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Dude Ranch Jobs

Head Cook

As Head Cook, you will be responsible for feeding up to 24 hungry Dude Ranch guests and 12-15 staff members! This job is fast-paced, hot, and cramped! We have hired both culinary professionals and self-taught home cooks for this position, both with great success! Our kitchen is small so you must be able to work efficiently and maintain cleanliness. You will have an assistant cook to help you execute all three meals, or you can delegate any meals, as long as quality and timeliness are not sacrificed. We do not micro-manage, which is why we require employees who have the ability to self-start. This means seeing what needs to be done and accomplishing it without any outside assistance (when applicable). Please review the below duties & abilities to see if you’d be a good fit.

Head Cook

Dude ranch summer 2019 adventure vacation all-inclusive pet friendly guest ranch
Lamb shanks ready for plated dinner

REPORTS TO: House Manager

DUTIES:

  • Create and Execute Weekly Menu Plan
    • Write basic weekly menu template
    • Allocate meal responsibilities (Will you cook all three meals? Will Assistant Cook take charge of breakfast?)
    • Ensure that all meals are prepared in a timely fashion and to guests liking
    • Ensure baked goods are prepared each day (Or allocate to Assistant Cook)
  • Oversee Kitchen Staff
    • Ensure that Assistant Cook and Dishwasher are following health code standards, preparing quality food in a timely manner, and cleaning kitchen daily to ranch standard
  • Draft Food order for House Manager’s approval
  • Ensure that ALL guest dietary needs/desires are met.
    • This is NOT a Michelin Star restaurant. We are flexible to what our guests need and want – even if that means serving chicken nuggets or ketchup with steak. Our “product” is a delighted guest, not a fine dining plate presentation
  • Ensure Cleanliness & Safety in Kitchen
    • Follow Health Code Standards exactly
    • Maintain a high standard of cleanliness in kitchen at all times
    • Make sure that food items and leftovers are stored properly

ABILITIES:

  • Cooking Experience (5 years +) preferably for large crowds
  • Management Experience (1 year or equivalent experience)
  • Ability to work as a team
  • Ability to work calmly under pressure
  • Self-starter
  • Hospitality mindset
  • Exceptionally high standard of cleanliness
  • Organizational capabilities
  • Flexibility – ability to change your personal plans/desires to suit all kinds of guest requests
  • Ability to take direction from General Manager (Ellen) and House Manager (and not contradicting their directions to your staff)
  • Honesty and open communication skills

Think you’d make the perfect Head Cook? Please review our employment expectations before submitting an application. We will be in touch shortly. Thanks!

Assistant Cook

The Assistant cook is a little different each summer! The assistant cook and head cook will work together to figure out a schedule that works for them. Some summers this means that the Assistant cook will cook breakfast solo, bake off cookies, bread, and desserts, and then help prep lunch. Some summers it means working in tandem with the head cook to put out each meal together. We do not micromanage – which is why we require individuals who are self-starters! You must be able to see what needs to be done and accomplish it without any outside assistance (when applicable). Please read the below duties & abilities to see if you’d be a good fit!

Assistant Cook

REPORTS TO: House Manger/Head Cook*
*meaning you will report to the Head Cook on an hour-to-hour basis while working, but your ultimate supervisor is the House Manager.

DUTIES:

  • Execute Weekly Meal Plan at Discretion of Head Cook
    • Head Cook will discern which meals you will be solely in charge of, or you will assist him/her with all three meals each day.
    • Ensure baked goods are sent out for guests each day
    • Ensure all guest dietary needs/desires are met.
      • This is NOT a Michelin Star restaurant. We are flexible to what our guests need and want – even if that means serving chicken nuggets or ketchup with steak. Our “product” is a delighted guest, not a fine dining plate presentation
    • Follow Health Code mandates
      • Ensure constant cleanliness in the kitchen
      • Ensure food is properly/safely stored
      • Ensure other members of kitchen staff and outside staff visiting the kitchen are in compliance
    • Generally Assist the Head Cook
      • Alert to food items needed to be purchased
      • Follow direction to ensure timely preparation and serving of each meal

