Cookhouse Specialist (2 positions available)

POSITION TITLE: Cookhouse Specialist (2 positions available) 

DEPARTMENT: Culture Camp 

WAGE: Contract, $1250.00 per 5 day camp

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt

ESC CODE: 

FUNDING SOURCE: Grant funded 

OPENING: June 6, 2025

CLOSING: June 16, 2025

Position Summary:

The Cookhouse Specialists are responsible for organizing, preparing, and serving meals at the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe’s Culture Camp. This team plays a vital role in nourishing campers and staff, incorporating both traditional and contemporary foods into the menu, and helping maintain the cultural and communal spirit of the cookhouse.

Cookhouse Specialists coordinate meal planning, food preparation, camper meal rotations, and kitchen cleanliness. They will work closely with camp leadership to ensure that meals are served on time, that food safety standards are upheld, and that the cookhouse remains a welcoming and organized environment throughout camp.

This role requires strong kitchen skills, time management, teamwork, and a commitment to supporting the overall wellness and cultural goals of Culture Camp.

 Essential Functions:

• Plan and prepare daily meals for campers and staff, integrating traditional foods when available and appropriate.


• Coordinate meal service timing to align with camp activity schedules.


• Oversee food safety, kitchen cleanliness, proper food storage, and basic kitchen maintenance.


• Organize camper rotations for food preparation, serving, and clean-up duties as part of leadership and learning development.


• Ensure there is plenty of clean drinking water at the camp at all times.


• Maintain a respectful, positive, and welcoming environment in the cookhouse.


• Support rainwater collection for non-potable kitchen use, ensuring appropriate drainage systems are functioning.


• Assist with grocery and supply inventory management, restocking, and storage.


• Participate in set-up before camp begins, daily and final clean-up at the end of camp.


• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Working with Tribal programs, education programs, or youth programs is preferred.


• Tlingit language fluency not required but preferred, needs to have a strong commitment to cultural learning.


• Culture of Yakutat and Southeast Tlingit clan structures, songs, protocols, and ceremonial practices.


• Safety protocols and kitchen hygiene standards and ability to follow them.


• The Tlingit History of Yakutat, Tlingit Arts and subsistence lifestyle is preferred but not required.


• Cultural knowledge of Tlingit practices, or willingness to learn and respectfully integrate traditional teachings into daily camp life.

Skill in:

• Strong written and oral communication.


• Organization and time management under dynamic conditions.


• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills across multiple program areas.


• Dependability and a strong work ethic.


• Leadership, with the ability to guide and support young people respectfully.


• Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.


• Strong interpersonal and people skills, including the ability to work with parents, youth, Elders, and staff in a respectful and welcoming manner.


• Problem-solving skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.


• Self-motivated and dependable, able to work independently or collaboratively.

Ability to:

• Handle multiple tasks and work under short timeframes and attend to


• Plan and follow a meal schedule.

• Maintain a clean, efficient, and welcoming kitchen space.

• Ability to adapt activities to meet a range of developmental needs and interests of older youth.

• Serve as a positive role model.


• Model and reinforce respectful behavior, humility, and generosity throughout camp life.


• Be flexible, patient, and have a team-centered attitude.


• Comfortable working with youth of all ages and backgrounds.


• Meet physical demands to assist with set-up, clean-up, and carrying supplies between locations.


• Provide support where needed and proactively offer support to instructors, and leadership staff.

• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with care and professionalism.

• Flexibility to adapt to shifting schedules or needs during Culture Camp operations.


• Safely transport themselves to and from the Situk River camp site.

• Work independently with brief verbal instructions, as well as prioritize

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items. The work may require specific, but common, physical characteristics and abilities, such as above average agility and dexterity.   The employee must be able to read, write, speak and hear.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility:

 This position has no formally assigned supervisory responsibility or authority.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required.


• Must be 18 years of age or older.

• Experience cooking for large groups, preferably in camp, school, or community kitchen settings.


• Knowledge of traditional Alaska Native foods and their preparation is a plus.


• Knowledge of food safety protocols (ServSafe certification or similar preferred but not required; training opportunities may be available).


• Prior experience with cultural education, immersion camps, or ceremonial leadership is a plus.

• Must be able to pass a National Criminal and State background check.


• Must be able to pass a fingerprint based National Criminal Background Check.


• Valid Alaska Driver’s License.

Disclosures:

 We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.

• THE YAKUTAT TLINGIT TRIBE IS A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE. THIS POSITION MAY BE SUBJECT TO RANDOM DRUG TESTING AND CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK.  
  

• Preference will be given to qualified Yakutat Tlingit Tribal Member and/or Alaska Native candidates.

• NATIVE AMERICAN PREFERENCE WILL BE APPLIED TO HIRING OF THIS POSITION AS DEFINED IN TITLE 25, US CODE, CHAPTER 14, SUBCHAPTER V, SUBSECTION 273 AND 274.  WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER WITH PREFERENCE GIVEN TO QUALIFIED NATIVE AMERICAN/ALASKA NATIVE APPLICANTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW AND TRIBAL POLICY.