ANNUAL SEASONAL POSITIONS – “PELICANS”
Thank you for your interest in applying to work on Star Island for 2022! My summers as a Pelican were some of the most enriching and enjoyable experiences of my life. It is always rewarding to see the Pelicans bond with our guests, the island, and each other in ways that can last a lifetime.
2022 promises to be a year like no other. After not being able to open in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to reopen in 2021 – and we had a safe, fun, and rewarding season. We expect this will be the case again in 2022, and the health and safety of our Star Island family – especially our Pelicans – remains our top priority.
In 2021, one of the key reasons we had such a successful summer was our high COVID-19 vaccination rates amongst our employees and our overnight guests. Building on this success, effective January 1, 2021, only fully vaccinated individuals will be permitted to work for the Star Island Corporation.
We will be communicating regularly about what else we are expecting for 2022. When we send out employment offers in March, we will send out the most up-to-date information on our various health and safety protocols.
More broadly, we know a few tried and true things about what makes a successful Pelican. In addition to normal qualifications, like being reliable, responsible, and hard-working, we seek candidates (18 years or older) who will be especially safe, cooperative, and respectful, and who can thrive in the close working and living quarters of our remote setting.
Beyond these essential attributes, we will be strongly focused on candidates who will contribute to our mission of hospitality and participate in forming a healthy island-wide community.
We appreciate your consideration of what we are looking for in our Pelicans. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Sincerely,
Joe Watts
Chief Executive Officer
While our application deadline has passed, you are still encouraged to submit an application if you are interested in working on Star Island this season. Late applications will be considered as needed or added to a wait list to fill any position openings that occur. We will also be hiring for our end of season period in August & September.
Pelican Applications
Applicants who have not worked for Star before, click here to begin the online application process.
Returning Pelican applicants, click here to begin the online application process.
Reference Forms
If you have never worked on Star Island, you must submit two reference forms. These could be from an employer/supervisor, professor, advisor or school guidance counselor, principal, teacher, minister or religious education director, etc. References from family members will not be considered. Additional peer or character references (beyond 2 required references) are encouraged.
Your application will be considered incomplete if both references are not received or postmarked by January 31st.
Please provide your references with the link to our online reference form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SICreference
Or download a hard copy of the reference form: Pelican Reference Form
General Information for Star Island Applicants
Click here to learn more about working on Star Island and for a description of each of the positions.
Selection Criteria
Click here to learn how we select our Pelican staff from amongst a large pool of applicants.
At Star Island we appreciate the value and richness of different perspectives and experiences. We constantly strive to be a more diverse and inclusive workplace. We work to make you feel welcomed and engaged as a valued member of the team. We provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, Star Island will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
Hiring Process Timeline
Application Deadline- January 24, 2022
Letter of interest regarding supervisory-level positions emailed to office@starisland.org (in addition to your application)- January 24, 2022
Reference Form Deadline (for new applicants)- January 31, 2022
Hiring Decisions Emailed to Applicants- by mid-March 2022
Please note: email communications regarding your application will be sent by our Office Manager, Kate Brady (kbrady@starisland.org). Please be sure you add her email address to your safe senders list so you do not miss out on any messages regarding employment with Star Island.
As stewards of our beloved island, we are asking for your help in spreading the word about Pelican employment opportunities. Here’s what you can do to help:
- If you’re a Facebook user, share our post about Pel hiring so it has a broader reach.
- Print out the hiring poster and hang it up at church and other places in your community-
- Think about that person you know (age 18 or older) who could benefit from a magical summer working on Star Island and encourage them to apply.
Video: What it's like to be a pelican
Video: What it means to be a pelican
Being a Pelican is more than a summer job on Star Island– it is about joining a community of interesting, talented, and hard working individuals. We seek staff members who will commit to doing a good job, whether that job involves providing direct services to conferees (such as making beds, cooking food, or working at the front desk) or serving on our support crews (such as repairing trucks, painting buildings, or running our wastewater treatment facility). The powerful Pelican community that arises each season is an outgrowth of common goals, hard work, and mutual support.
A Pelican on Star Island is both a worker and a member of the island community. We share a small island with people who come for rest and relaxation. Our job is to make a good week on Star possible for our guests.








Thanks to Anna Solo for the photos!
#pelicansarepelicans
Hear from past Pelicans about their experiences on Star Island:
A Busy Summer
A Pelican Summer: Music Director
A Pelican Summer: Bellhop Supervisor
Pelicans Take Flight (pg 38)