If you like the idea of working in the country away from the noise of the city, then Emandal might be right for you…

What is Emandal? Emandal is a family camp and guest ranch located on an organic farm. Emandal is a place for people to come and relax, learn, explore, reunite with friends and family, and meet new people.Why do people come here to work? Emandal is a great place for people who want to learn more about sustainable, eco-tourism/hospitality in a rural setting. Or perhaps they'd like to learn more about farm-to-table cooking and gardening. Or maybe they just need a place to be and work while pondering life’s choices. Working a season or two on the farm is ideal for transitioning from one experience to another…whether the end of school, between jobs, prior to graduate education, before a trip around the world, or while making decisions about a career change.What sorts of jobs are available? We have a variety of positions available beginning as early as January, others in March/April, and the rest in mid-May. End dates vary, but are usually early to mid September, with a few into October. We operate as a guest facility and the work reflects this. We encourage people to stay more than one season so they can experience the farm’s life cycle. See "2020 Positions" below for a list of available jobs for the 2020 season include:

Benefits of Living and Working at Emandal

Natural surroundings offer ample opportunities for getting out, exploring and learning - These include the Eel River (with many wonderful natural swimming holes), lots of hiking and biking trails on property and in the adjoining Mendocino National Forest, farm animals and an organic garden.

Opportunity to meet lots of interesting people - both staff and guests from all over the US and world.Great food and housing - You are provided 3 delicious meals a day, and food for time off. All housing has access to a kitchen, bedrooms and shared bathrooms.

Things to Consider

Privacy can be an issue. When you are living and working with the same people in a small community, it is not always easy to find time to yourself. We encourage people to take advantage of varied schedules and the great outdoors - the farm sits on 1,000 acres.
Country Life. We are 40 minutes from the nearest town, and the road can be challenging at all times of year. If you do not have a car, you may be at the mercy of others to get to town. Also, we have no cell phone service and our access to the Internet is limited. We feel like the rewards outweigh the drawbacks, but it is something to really think about.
Dietary Restrictions. If you have severe dietary restrictions, communal meals may be challenging for you. Though we serve lots of veggies, there is not always a “veggie entrée/protein” option, and many of our dishes contain dairy and gluten. This said, we use our own meat and dairy when possible.
Satisfactory Physical Health: All positions at Emandal can be physically demanding at times, or in some cases, most of the time. In general, we expect all of our staff to be able to lift, unload and move up to 50 lbs. Folks with back issues or other physical conditions that can be aggravated by regular physical activity, should really consider this requirement and consult with their physician prior to applying.

Essential Expectations for all Emandal Staff

Keeping in mind our primary business is hospitality, we always welcome hospitality-minded folks to our team who embody the following:

Flexibility: easily adapt to ever-changing needs, duties and situations.
Effective Communicator: able to clearly and constructively communicate with coworkers, supervisors, and guests. Always treating everyone with respect.
Approachable, Love to Smile: a people person who conducts him or herself in warm, caring and attentive ways. Loves kids and enjoys interacting with adults.
Energetic & Enthusiastic: get things done; have an appropriate sense of urgency when needed; general all-around can-do attitude.
Reliable: we can all count on each other to do what we say we are going to do so that we succeed as a team.
Active Listener & Participant: committed to the common goal of creating the best guest experience possible by listening with an open mind and always pitching in when needed.
Team Player: able to relate to peers, accept supervision and guidance; proactively and responsibly problem-solve and take initiative.
Fun: able to find the humor and joy in the mundane daily tasks; encourage laughter, happiness and creativity every chance possible.
Integrity/Honesty: is truthful, honest and does the right thing which instills trust and credibility not only for the individual staff member but also for the rest of the team and for Emandal.
Satisfactory Physical Health: again, it's important that all staff members are physically able to perform the daily tasks required to run the farm.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old do I have to be to work at Emandal? You must be at least 18 years of age.
What is housing like? There is one staff housing area that we refer to as the "Staff Village". In the Village there is a common house (shared kitchen, movie room, phone room), a common bath house with laundry and outdoor shower, a 3 bedroom house, several single room cabins, tent cabins and storage container cabins. Most are heated by wood stoves (except tents and storage containter cabins used in summer). Rooms are private. The Staff Village also has a private yard with a gloriously large laundry line (we line dry all of our laundry).
Will I have access to Internet and phone? Staff have (limited) wi-fi access in the Staff Village provided you bring your own laptop or other device (there is no staff computer.) There is a staff phone in the Staff Village as well which offers free local and long distance calls within the US.
Do you offer formal training? Is it mandatory? Yes and yes! Each year all staff are required to participate in a mandatory training program prior to the beginning of our season. See individual job descriptions for details and dates.
What is Emandal’s smoking policy? Emandal is a smoke free workplace. We do operate as an education and guest facility, and tobacco usedoesn't fit in to working in close proximity with guests.
What is Emandal’s visitor policy? Though we are happy for staff to have visitors, realize that it is not always possible due to program needs. We typically do not allow staff guests during the mandatory staff training weeks, nor during our prime family camp season (June - August) unless they are participating in the family camp program (at a discounted rate). Usually with advance notice AND permission, we do allow/encourage staff visitors during September when we are only hosting weekend guests, and the weather is lovely and the garden in full swing.
Can I bring my pet? Unfortunately, no...we've got quite a few of our own! We currently have 3 dogs, several cats and of course, a number of livestock.
Do you hire International Applicants? We will gladly consider any international applicants, however, you must already have a current work visa (right to work in the United States). We cannot help you secure a work visa. Please let us know if you have any questions.

So...if all this sounds good to you, please read on about our hiring process....

The Hiring Process

We generally begin accepting and reviewing applications in the winter for the following season. We review all applications as they come in and select those that seem like a good fit for an initial phone interview. You will be notified via email regarding your application status. After the initial phone interviews, we then select a smaller group of applicants for a second interview - typically over the phone again, but if you are in the area, we encourage you to consider coming to the farm for an in person interview. This step is followed by reference checks, and then the final team selection and notification. We accept applications beginning October 15 for the following season. Several of the positions have an earlier and smaller application window. We hire on a rolling basis, the sooner you return your COMPLETE application package, the more likely you are to be considered. Once you've completed your preferred application, submit it, along with a cover letter and resume. Positions for the 2020 season include:

Guest Relations Coordinator (1)

Head Gardener (1)

Seasonal Support Staff - Off Season (2)

Assistant Gardener - Kitchen Garden

Assistant Gardener - Ornamental Gardens

Clothesline Concierge / Head Housekeeper

Seasonal Support Staff - Full Season (6)

Seasonal Support Staff-Animal Caretaker (1)

Cooking Enthusiasts (3)

Volunteers / Interns

We are not accepting volunteers or interns this year. If you are looking for a farm internship program, consult Attra's website for a listing of various options available. https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/internships/