Employment

The High Mountain Institute is seeking a Food Educator & Kitchen Manager, a full-time position at the High Mountain Institute. This position is based on HMI’s campus in Leadville, CO; on-campus housing is included in the compensation package. Reporting to the Semester Director of Students and Residential Life, responsibilities include on-campus food service, menu planning, ordering, budgeting, training others, catering large HMI events, and developing and teaching HMI’s food & nutrition curriculum.

The ideal job candidate has prior experience in supervising others in a food service setting, cooking for large groups, and leading/supporting food education efforts.

Primary Job Responsibilities:

Culinary

• Prepare meals from scratch, serving 40+, that meet our value “Simple in Means, Rich in Ends”
• Plan and execute a healthy, varied menus for HMI programs (Semester, Gap, Summer Term, & short programs)
• Teach students to plan and cook meals for a variety of diets 
• Lead student cook crews (4-5 students plus apprentice/staff member) ~5 days a week
• Lead culinary services for 6-10 large events annually (Family Weekend, Board Meetings, school celebrations, etc.) 

Kitchen Management 

• Oversee all HMI on-campus food service when programs are in session 
• Oversee cleanliness of all food service areas
• Oversee health and other code compliance in prep, storage, and serving areas
• Maintain a high awareness of and respect for allergies, dietary restrictions, and food preferences within the HMI community  
• Train faculty, staff, and apprentices on meal preparation, kitchen supervision, and health code compliance
• Manage inventory and order all on-campus food, backcountry rations, and service-related supplies 
• Manage food budget
• Supervise and support the Kitchen & Wilderness Fellow (or similar) in their kitchen duties

Food Education

• Work appropriately with young adults in a school environment 
• Promote a fun, healthy, and safe atmosphere in the kitchen
• Teach students general principles of nutrition, culinary arts, and food safety
• Promote open-mindedness toward a variety of diets
• Promote and model a healthy relationship to food 

General

• Participate in Professional Development, both on and off-campus
• Periodically serve on hiring and other committees as needed
• In general, serve the HMI mission however needed

Key Collaboration Points

• WIth the Semester DIrector of Students & Residential Life and Programs Director, review incoming students for each program, planning for allergies, dietary restrictions, and other nutritional needs
• With the Head of School, plan for special HMI events
• With the Apprentice Program Coordinator, plan kitchen orientation for HMI Semester apprentices
• With the Director of Programs, manage the Kitchen & Wilderness Fellow

Essential Qualifications: 

• High School Diploma or GED
• 1-2 years of prior food service experience

Desired Qualifications: 

• Experience supervising others in a food service setting
• Experience cooking for groups of 30+
• Food Protection Manager Certification (current or willingness to obtain)

Start Date: July 27, 2026

Position Pay & Benefits: 

• Annual salary: $34,000-$40,000; Total Compensation $43,000-$49,000, inclusive of on-campus housing value or, when housing is unavailable, a housing stipend. 
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• Paid parental/FAMLI leave benefits
• 4-9% retirement benefits match after 1 year 
• Significant PTO when programs are not in session

Housing at HMI: HMI is proud to offer recently-constructed on-campus housing to its employees. Living on campus is a condition of employment. Total Compensation is the combination of cash salary plus the value of on-campus housing. For example, a Total Compensation of $47,000 typically represents a cash salary of $38,000 and $9,000 of housing value. Actual figures vary by employee and living arrangement, with typical on-campus housing value of $9,000 for most employees.

How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume via email to foodeducator@hminet.org and fill out the HMI Prospective Employment Form online. We will review applications on a rolling basis and will continue reviewing applications until the position is filled. Correspondence via e-mail is preferred.

About the High Mountain Institute: Founded in 1995, HMI is a nonprofit independent school with a focus on outdoor, experiential, and place-based education. HMI serves approximately 150 students per year across its high school, summer, and gap programming. About 30% of students receive financial aid, and a similar percentage identify as people of color. All HMI students participate in extended wilderness expeditions lasting from 10-21 days. HMI is not a rehabilitative or wilderness therapy program. HMI students are high-achieving, healthy students seeking challenge, a strong community, and a deeper connection to nature. HMI has about 25 year-round staff, most of whom live on campus. Learn more at: www.hminet.org

Equity and Inclusion at HMI: The High Mountain Institute is committed to building a more diverse and affirming school and outdoor industry. HMI is an equal opportunity employer that strives for diversity by honoring the differences of each member of our community. We seek to build a community (of faculty, staff, students, and trustees) that is ethnically, socio-economically, and geographically diverse and that brings a diversity of experience, background, talent, and perspective. People of color, LGBTQ and gender nonbinary people, and people with other historically marginalized identities are encouraged to apply. Learn more at: www.hminet.org/dei.

The school reserves the right to change or add to this job description at any time.

