Workamping at the Grand Canyon
Workamping for the Grand Canyon Conservancy means helping further their mission to preserve and enhance the Grand Canyon National Park! A mission they’ve taken seriously since 1932 and you can help contribute to that with your next workamping job this summer or next…
The Grand Canyon Conservancy is the official nonprofit partner of Grand Canyon National Park. Did you know that National Parks offers paid workamping jobs to RVers?
They focus on raising private funds by operating retail shops within the Grand Canyon National Park with the help of workamping RVers and providing premier educational programs about the natural and cultural history of the region!
If you’re looking for a great place to go workamping over the summer as well as the opportunity to give back and support a non profit whose mission helps preserve one of the nation’s National Parks- this is the workamping job you’ve been waiting for!
Grand Canyon Conservancy hires about 80 workamping RVers each season for retail positions! If you’re interested in living and working in the Grand Canyon, click here to apply!
Where is the Grand Canyon?
The Grand Canyon is located in northern Arizona. It’s a mile deep gorge that was formed when the Colorado River cut a channel through layers and layers of rock. The location of the Grand Canyon is northwest of Flagstaff and measures about 270 miles long!
It’s one of the largest canyons in the world and a natural landmark that many RVers check off their bucket lists year after year!
The Grand Canyon Conservancy operates offices and park stores in the South Rim, North Rim, East Entrance of Grand Canyon National Park, and in Flagstaff, AZ.
Headed to Scottsdale on your way to the Grand Canyon? Check out Things To Do in Scottsdale, AZ.
Grand Canyon Conservancy Retail Stores
The majority of the Grand Canyon Conservancy retail stores are located in and around Grand Canyon Village just 60 miles north of Williams, AZ, and 85 miles northwest of Flagstaff, AZ. It’s a community of about 2,000 people who live within the park boundaries, and many are employees and families of the National Park Service, Grand Canyon Conservancy, and park concessionaires.
The Grand Canyon Village offers community businesses like
- Post office
- General store
- Banking facilities
- Churches
- Recreation center
- Clinic with resident physicians
- Several restaurants
If you’re thinking about working at the Grand Canyon, you should definitely prepare yourself to live and work in a remote environment. (Click here to apply)
What does the Grand Canyon Conservancy Do?
The Grand Canyon Conservancy works on various projects throughout the year to ensure the Grand Canyon National Park is operating to its fullest potential. They also provide educational content like classes and tours to the general public, raise funds for the park, operate an online park store and a variety of onsite stores and visitor centers for park guests.
Speaking of store operations…
Retail Store Jobs at the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon Conservancy runs 7 retail stores at the Grand Canyon National Park and 1 outside the park near the North Rim, in Jacob’s Lake. Shopping onsite or online means supporting the National Park and it’s mission. The stores offer a wide variety of books, maps, gifts, and more with proceeds benefiting the protection of Grand Canyon National Park.
Grand Canyon Visitor Center
Daily: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Yavapai Geological Museum
Daily: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Verkamp’s Visitor Center
Daily: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Kolb Studio
Daily 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Tusayan Museum & Bookstore – currently closed.
Desert View Watchtower
Daily 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
National Park Visitor Center & Bookstore
Daily: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center – currently closed.
*All hours are subject to change per the Grand Canyon Conservancy.
Store purchases benefit a large spectrum of park initiatives including new exhibits, Junior Ranger programs, preservation of park buildings, and trail restoration- so as you can imagine, making sure these stores provide the best customer experience possible is a big deal.
And for that reason…
The Grand Canyon Conservancy is Hiring!
Go Workamping at the Grand Canyon as a Visitor Experience Specialist for The Grand Canyon Conservancy this season, next season or next year!
The Visitor Experience Specialist position is an entry-level position in GCC’s Retail Department, which is open to workamping! The primary purpose of this position is to ensure that every visitor receives great customer service in the retail stores, help encourage customers to become supporters and to sell products!
The GCC Retail Stores are open 365 days a year- yes they are open on holidays as well, and the hours vary from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The summer season runs April through October, which is the perfect time to go workamping at the Grand Canyon. But they also offer winter workamping seasonal jobs that run October to April.
Job Responsibilities
- Act as an ambassador for the Grand Canyon and Grand Canyon Conservancy by proactively greeting visitors, answering questions, and providing information to visitors as needed.
- Develop and maintain a broad knowledge of available products and proactively assist visitors with product selection and purchases with the goals of upselling whenever possible.
- Foster stewardship and inspire support for Grand Canyon by informing each visitor of the supporter and donation programs. Make it compelling and simple for them to become a supporter and donor.
- Meet or exceed sales and supporter recruitment goals.
- Ensure retail floor is fully stocked, all store areas including the break-room and offices are clean, and products are merchandised according to set guidelines and specifications.
- Assist store management in ensuring register transactions are processed efficiently.
- Accurately process sales using a computerized cash register system; reconcile cash drawer.
- Follow the Retail Guidelines for maintaining professional and respectful communication with visitors, NPS, colleagues, vendors, etc.
- Support management in maintaining a high level of morale by helping to foster a positive workplace environment.
- Attend NPS Ranger tours and training programs when possible.
- Explain Grand Canyon National Park Junior Ranger program to visitors and swear in Junior Rangers who have completed the requirements.
Things You Need To Know
- Expect to stand for long periods of time with each and every shift, including up to eight hours each day.
- These positions include frequent, extended periods of repetitive hand motion required by operation of a computerized cash register system.
- You’ll be required to reach and bend while cleaning and stocking shelves.
- Lifting book boxes weighing as much as 40 lbs. and pushing carts of product weighing up to 100 lbs. are normal activities.
- Normal duties include moving stock on hand trucks weighing up to 100 lbs. from delivery vans, in some cases over rough surfaces, stairs, or inclines, and through varying weather conditions.
- You must have the ability to work at elevations more than 7,000-9,000 feet above sea level.
Grand Canyon Conservancy Compensation
The Grand Canyon Conservancy is offering seasonal, non-benefit eligible, non-exempt positions. The starting wage for these positions is $13.06 per hour.
Onsite housing is not available for this position, but that makes it perfect for RVers! An RV is required for this position and full hook-up sites are available. The RV site rent is $50.00 per month to be paid by the employee!
Needing a workamping jobs that offers housing? Check out Workamping Jobs with On-Site Housing.
Sound good?
If you’re interested in applying for these positions, first make sure you meet the following basic qualifications:
- 1-year customer service/retail experience.
- 1-year cash handling experience.
- Willingness to work a flexible schedule based on business needs, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
After that, head to the The Grand Canyon Conservancy website and fill out the online application form to be considered.
The Grand Canyon is a beautiful place and would make an excellent backdrop for your next workamping gig! Looking for more workamping jobs across the country? Check out these other workamping experiences.
Family Workamping at Jellystone Parks
Workamping at Rainier Guest Services
