Work & Volunteer

Star Island Corporation owns and operates Star Island in the Isles of Shoals, New Hampshire. The island is ten miles from mainland New Hampshire and is operated as a seasonal religious and educational conference facility. The Corporation generates and manages all its own utilities (water, waste, power) and operates its own first aid station. The island has 34 buildings including numerous historic hotel and guest housing buildings as well as utility buildings and meeting spaces. The Corporation also operates a transportation system for staff that comprises Corporation-owned and staffed boats as well as contracted ferry and boat resources. The Corporation employs 10 year-round staff people and between 100 and 120 seasonal staff people (“Pelicans”, largely college-aged) annually.

Star Island is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in regard to race, sexual orientation or gender identity.

 

SEASONAL POSITIONS – “PELICANS”

Work on a Star, Too

Any Pelican who is employed throughout the LOAS 2 Conference (August 20-27) will receive a $100 bonus (before taxes). That’s right, a $100 bonus…yet another reason to apply to work as a Pelican this end of season on Star Island.

Tell Your Friends About Being a Pelican

We encourage people interested in working on Star Island to share this opportunity with their friends, as well. Download our hiring flyer to share, or direct people to this website for more information.

Thank you for your interest in applying to be a Pelican! My summers as a Pelican, the affectionate term used for our summer employees, were some of the most enriching and enjoyable experiences of my life. It is always rewarding to see Pelicans bond with our guests, the island, and each other in ways that can last a lifetime.

So, 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 are strongly focused on candidates who would 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

Pelican Applications

Applicants who have not worked for Star before, click here to begin the online application process. Learn more about the application process for potential first years.

Returning Pelican applicants, click here to begin the online application process. Read more about the application process for potential returning pels.

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 not be considered complete until both references are received.

Please provide your references the link to our online reference form or download a hard copy of the 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 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

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis for end of season (mid-August through mid-September) and partial season applicants.

Reference Form Deadline (for new applicants) must be submitted before your application will be considered.

Hiring decisions are emailed to end of season and partial season applicants on a rolling basis.

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.

Video: What it's like to be a pelican

Video: What it means to be a pelican

Video: Q&A Session with Pelicans

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:

Why You Should Become a Pelican
A Pelican Summer: Music Director
A Pelican Summer: Bellhop Supervisor
Pelicans Take Flight (pg 38)

Follow Hiring Activity on Twitter

share our hiring flyer with friends or post it in your community to spread the word about jobs on Star Island

 

Year Round Positions

We are currently not hiring for any year round positions.

 

Seasonal Mainland Position

 

Please click on the "learn more" button to find out more about what each position involves. Applicants are encouraged to submit a resume, cover letter, and three references to office@starisland.org.

Shoreside Laborer and Messenger

The Shoreside Laborer and Messenger is a full-time, mainland-based position serving to assist with logistics coordination at the dock during the conference season and run errands on behalf of the staff and guests. This position is largely based outdoors and is physically demanding with considerable lifting, including transport of luggage, trash, recycling, freight, and equipment.

Learn More

 

Volunteers

The contribution of a strong corps of volunteers makes it possible for Star to bridge the gap between great needs and limited resources. Volunteerism accounts for as much as one fourth of our labor needs throughout the year, from island facilities projects to administrative office tasks and from committee participation to the donation of professional expertise. Together it is an impressive display of dedication from a caring and talented community.

On-Island Volunteering Opportunities

Spring Volunteering

Come help reawaken Star Island from its winter slumber and spend a beautiful spring weekend on the island! We have spring work weeks and weekends in May and early June. Volunteer opportunities include but are not limited to: kitchen staff, housekeeping, painting, gardening, and grounds/landscaping.

Learn more about our spring volunteering

Summer Season Island Volunteering

For those interested in contributing to the work that goes into running the island, there are opportunities for volunteering alongside our island staff. You provide the elbow grease, and we’ll provide the boat transportation, a bed, hearty and delicious meals, and the wonderful community of our friendly hard-working staff.

