- Seasonal employment from February to November.
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.

Outdoor Education Instructor
Please send your application directly to chiefinstructor@strathconaparklodge.com
SPL offers quality outdoor education and adventure experiences to people of all ages. Our instructors are generalists who are competent at instructing a range of outdoor pursuits. We are looking for accomplished outdoor educators with extensive technical and facilitation skills, and the passion and compassion to inspire our clients.
Wage Range: Base wage range – $168 – $188 / per diem, determined by education, certifications, and experience. There are additional pay structures in place for higher level skills, when needed for specific mentoring/programming requirements that range from $188 – $218
Term: Seasonal, full – time, March – November
Application Deadline: ongoing
Start Date: Varying start dates, based on program needs. Most people start at the end of April or the end of August.
Spring and Fall programs: School based, week long adventure programs. Grades 7-12
Activities we offer- High ropes, zip line, tree climb, rock climbing, flat water canoeing, white water canoeing, sea kayaking, white water kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, caving, ocean canoeing, nature interpretation, team building. Read more about our youth programs here.
Summer programs: WYLD (Wilderness Youth Leadership Development) Expeditions for teens, Experiences, including Family Camps, Family Expeditions, and Adventure Unlimited, Custom private guided programs, and Specialized groups. Read more about our experiences here.
Waterfront support: Each instructor will help to run the boat rentals throughout the summer (canoes, kayaks, SUPs)
Room for creativity: We like to recognize that each instructor comes with their own unique passions, whether it be promoting mindfulness and connection to self and nature, nature interpretation, to teaching about climate change and the importance of carbon. We encourage instructors to bring these passions into their programming where possible.
Candidate Attributes:
- Hard working
- Ability to work with all ages
- Flexible and understanding towards change
- Ability to work independently as well as within a team environment
- Ability to handle multiple responsibilities while maintaining awareness around risk management
- Ability to serve both roles as an outdoor educator and/or private guide
Qualifications/Competencies – Minimum requirements:
- 40hr Wilderness First Aid (mandatory minimum, must be current for the duration of employment)
- CPR C (mandatory minimum, must be current for the duration of employment)
- Clear criminal record check
- Legally entitled to work in Canada
Additional preferences:
- 80hr Wilderness First Aid
- Other hard skill based certifications (Sea kayak guide, Rope skills, SRT, etc)
- Ability to instruct in French
- Class 4 licence and clean driver’s abstract
- teaching experience
- extensive personal outdoor experience
Reports to: Co-Manager of Instructional Staff
Conditions:
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.

Cook
Do you like to make food with fresh local ingredients following the direction of the Chef? The Cook has food prep experience and an interest in learning more. With a variable menu and food prepared for large numbers, the cook moves quickly through prep lists to ensure that meals are ready and delicious for set meal times for our various client groups.
Wage Range: $19.50 – 21 / hour
Term: Seasonal, full-time, March – November
Application Deadline: ongoing
Starting Date: Various start and end dates based on seasonal needs. Earliest positions start in March.
Responsibilities:
- Provide consistent food preparation and presentation following daily menus, SPL food philosophy and hospitality standards, and direction from the Chef
- Pitch in for the team – supporting the Servers stocking the buffet, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene throughout the kitchen and store rooms and refrigeration, unloading deliveries and rotating stock, minimizing waste
Requirements:
- Food Safe Certification
Reports to: Managing Chef
Conditions:
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.

Baker
Baking is your passion. You love creating delicious, yet nourishing deserts and baked goods such as bread, muffins and scones while using quality ingredients.
Wage Range: $19.50 – 21.50 / hour
Term: Seasonal, full-time, April – November
Application Deadline:ongoing
Starting Date: Immediately
Responsibilities:
- Provide consistent food preparation and presentation following daily menus, SPL food philosophy and hospitality standards, and direction from the Chef
- Pitch in for the team – supporting the Servers stocking the buffet, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene throughout the kitchen and store rooms and refrigeration, unloading deliveries and rotating stock, minimizing waste
- Providing high quality baked goods to be used in our 3 meals a day food service
- Stocking the bakery with needed ingredients
- Keeping organized and tidy
- Supporting the outtrip meals coordinator with outtrip baking
Requirements:
- Food Safe Certification
Reports to: Managing Chef
Conditions:
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.

