Jobs
A nonprofit mountain lodge and retreat center overlooking Grand Lake, Colorado
Now Hiring: Executive Director of Shadowcliff Mountain Lodge
The Board of Directors is seeking our next Shadowcliff Executive Director
Do you feel called to steward an inspiring non-profit mountain sanctuary and retreat center with an almost 70-year history in Grand Lake, Colorado? Are you motivated by meaningful collaborations and community-cultivating spaces? Do you feel excited by the opportunity to work with an engaged board of directors to grow a community of donors for an artist residency in a small mountain town with a big heart for the arts? The Shadowcliff Board of Directors is seeking a visionary Executive Director who will mobilize the many assets of our community into the next chapter of our story...
The Shadowcliff Board of Directors has initiated a search for our next Executive Director. We’re excited to welcome a visionary leader who can help carry forward Shadowcliff’s nearly 70-year legacy as a mountain retreat and guide the growth of our emerging artist residency program.
The position will remain open until filled, but applications submitted by August 5th will receive best consideration.
Shadowcliff Mountain Lodge is an educational non-profit retreat center nestled on the western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, founded as a place of renewal, reflection, and community.
Shadowcliff is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Click here to view the full job description and application instructions.
Join our team for the 2026 season!
Shadowcliff is a seasonal, mission-driven lodge perched above the western gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. We hire a small team each summer to help create a warm, welcoming environment for guests, retreat groups, hikers, and families who come seeking renewal, community, and connection to the mountains.
Working at Shadowcliff
Shadowcliff isn't just a workplace — it’s a community rooted in simplicity, service, and a deep connection to place. Built by volunteers beginning in 1959, our campus looks out over Colorado’s largest natural lake and sits just steps from national park trailheads. Staff members live and work together on our mountainside campus overlooking Grand Lake, steps from Rocky Mountain National Park and the Continental Divide Trail. Whether you’re preparing meals for guests, tending to cabins, or supporting a retreat group, your work directly contributes to a place of refuge, learning, and renewal.
Why People Love Working Here
- A values-driven environment grounded in sustainability, hospitality, and community care
- Unparalleled access to nature — hiking, wildlife, paddleboarding, stargazing, and silent mornings above the lake
- Onsite housing and community living, with shared meals, friendships, and lifelong connections
- A small, supportive team committed to mentorship, collaboration, and personal growth
- An environment that values curiosity, openness, and adaptability
Grand Lake is a quiet mountain town with a close-knit community, abundant wildlife, and limited nightlife — ideal for those seeking reflection and connection rather than urban amenities. Moose, elk, fox, hummingbirds, and black bears are regular visitors in the area, and we maintain a healthy respect for wildlife in all operations.
What Applicants Should Know
Shadowcliff is a communal, values-based, service-oriented workplace. To ensure a healthy and functional community:
- Staff must be 18+ and able to live and work in shared spaces
- Shadowcliff employment must be your top priority. Employee schedules routinely change to accommodate the needs of guests and retreat groups. With this in mind, we generally cannot accommodate candidates who plan to obtain second jobs in Grand Lake.
- Shared staff housing means shared responsibility, respect, and communication
- Shadowcliff is a smoke-free and pet-free campus for staff and guests
- Emotional Support Animals cannot be accommodated in staff housing
- The mountain environment includes stairs, steep paths, uneven terrain, and high elevation (8,400 ft). Staff should be prepared for these conditions.
All staff members must agree to our:
Shadowcliff is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, welcoming environment for all and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any protected characteristic. We welcome applicants of all identities — BBIPOC and LGBTQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Questions?
Contact Gail Kerns, Administrative Manager
[email protected]
Year-Round Positions
Shadowcliff runs on a small but dedicated year-round team whose work supports the heart of our mission: holding space for transformation, connection, and community care. These positions blend administrative and operational responsibilities with relationship-building, long-term planning, and stewardship of our historic campus. We welcome applicants who are grounded in collaboration, inspired by place-based service, and committed to helping sustain a thoughtful, values-driven organization for the benefit of guests, partners, and the broader Grand Lake community.
General Manager
The General Manager (GM) is the heart of Shadowcliff’s day-to-day operations during our summer season and a key partner to the Executive Director in stewarding the guest experience and the lodge’s overall wellbeing.
Priority review begins December 1 and continues until the position is filled.
Seasonal Positions
Applications for Summer 2026 will be available soon!
The level of busyness, work, and activity at Shadowcliff varies widely throughout the season. Seasonal staff perform a variety of kitchen, hospitality, and guest services tasks. We are seeking people with open, searching attitudes who would like to live with and accept persons of differing views and beliefs, strive to develop new skills, prioritize adaptability, and work hard while taking advantage of all that Shadowcliff and the surrounding area have to offer.
Compassionate Kitchen Assistant
The primary purpose and function of this position is to assist and support the Kitchen Lead Cook in operating Shadowcliff’s Compassionate Kitchen in a manner consistent with our principles of sustainability and hospitality. The Kitchen Assistant will support food groups of varying size and duration as well as special events during the peak period of mid-June through mid-Sept. and also prepare a set number of staff meals to be determined by the Kitchen Lead Cook and the General Manager.
This position has a private room, board, wifi, laundry, salary, and shared gratuities.
View the full Job Description.
For this position, please complete the Shadowcliff Staff Application here and submit a resume to [email protected].
Preference for all positions is given to applicants who can commit to the full season, arriving approximately mid-May through the beginning of October. However, we are open to considering partial-season applicants should availability match our operational needs (typically the shortest length of stay we can consider is mid-June through mid/late-August) .
To apply please:
- Carefully review the Job Description(s).
- Review Shadowcliff's Employment & Community Standards Agreement and Health & Safety Standards Agreement.
- Complete the Shadowcliff Staff Application. (If more than one position interests you, please select all that apply).