ABILITIES:

  • Cooking Experience (1+ years) preferably for large crowds
  • Ability to take direction
  • Honesty and open communication
  • Neat & clean personal appearance
  • Exceptionally high standard of cleanliness
  • Organizational Capabilities
  • Ability to work as a team
  • Self-starter
  • Hospitality experience/customer service mindset
  • Flexibility – ability to change your personal plans/desires to suit all kinds of guest requests
  • Ability to work calmly under pressure
  • Ability to preform all duties at high elevation

Think you’d make the perfect assistant cook? Please review our employment expectations

before submitting an application. We will be in touch shortly. Thanks!

 

Dining Room Steward/Dishwasher

Dude ranch summer adventure vacation all-inclusive pet friendly guest ranch
We even have fun in the kitchen!

The Dining Room Steward is an essential member of our house staff! This individual will maintain a high standard of cleanliness in the kitchen & dining room throughout the day and entertain guests who pass through these areas. Please read the assigned duties & necessary abilities before submitting an application.

REPORTS TO: House Manager/Head Cook*
*meaning you will report to the Head Cook on an hour-to-hour basis while working, but your ultimate supervisor is the House Manager.

DUTIES:

  • Set tables before each meal
  • Assist kitchen staff with meal prep prior to each meal
  • Bussing tables during and after meals
  • Ensuring guests are satisfied during meals (Are drink pitchers full? Do serving platters need refilling?)
  • Washing dishes, running dishes through sanitizer, and storing them properly after each meal
  • Cleaning dining room after each meal (wiping down tables, salt & pepper shakers, chairs; sweeping floor; maintaining coffee service)
  • Assisting Head/Assistant Cook with any kitchen duties necessary throughout day
  • Assisting other house staff members as needed (housekeepers, house manager)
  • Ensuring health code standards are kept up on a daily basis under supervision of house manager (this means yelling at non-kitchen staff who may come into your kitchen and do something incorrectly!)
  • Closing kitchen down each evening (turning off all equipment, mopping, scrubbing walls, sinks, etc.)
  • Bear prevention

ABILITIES:

  • Hospitality experience (1+ years)/customer service mindset
  • Exceptionally high standard of cleanliness – personal & professional
  • Neat & cleanly outward appearance
  • Personal organizational skills
  • Ability to take direction
  • Ability to work as a team
  • Honesty and open communication skills
  • Self-starter
  • Flexibility – ability to change your personal plans/desires to suit all kinds of guest requests
  • Ability to work calmly under pressure
  • Ability to preform duties at high elevation

Please note that some of these duties have changed significantly as we adapt to life with Covid19. We will discuss these adaptations at interviews.

Think you’d be a good fit for the Dining Room Steward position? Review our employment expectations and submit an application for review! We’ll be in touch shortly.

Housekeeper

Our housekeepers help keep the ranch running smoothly and without a hitch! As a housekeeper at Sundance, you will be responsibly for the daily freshening of each guest suite and common areas, as well as twice-weekly turn-over of all rooms and recreation areas. Please read the duties & abilities described below to see if you’d be a good fit!

REPORTS TO: House Manager

DUTIES:

  • Freshening Guest Suites on a daily basis according to Ranch owner’s standards
    • Making beds
    • Replacing towels
    • Emptying trash
    • Vacuuming & Sweeping
    • Stocking coffee service
    • Attending to any individual requests made by guests
  • Turning guest suites each Wednesday according to Ranch owner’s standards
    • Complete flip of each room being occupied + common areas
  • Turning entire ranch each Saturday according to Ranch owner’s standards
    • Complete flip of every room on ranch + common areas
  • Maintaining cleanliness of common areas (Dining room, bathrooms, recreation area, living room area) *this sometimes will mean cleaning the same room more than once a day – having fun can be messy!
  • Managing a never-ending, overwhelming amount of laundry! Must be able to efficiently cycle laundry throughout the day.
  • Ensuring housekeeping storage and laundry areas remain clean and organized
  • Watering and maintaining flowers in planter boxes
  • Sweeping decks and porches each day
  • Picking up all trash and clutter as you find it
  • Ensuring every small guest need is met (humidifiers, extra blankets, fans, etc.)
  • Reporting to house manager anything broken or in need of repair you find in guest suites or throughout ranch

