Rainier Guest Services

Come join our dynamic team for the summer of 2024, work and play on majestic Mount Rainer! Spend your free time exploring one of the Nations most treasured national parks.

Guest Services LLC has over 100 years in the hospitality industry. With awards for excellence in service to travelers choice awards, staying with us is creates memories that last a lifetime. Rainier Guest Services follows in that tradition of excellence with our guests and our associates.

Mount Rainier is an active volcano and is the 5th highest peak in the continuous US with distinct features; 25 glaciers, cascading waterfalls, multiple eco systems, wildflowers and variety of wildlife viewing. Activities consist of hiking, climbing, birding, photography, astronomy, or the ability to just sit back relax. Working at Mount Rainier is the adventure of a lifetime.

Jobs in the Spotlight

About Rainier Guest Services

Spend a summer to remember! Imagine looking back on that time you spent a summer working on a volcano. Venturing through the park to discover waterfalls, streams, coves, lakes, and wildlife on over 260 miles of hiking trails. Trails leading through the old-growth forest of the river valleys and the high subalpine meadows on the flanks of Mount Rainier.

You can expand your resume and build your career or just take the opportunity experience a unique summer adventure, we have something for everyone. Centrally located between Seattle and Portland for opportunities to explore these unique cities.  With other parks like Olympic National Park, Cascades National Park and Mount St. Helens just a few hours away you can expand your outdoor adventures and experience all that Washington state has to offer.  Spend some time at the harbors or the Puget Sound or visit the beautiful West Coast of the Pacific Northwest with beautiful old lighthouses and the chance to see amazing sea life you can see from the shoreline.  Central Washington has some great tourist towns and wineries you can get to know, only a few hours away. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and an experience you don't want to miss! 

Rainier Guest Services manages the Paradise Inn, National Park Inn, Jackson Visitor Center, and Sunrise Day Lodge as an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service. While we operate year-round, our primary season is the summer months, with most employment opportunities available between April and October.

Serving the guests of Mount Rainier National Park requires a team of dedicated, talented, and friendly people. Our 240 associates are amazing! We would love for you to join our dynamic team and experience what many people describe as “the best summer” of your life?

Rainier Guest Services is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity and equality. 


Please Consider...

A seasonal position in a National Park is special partly because of the different lifestyle it provides. If accepted for employment, you will be working in the mountains over 60 miles from the city. Our facilities are more rustic than those in the city and, because of the remoteness of our location, we have fewer of the conveniences to which you have become accustomed.

Most towns just outside the park are quite small, with limited services. Ashford, at the main Nisqually entrance, has just 220 residents, a convenience store, a general store, and a small Post Office with limited hours. Anyone searching for the amenities and services of larger cities should recognize that options are limited, with larger cities like Puyallup, Tacoma, and Seattle two or more hours away.

Paradise Inn and Jackson Visitor Center are at an altitude of 5400 ft., and Sunrise Lodge is at 6400 ft. While most people adapt easily, some find the elevation can affect heart and respiratory conditions.

As the tallest mountain in the Cascades, Mt. Rainier experiences heavy precipitation.  In fact, for decades Paradise held the world record for most snow in a 12 month period. Employees arriving in April and May (and sometimes early June) should expect a deep snowpack. 15 feet on the ground in May is not uncommon! And of course, it can snow at any time in the mountains. Autumn arrivals should expect cooler weather accompanying the amazing fall colors. Please be prepared for a variety of weather throughout the season.

The Employee Experience

The opportunities for exploration of this beautiful park are limitless. As the tallest volcano and the most glaciated peak in the continental United States, it draws mountaineers, hikers, photographers, and lovers of beauty from around the world. World-famous wildflower fields, over 150 waterfalls, dozens of alpine lakes, groves of old growth forest, and incredibly vivid fall colors will astound you. And of course, the opportunity to make lifetime friends from around the U.S. and the world is something you will treasure. All of this is waiting for you.

Ideal Candidate

Do you naturally reach out to help others, including guests and co-workers? Are you excited by the opportunity to live in a remote and beautiful location?  Are you willing and able to work hard?  If so, we want to hear from you!

Room and Board

INSIDE the park: Rustic dorm rooms are available at a payroll deduction of $130 per week per person for rooms with 2-4 persons. A very few rooms house 6 people; those residents pay $110 per week. Bathroom facilities range from private to shared facilities. Laundry facilities and laundry soap are provided at each dorm unit at no cost to employees.