The High Mountain Institute seeks a Community & Culture Coordinator (CCC), a year-round, full-time, FLSA-exempt position reporting to the Head of School. The position coordinates HMI’s efforts to cultivate an inclusive and diverse learning and working community, working directly with students and adults across HMI’s programs and collaborating with school leadership on strategic priorities and projects. In partnership with the Program Directors (Directors of the HMI Semester, Director of Programs, Dean of the Apprentice Program, and Director of Wilderness Programs) and the Leadership Team as a whole, the CCC works to make HMI’s community, programs, and practices more inclusive, equitable, and accessible to all. 

The ideal candidate will have previous experience working with teenagers and young adults, as well as experience engaging with and leading diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in an educational or non-profit setting. The candidate will embody the school’s mission and core values, uphold HMI’s intentional community culture, and collaborate with school leadership to reach our strategic goals. The candidate will have experience supporting students and adults from all identities and backgrounds, and be passionate about increasing diversity and access in outdoor recreation and educational spaces. 

Primary Job Responsibilities:

HMI Community 

• Collaborate with Program Directors and the Admissions Team to attract, support, and retain students from historically marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds
• Coordinate curriculum and oversee staffing of community affinity spaces
• Coordinate translation, interpretation, and accessibility services
• Manage a ~$10k departmental budget 
• Serve on Professional Development Committee

HMI Semester 

• Work with the Dean of the Apprentice Program to support and empower apprentices as community members and school culture influencers
• Work with the Semester Director of Students & Residential Life to co-facilitate the Student Diversity Council
• Serve as Faculty on Duty, performing overnight residential life duties approximately once per week during the Semester
• Assist in coordinating student support around issues of inclusion
• Mentor an apprentice, as needed, during the semester
• Advise 3-5 students per semester
• Co-lead 2-3 expeditions per year, as needed

HMI Programs

• Support Summer Term, Gap, Educators Expedition, and other non-semester programs as needed
• Co-lead 1-2 non-semester expeditions per year

Community & Constituent Relations

• Engage with Alumni Council and Board members and subcommittees
• Explore organizational and strategic partnerships that strengthen HMI’s community connections and advance the school’s mission & strategic plan

Hiring and Human Resources

• Collaborate with Program Directors and Apprentice Coordinator to develop systems for recruiting, supporting, and retaining talented employees from all backgrounds
• Serve on hiring committees as needed
• Chair the Welcoming & Belonging Committee, and serve on the Hiring Taskforce

10% of every position is doing whatever needs to be done at HMI; we are a collaborative and supportive community in meeting the changing needs of our school!

Term of Employment: August 1, 2026-July 31, 2027 (with some flexibility on start date)

Position Pay & Benefits: 

• $40k-$48k total compensation, inclusive of salary and the value of housing
• 403(b) retirement savings plan; 4-9% matching contributions starting after one year
• Health & dental insurance; vision and mental health reimbursement
• On-campus housing provided or $9,000 living stipend 
• On-campus residents do not pay for utilities or internet. Electric vehicle owners can charge for free on-campus.
• 4-8 weeks paid vacation for staff positions
• Short term and long term disability insurance, life insurance
• Pro-deals (steep discounts on outdoor gear for outdoor professionals) 
• Professional development opportunities
• Paid parental leave 
• Free meals on campus when school is in session 
• 4-month paid sabbatical available after ten years; 4-week sabbatical after seven years

About the High Mountain Institute: Founded in 1995, HMI is a nonprofit independent school with a focus on outdoor, experiential, and place-based education. HMI serves approximately over 100 students per year across its high school, summer, and gap programming. About 30% of students receive financial aid and a similar percentage identify as people of color. All HMI students participate in extended wilderness expeditions lasting from 10-21 days. HMI is not a rehabilitative or wilderness therapy program. HMI students are high-achieving, healthy students seeking challenge, a strong community, and a deeper connection to nature. HMI has over 20 year-round staff, about 2/3 of whom live on campus. Learn more at: www.hminet.org.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at HMI: The High Mountain Institute is committed to building a more diverse and affirming school and outdoor industry. HMI is an equal opportunity employer that strives for diversity by honoring the differences of each member of our community. We seek to build a community (of faculty, staff, students, and trustees) that is ethnically, socio-economically, and geographically diverse and that brings a diversity of experience, background, talent, and perspective. People of color, LGBTQ and gender nonbinary people, and people with other historically-marginalized identities are encouraged to apply. Learn more at: www.hminet.org/dei.

How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume via email to Phoebe Gray, Administrative Coordinator & Registrar, at ccchiring@hminet.org and fill out the HMI Prospective Employment Form online. We begin our initial review of applications immediately, and will continue reviewing applications until the position is filled. Correspondence via e-mail is preferred.

The school reserves the right to change or add to this job description at any time