ABILITIES:

  • Professional Housekeeping or Cleaning experience (2+ years)

    Dude ranch summer adventure vacation all-inclusive pet friendly guest ranch
    Main Lodge Parlor
  • Hospitality experience (1+ years)
  • Attention to detail
  • Honesty and open communication skills
  • Exceptionally high cleanliness standards
  • Neat & clean personal appearance
  • Ability to take direction
  • Ability to work as a team
  • Flexibility to complete a wide variety of tasks
  • Organizational skills
  • Self-starter
  • Ability to preform all duties at high elevation

Think you’d be a good fit? Please review our employment expectations before submitting an application

for review. We will be in touch shortly!

Head Wrangler

This position is always either hired from the current staff or is shared on rotation  by the current wrangler staff. This is a decision made by the Barn Manager and the current wrangler staff.

The Head Wrangler is responsible for managing all day-to-day guest time on horseback. This means getting to know each guest individually, catering to specific needs and requests each week, and organizing daily rides and wrangler duties. This person will work with the Barn Manager to ensure guest delight, wrangler performance, and horse health & safety. Please read the below duties & abilities to see if you’d be a good fit.

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Head Wrangler

Dude ranch summer 2019 adventure vacation all-inclusive pet friendly guest ranch
Halie checking in with the group

Reports to: Barn Manager/General Manager (Dan)
*meaning you will report to Barn Manager on an hour-to-hour basis with Dan being your ultimate supervisor.

DUTIES:

  • Managing Guest’s Riding Time
    • Meeting guests each Sunday and assisting Wranglers in greeting/getting waivers/teaching initial ground manners lesson each Sunday afternoon
    • Assigning each guest a horse based on waiver questionnaire
    • Organizing rides in groups and assigning each wrangler a group and a destination
    • Ensuring all guests desires on horseback are met during the week
  • Managing Barn Staff (with help of Barn Manager)
    • Ensuring all Wranglers are meeting ranch standards of ride safety and hospitality
    • Ensuring all Wranglers are being A+ storytellers and entertainers
    • Ensuring all Wranglers are maintaining high standard of horse health & safety
    • Assist Children’s Wrangler with kids program
  • Record Keeping
    • Maintaining immaculate records of Rider Logs (under BM’s supervision)
    • Update master barn log with horses that were ridden each day
    • Report each horse’s behavioral anomalies to BM

ABILITIES:

  • Lifelong equestrian preferred
  • Wrangling experience preferred (2+ years)
  • Management Experience or educational equivalent/leadership qualities
  • High standard of animal welfare
  • Hospitality experience/customer service mindset
  • Organizational capabilities
  • Ability to take direction
  • Honesty and open communication skills
  • Self-starter
  • Ability to drive a tractor
  • Basic knowledge of horse health and first-aid
  • Outgoing and friendly personality necessary
  • Current CPR certification

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Think you’d be the perfect Head Wrangler? Please review our employment expectations before submitting an application. We will be in touch shortly.

Children’s Wrangler

The Children’s Wrangler is one of the most important positions on the ranch. As the Children’s Wrangler, you will be directly responsible for the delicate balancing act between fun and safety for all the young people who visit us. Along with the duties of the Plain ol’ Fashioned Wrangler, you will display the additional duties and abilities described below.

