Job Description

The Base Operations Lead supports the daily operation, appearance, safety, and overall guest experience of the base areas at the Middlebury College Ski Areas. This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for helping coordinate daily scheduled seasonal staff and ensuring base-area operations are completed safely, efficiently, and to a high standard.

The Lead works alongside the Base Operations team with a primary focus on parking, snow and ice removal, fire and firewood management, waste and recycling, event support, and maintaining clean, organized, and welcoming base areas.

This position serves as a point of contact for Base Operations staff during assigned shifts and works closely with Mountain Managers to identify priorities and respond to changing operational needs.

This is a part-time, hourly, non-benefits eligible position. The starting wage for this position is $20.52 per hour, with increased wages for each returning ski season. Some hours are eligible for shift differential for nights and weekends.

Core Responsibilities:

• Provides day-to-day leadership and direction to Base Operations staff during assigned shifts. Ability to give clear directions.
• Works alongside staff while coordinating and prioritizing daily base-area responsibilities to maintain the overall appearance, cleanliness, organization, and functionality of the Ski Area base areas to provide a welcoming environment for guests.
• Coordinates and assists parking operations like traffic flow, parking organization, signage, guest direction, and maintaining safe pedestrian and vehicle access.
• Performs and coordinates snow and ice removal around base lodges, walkways, stairs, decks, entrances, exits, loading areas, and other designated areas.
• Oversees fire and firewood needs throughout the base area, including collecting, transporting, stacking, and maintaining firewood supplies and safely maintaining designated guest fires.
• Monitors base-area cleanliness throughout the operating day and ensures trash, recycling, debris, and other materials are removed promptly.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisors to support the overall operation and mission of the Middlebury College Ski Areas.

Come join us and help create a safe, clean, welcoming, and memorable experience for every guest who visits the Middlebury College Ski Areas!

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Previous ski area, outdoor recreation, facilities, maintenance, hospitality, or operations experience preferred with strong attention to detail and pride in maintaining clean, organized, and welcoming public spaces.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and guest-service skills with ability to work independently and respond appropriately to changing weather, guest volume, events, and operational needs.
• Must be dependable, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-paced outdoor environment and willing to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and occasional overnight shifts as operational needs require.
• Basic First Aid training beneficial.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

This position works primarily outdoors in a winter mountain environment and requires extended periods on foot, including being on snow, ice, stairs, walkways, parking lots, and uneven or rugged terrain.

Must be able to frequently lift 20–30 pounds, occasionally lift up to 50 pounds. Duties include snow shoveling, moving and stacking firewood, handling trash and recycling, moving equipment and supplies, setting up events, and performing other physical outdoor work.

The position requires working in cold, snow, wind, and other challenging winter weather conditions. Early morning, evening, weekend, holiday, and occasional overnight work may be required.

Benefits

As an employee of Middlebury College, you will enjoy being part of a vibrant and supportive community.

Snowbowl/Rikert Employee Benefits:

• Employee complimentary pass to Snowbowl & Rikert.
• Employee dependent season passes to Snowbowl & Rikert.
• Employee Buddy Tickets to Snowbowl or Rikert.
• 30% off in the Retail Store.
• Food & Beverage benefit TBD.
• 50% off Adult & Kid Weekly Programs.
• MiddCard perks, including:

Come join us and be a part of our team!

Middlebury College is an equal-opportunity employer where diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values. To this end, the College recruits talented and diverse faculty, staff, and students from across the United States and around the world. Middlebury College encourages applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of other protected classes and historically underrepresented communities. The College also invites applications from individuals who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.