ExplorUS Crater Lake

Live and Work Beside America’s Deepest Lake

Imagine waking up every morning surrounded by ancient hemlock forests, volcanic peaks and the impossibly blue water of Crater Lake – the deepest lake in the United States and the crown jewel of Oregon’s only national park. ExplorUS Crater Lake is looking for energetic university students to join its hospitality team as Dorm Custodians for the summer-to-fall season.

This is more than a job. It’s a summer spent inside a national park, with a paycheck, a community of international friends, and weekends free for hiking, kayaking and stargazing under some of the darkest skies in America.

What You’ll Be Doing

As a Dorm Custodian, you’ll help keep the employee housing areas clean, comfortable and welcoming for the seasonal team that makes the park run. Your day-to-day duties include:

• Cleaning and sanitizing dormitory rooms, hallways, stairwells and common areas
• Maintaining shared bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchen/lounge spaces
• Restocking supplies such as paper products, soap and cleaning materials
• Emptying trash and recycling and transporting it to designated collection points
• Preparing rooms for arriving employees – making beds, dusting, mopping and vacuuming
• Reporting maintenance issues (leaks, broken fixtures, lighting) to your supervisor
• Following all safety, chemical-handling and national park environmental guidelines

Why This Position Rocks

• $16.00 per hour – a strong, reliable wage
• Tips included – extra earnings on top of your hourly rate
• 35 hours per week – steady income with real time to explore
• Independent, on-your-feet work – perfect if you like structure and satisfying results
• Extended season – work from summer into fall and watch the park change colors
• Career-building skills – time management, responsibility, teamwork and workplace English

Location Highlights: Crater Lake, Oregon

Formed by the collapse of an ancient volcano nearly 8,000 years ago, Crater Lake is a place that genuinely stops people in their tracks. On your days off you can:

• Drive or cycle the 33-mile Rim Drive with more than 30 scenic overlooks
• Hike the Garfield Peak or Watchman Peak trails for panoramic caldera views
• Take the boat tour to Wizard Island, a volcanic cone rising from the lake
• Swim (yes, really!) at Cleetwood Cove on a warm summer afternoon
• Explore waterfalls, wildflower meadows and old-growth forest
• Watch for elk, deer, black bears, bald eagles and marmots
• Enjoy epic stargazing far away from any city lights

Nearby Bend, Ashland, Medford and the Oregon coast are all within reach for weekend adventures, and Portland and California are perfect for your post-program travel month.

What We’re Looking For

• University students aged 18–25 eligible for the Work & Travel USA program
• Conversational English – enough to understand instructions and communicate with your team
• Reliability, punctuality and attention to detail
• Physical ability to stand, walk, bend and lift moderate weights throughout your shift
• Flexibility to work weekends and holidays (this is a busy national park!)
• A positive, team-first attitude and respect for the natural environment
• Availability for the full summer-to-fall season

Good to Know

Crater Lake is a remote mountain destination – there are no big shopping malls or nightclubs nearby, but there is an incredible outdoor playground and a tight-knit international staff community. Employee housing and staff dining options are typically available on site (details confirmed at placement), which makes budgeting simple and saving easy.

Ready to spend your summer in one of the most beautiful places in the USA? Apply now for the Dorm Custodian position with ExplorUS Crater Lake – spots in national park programs fill fast!