Housekeeper
The Housekeepers need a keen eye for detail and like to make things meticulously clean in an environment where guests regularly get wet and muddy from their outdoor play. Housekeepers work independently and as part of a team, making sure that our guest accommodation and public spaces are clean, sanitized, orderly and comfortable.
Wage Range: $18.50 – 20 / hour
Term: Seasonal, full-time, March – November
Application Deadline: ongoing
Starting Date: Various start and end dates based on seasonal needs. Earliest positions start in March.
Responsibilities:
- Clean and sanitize to the standards set by the Housekeeping Manager
- Work independently or part of a team cleaning public spaces, guest rooms and cabins
- Washing and folding laundry, sorting, stain removal
- Balancing attention to detail, efficiency and thoroughness from deep cleans to guest turnovers in both private and public spaces.
- Caring about and making a clean and comfortable environment for our guests.
Requirements:
- Be physically fit, to meet the demands of the job on our varied, hilly terrain and physically flexible (making beds in tight spaces)
- Be courteous, trustworthy and helpful to our varied clientele
Reports to: Housekeeping Manager
Conditions:
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.

Kitchen Helper
Are you versatile and willing to assist the Chef or Cook with whatever is required? Do you bring a positive energy to the team with a willingness to be flexible and learn? Our stewards will mainly be dish washing with food prep support. Physical fitness is an asset. There are learning opportunities to be had working with our Chefs.
Wage Range: $18.50 – 19.50 / hour
Term: Seasonal, full-time, March – November
Application Deadline: ongoing
Starting Date: Various start and end dates based on seasonal needs. Earliest positions start in March.
Duties:
- Washing dishes
- Food prep
- Lifting heavy food bins
- Unpacking food orders
- General kitchen cleaning
Reports to: Managing Chef
Conditions:
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.

Maintenance Helper
The Maintenance Helper supports both the Maintenance Supervisor and the Groundskeeper with daily facility tasks.
Wage Range: $18.50 – 19.50 / hour
Term: Seasonal, full-time, April – November
Application Deadline: ongoing
Starting Date: Various start and end dates based on seasonal needs. Earliest positions start in April.
Duties:
- Organization of garbage, compost, and recycling.
- Weeding, watering, mowing and tending the outdoor space – a big property to keep tidy with raking, weeding, watering, mowing, and trimming.
- Splitting and delivering firewood.
- Other related cleanliness and maintenance tasks.
Requirements:
- Class 5 Driver’s License
Reports to: Maintenance supervisor
Conditions:
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.

Waterfront Attendant
SPL offers rentals of canoes, kayaks, and Stand Up Paddleboards to guests and drop ins throughout the summer months. We have over 100 crafts and are located on a beautiful lake front property. The waterfront attendants are in charge of providing quality guest services as well as maintaining a safe, clean, and organized environment in and around the waterfront area. This position provides staff a chance to have some client interaction, as well as being able to spend time outside during the summer days.
Wage Range: $18.50 – 19.50 / hour
Term: Full time seasonal – July to August. Part time June, September & October
Application Deadline: May 11th, 2025
Duties:
- Providing guests with lessons and pairing with appropriate water craft so they are safe on the water
- Completing appropriate rental paperwork
- Keeping a clean and organized Waterfront office and beachfront
- Fixing and maintaining boats
- Communicating with co-waterfront attendant
Qualities & Certifications:
- Boaters licence (beneficial but not required)
- Lifeguard (beneficial but not required)
- Skills and knowledge with sea kayaks, canoes, and SUP’s
- Organized and self motivated
- Solid guest service skills
Reports to: Chief Instructors
Conditions:
- Successful completion of criminal record check and legal entitlement to work in Canada.