Sign up for summer volunteering

 

Island Volunteer Ground Rules

  1. All volunteers must be at least 18 years old.
  2. Volunteering is essentially working for your room and board, so that means that volunteers need to be prepared to work, not just hang out. Unfortunately, if people don’t work when they’re supposed to be volunteering, they might not be allowed to come back, or they might have to pay for their stay.
  3. Likewise, Volunteers (like staff) are not allowed to attend conference events unless specifically invited by the conference. Volunteering is a way to contribute to the island, not a way to go to your conference for free.
  4. Having volunteers is always dependent on the island having enough housing for them. There are weeks during the summer when conferences use every guest room available. We can’t house volunteers during those times. These weeks are listed on the application.
  5. We discourage volunteers from coming during a conference they have attended in the past. Volunteers cannot eat with the conferees nor can they attend conference events unless explicitly invited. If you are looking for a more affordable way to attend a conference, please consider our financial grant program.
  6. Volunteers work on many crews, such as Housekeeping, Gardening, Grounds, Dish Crew, etc. For more information about the positions that might be available please see the Volunteer Position Descriptions below.

What To Bring

We will supply you with bed linens and shower towels. You should bring personal medications, glasses (reading/sun), comfortable shoes, flashlight, sun block, battery operated alarm clock, hat and swim wear (optional). Be prepared for all weather conditions; it can be warm and muggy or cold and rainy. Layers work well. Clothes should be neat and comfortable. For jobs with which you have contact with guests, but please also bring some clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. You might want to bring snacks and a water bottle, but if not, they can be purchased on island.

Lodging

Volunteers stay in rooms assigned by the on island Volunteer Coordinator and Island Registrar. While we would love to give everyone singles, space is limited so most of the time you will be sharing a room.

Island Volunteer Position Descriptions

Housekeeping and Laundry

Housekeeping is one of the largest areas of need on the island. Expect to be dusting, sweeping, mopping, and washing walls, windows, and furniture. Daily rounds include taking out trash, replacing linens, and making beds.

Landscaping and Gardening

Landscaping may include mowing the lawn, cleaning up walking paths, pruning trees/bushes, chipping brush, and helping with invasive plant maintenance. Tasks often require the use of power equipment including lawn mowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, and a brush chipper.
Star Island has several perennial flower gardens, window boxes/container plantings, and multiple vegetable and herb gardens. Gardening work may include planting and transplanting, watering, weeding, deadheading, pruning, mulching, and other garden chores. Familiarity with gardening is helpful but not required.
Both landscaping and gardening require the ability to be outside for a full day of physical work.

Brute Strength work: moving and hauling

If you choose this work, you might be helping the truck crew move the food from the dock to the kitchen, or the luggage from the rooms to the dock. There is always a lot of work requiring strength on the island.

Refinishing Furniture

Star Island has some beautiful antique furniture that needs care and repair.

In-Town, changeover assistance

This volunteering area is for anyone interested in catching some Star Island spirit on the mainland. On Sundays our conferences change over which means one group departing and one arriving. You may be asked to greet people as they arrive, move baggage or direct parking all in conjunction with our Pelican changeover crew.

Summer Garden Volunteering Day Trips

Want to spend a Sunday or two on the island this summer working in the gardens? Our flower and vegetable gardens thrive on the love and hard work of our volunteers. Work includes weeding, watering and harvesting. No experience necessary, as we’ll try and match up people each Sunday with varied experience levels. The boat leaves Portsmouth early on Sunday morning and returns back to town at in the late afternoon. Lunch, training and tools are provided. Email Janis Wolak if interested.

Gift Shop And Bookstore Volunteering

The Isles of Shoals Association operates both the Gift Shop and Bookstore on Star Island. If you are interested in volunteering in either of these shops during the conference season please contact the Isles of Shoals Association by clicking here.

Office Volunteering

Office volunteers assist in large mailings, filing, data entry, and errands throughout the year. If you live locally and are interested in being one of our invaluable office volunteers, please email us at office@starisland.org.

Ambassador Program – Spreading The Word About Star

Star Island is always looking for volunteers willing to help spread the word about the myriad of conferences we offer in their local communities. If you would like to help on this front, please visit our Star Island Ambassadors page. For questions or comments about being an Ambassador, please contact ambassadors@starisland.org.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

We welcome offers of volunteer help outside of our island and office. If you are a professional or an expert in a certain field (fundraising, engineering or food service for example) and would like to lend your expertise to our committees or staff, please email our office at office@starisland.org.

 

Ambassadors

Love Star Island? Become an ambassador! (You probably already are one). Check out our ambassador page for ideas and materials to spread the word about Star Island.

Ambassador Webpage