Employee meals are included and are served in Employee Dining Rooms (EDRs) . Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate strict vegetarian diets. Cooking is not allowed in the dormitories.

OUTSIDE the park: Limited modern apartment-style housing is available outside the park for at our warehouse/office location at a weekly cost of $45 per person. No meals are provided for residents of this housing. Employees must be able to provide their own transportation to and from grocery stores, etc. as there is no public transportation. 

RV Owners: We can accommodate RV units at two locations. One location is inside the park in a beautifully wooded campground ($30 weekly), and the other is just outside the park in a quiet and scenic location near our administration office ($60 weekly). As we do not offer shower and bathroom facilities, all RV's must be fully self-contained - no camper shells, etc. Well-behaved cats and dogs less than 30 pounds are allowed but must be on a leash whenever outdoors, may not be left outside unattended, and must be cleaned up after. Limit of one pet per RV space.  

*Please note that we are unable to house children or other family members and all housing is non-smoking.  Pets are not allowed, with the exception of RV units with restrictions. Wi-fi is available in dorm common areas (with the exception of Sunrise Lodge); please note that wi-fi at Mount Rainier may be slow at at times unreliable by modern standards.

Employee Perks

  • Eligible for season-end bonus and up to $300 in entrance fee reimbursement for associate recreation events and activities.
  • Employee discounts in our retail locations and at the Inns
  • Save money: Employee housing and meal plans available!
  • Free laundry facilities (including free soap)
  • Scheduled employee events throughout the season
  • Discounts at other Guest Services properties
  • Opportunities to work with other Guest Services properties when your contract ends
  • End of contract bonus
  • Housing discounts
  • Free access to the National Park
  • Park shuttle service for employees
  • Centrally located with access to Seattle and Portland OR
  • Over 200 trails packed full of waterfalls, vistas and wildlife to explore
  • Forge lifelong friendships
  • Expand your resume 
  • Trips in town for shopping
  • Competitive wages
  • Access to a Full-service weight room In the Longmire Area (minimal fee)
  • Free Wi-Fi in the Breakrooms, and recreation room
  • Ping pong table
  • TV and more!

Sponsored events ( Free & Minimal Cost Events)

  • BBQs
  • Shopping Trips
  • Holiday celebrations
  • Whale Watching
  • Pike Market Place shopping day
  • Day trips to local attractions
  • Group Hikes
  • Holiday celebrations

Getting Here and Getting Around

Getting Here: Employees without a personal vehicle or other transportation to the park can be picked up at one of two designated locations in the Seattle area. These pickups are on designated dates, and must be requested in advance with the Human Resources office.

Employees are welcome to drive to the park, but please note that parking is extremely limited, especially in the busy summer season. We encourage associates to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and walk to and from work. In addition, the park is set up with miles of paths, for walking, hiking, and running.  Employees choosing to bring their own vehicle into the park must purchase an annual park pass at their own cost.

If you plan to bring your own vehicle, please bring your current registration to our Housing Office.

Getting Around: Please note that there is no public transportation to or within the park. However, we do offer an employee shuttle that runs up and down the mountain throughout the day stopping at our Ashford Office, the National Park Inn, and Paradise Inn.  

For Fun

The possibilities for outdoor recreation are incredible, with hiking, backpacking, climbing, fishing, and photography being popular outdoor pursuits. Year-round skiing and snowboarding is available to those able to hike to the snowfields. Nearby lakes outside the park offer opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, and swimming. For those who are less active, simply watching the sunset (or rise!) on the mountain is a fantastic way to enjoy your time.

Employees tend to be a tight-knit group, regularly organizing group hikes, soccer games, and trips to town. Housing staff provides activities throughout the season to meet many interests, including movie nights, ping pong tournaments, Seattle Mariners games, 4th of July fireworks viewing, and day trips to Mount St. Helens National Park.

Large portions of Mount Rainier National Park are surrounded by National Forest, providing even more recreational opportunities. Other recreation opportunities outside the park include Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Area, the Columbia River Gorge, and the entire Puget Sound region.

How to Apply

APPLY HERE to check out our website and begin your application.

We would love to hear from you and learn how amazing you are. To increase your chances of being hired, please:

  • Fill out the application completely and accurately
  • Show the exact dates you are available
  • Be realistic about your job choices

 


Contact Rainier Guest Services