Duties:

Dude ranch summer 2019 adventure vacation all-inclusive pet friendly guest ranch
Sarah J. & Tristan
  • Constructing and maintaining a complete children’s program for pre-schoolers through young teens (5 to 15 years old) based on introduction and acquisition of skills including:
    • fishing, riding, archery, astronomy, baking/cooking, Native American lore, first aide, orienteering, and leather work.
  • Act as an adviser to those children who are working on Boy and Girl Scout merit badges.
  • Spearhead the Tuesday night cookout, Saturday family arena games, and all other children-specific activities.
  • Shares all other wrangler duties listed in the “Wrangler” Job Description including:
    • feeding on a rotating basis
    • pulling, tacking, brushing picking feet; etc.
    • assisting in busing tables and washing dishes, etc.
    • However the unique responsibilities of dealing with children makes the Children’s Wrangler’s “fair portion” of chores much less than that of the adult wranglers.
    • This position is not appropriate for those who are not strong “team players.”

Abilities:

  • Extensive child care and teaching/leading experience
  • Professional teaching and scouting experience strongly preferred
  • Valid driver’s license and clean driving record (may take children off-site in company vehicle occasionally)
  • Moderate horseback riding and equine knowledge
    • Extensive horse knowledge and skills is preferred, as this allows the employee to also assist with wrangling duties
  • Endless enthusiasm and energy
  • CPR certified
  • Outgoing and friendly personality
  • Self-starter
  • Customer service minded
  • Ability to take direction
  • Ability to work as a team
  • Honesty and open communication skills – especially with the children and their parents
  • Flexibility to accomplish a wide variety of tasks within a day
  • Must be able to perform all of the duties listed in high altitude environment

Think you’d make the perfect Children’s Wrangler? Please review our employment expectations before submitting an application. We will be in touch shortly. Thanks!

Barn Manager

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Barn Manager

Reports to: General Manager (Dan)

All Managers work together to:

  1. Assess current activities and structures with an eye to improvement and/or correct issues.
  2. Plan future team activities and structures, including assisting the other two teams, as needed.
  3. Orient, train, and educate staff members.
  4.  Supervise staff: providing leadership, direction, correction, praise and encouragement.
  5. Evaluating what activities/structures are working well and what require further attention.

DUTIES:

  • Animal Care
    • Ensure and maintain health, safety, and happiness of all animals owned by the ranch
    • Develop and implement nutrition plan for all animals
    • Fit and check the fit of tack several times a year as necessary
    • Basic medical and preventative care of herd with Dan’s help, maintaining relationships with farriers and veterinarians
    • Monitor animals on leased grazing land
    • Keep horses fit and correct behavioral issues with training
  • Barn Management
    • Maintain organization and cleanliness of barn and grounds around barn/arena
    • Ensure tack is clean and in good repair
    • Ensure that all necessary supplies are stocked at all times
    • Scrape paddocks when necessary
    • Manage manure responsibly and run manure spreader
    • Ensure water troughs are clean and stocked at all times
    • Tarp hay
  • Record Keeping
    • Maintain immaculate records of horse care: vaccinations, worming, teeth floating, and hoof maintenance on master barn log.
    • Assure complete and up-to-date Riders Logs.
    • Maintain master horse list under Dan’s supervision
    • Coordinate hay delivery
    • Coordinate stocking of grain and other supplies with Dan
    • Maintain rotational grazing plans on lease properties
  • Employee Management
    • Team interview and hire seasonal candidates
    • Orient and train new wranglers. Provide continuous education of all wranglers as opportunities arise. Team teach DRA Wrangler Safety Course.
    • Provide leadership to create a culture of teamwork to produce our product: a delighted guest. (praise, correction, education, coaching, encouragement)
    •  Create weekly barn staff schedule each week
    • Ensure that all barn staff are meeting standards of horse care

ABILITIES:

  • Prefer lifelong equestrian
  • Previous Herd Management experience (5+ years)
  • Equine nutrition knowledge
  • Knowledge of equine health, disease
  • Exceptionally high standard of animal welfare
  • Organizational capabilities
  • Self-starter
  • Honesty and open communication skills
  • Ability to drive a tractor
  • Ability to properly fit western tack
  • Knowledge of rotational grazing practices to ensure land health is maintained on lease properties
  • Management experience (1+ years)
  • Hospitality minded
  • Current CPR certification