Home > The Siddha Yoga Ashram in Oakland > Staff Positions

Staff (Long-Term Retreat Participant) Positions

Requirements
In addition to the skills and experience required for each seva position, long-term retreat participants need to have certain interests and prior sadhana experience, including:

• A Siddha Yoga practice of at least 2 years duration
• Participation in at least 2 Siddha Yoga Shaktipat Intensives
• Participation in seva at a Siddha Yoga meditation center, ashram, chanting and meditation group, or retreat site
• An understanding of and commitment to the Siddha Yoga practices and to Siddha Yoga philosophy and culture
• An understanding of and love for the spiritual practice of seva
• A strong desire to support the work of the SYDA Foundation
• A posture of studentship and a commitment to ongoing learning, personal improvement, and inner growth

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Current Positions | How To Apply

Current Positions:

Amrit Coordinator
Cook
Food Services Purchasing Assistant
Serving Line Coordinator and General Assistant
Security Staff
Welcome Desk Coordinator (part time)

Amrit Coordinator
Position reports to : Food Services Manager.

Position Objective : Responsible for Amrit dining room, food concessions area, and other tasks as assigned by the Food Service Manager

Responsibilities:

• Upholds the Food Services Department food guidelines and nutritional standards 
• Upholds California State sanitation and safety codes
• Coordinates Amrit area stocking, pricing and inventory
• Maintains presentation, signage and information updated and clearly placed
• Oversees packaging and presentation of in house made goods
• Coordinates area's deep cleaning and daily maintenance
• Coordinates Amrit for special events set up and clean up
• Continues to train sevites in areas of responsibility
• Coordinates Cashier Team, and cashiers on a substitute basis when needed.
• Assists in other areas of Food Service Area as needed and assigned by Food Service Manager

Qualifications/Skills:

• General understanding of overall Food Service purpose
• Product development ability is a plus
• Good organizational skills
• Ability to work with a variety of people
• Able to take direction and work in a team atmosphere
• Able to delegate responsibilities to others
• Able to be on feet 4 to 6 hours per day
• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs

Cook
Reports to: Food Service Manager

Position Objective : To prepare food items & meals as specified by SYAO Executive Chef. Also to assist in other areas of Food Services as needed and specified by Food Service Manager.

Responsibilities:

• Upholds the Food Services Department food guidelines and nutritional standards.
• Upholds California State sanitation and safety codes.
• Prepares meals & food items specified by SYAO Executive Chef.
• Maintains cleanliness and organization of kitchen.
• Assists in other areas of Food Services as needed and specified by Food Services Manager.

Qualifications/Skills :

• Understands the sacredness of food.
• Cooking and baking experience.
• Attention to time, details, and cleanliness.
• Computer (email, Word, Excel) & organizational skills.
• Good communication skills & ability to work in a team.
• Good physical condition – able to be on feet for 3-4 hours at a time, able to lift up to 30 lb.
• Willing to learn & to develop into supervisorial role.

Food Services Purchasing Assistant

Reports to : Food Services Purchaser

Position Objective : To Assist Food Services Purchaser in managing & maintaining software, shopping & inventory, and receiving & storage of goods.

Responsibilities:

• Upholds the Food Services Department food guidelines and nutritional standards.
• Upholds California State sanitation and safety codes.
• Manages and maintain Food Services purchasing software through entry of menu/recipe data, and generation of menu/recipe reports.
• Purchases goods required through local and online resources.
• Receives goods.
• Ensures proper storage and organization of goods.
• Assists in other areas of Food Services as needed.

Qualifications/Skills:

• Valid California State driver license with clear driver record.
• Excellent computer & organizational skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Accountability to a year-long planning calendar of daily and special events.
• Ability to prioritize tasks & meet deadlines, while maintaining equipoise.
• Interest in & commitment to assuming full role of FS Purchaser.
• Good physical condition.
• Able to lift 30 lbs.

Serving Line Coordinator and General Assistant
Reports to: Food Service Manager.

Position Objective : To coordinate flow, presentation, maintenance, and schedule of serving line for both weekly and special event schedule. Also to assist in other areas of Food Service as needed and assigned by Food Service Manager.

Responsibilities

• Upholds the Food Services Department food guidelines and nutritional standards
• Upholds California State sanitation and safety codes
• Setsup and cleanesup the serving line for lunches, dinners, and special events.
• Creates and maintain proper signage.
• Checks for freshness of all food items served on the serving line and replenish or refresh items as needed.
• Maintains stock of all serving line dishes, utensils, and to-go containers.
• Coordinates and train sevites as needed.
• Assists in other areas of Food Service as needed and assigned by Food Service Manager.

Qualifications/Skills :

• Attention to details of food presentation and décor.
• Can be physically quick and efficient as needed.
• Able to manage priorities, while remaining calm and working steadily to meet deadlines, especially under time constraints.
• Understanding of and willingness to learn serving line flow.
  Good communication skills.
• Good physical condition – able to be on feet for 3-4 hours at a time, able to lift and carry 5-10 lb.

Security Staff Position
Reports to: Security Coordinator

• Responsibilities:
• Reports all security incidents
• Maintains security equipment
• Makes regular rounds of the ashram buildings, resolving and reporting
• safety and equipment issues
• Implements safety and security policies
• Responds quickly to fire and medical alerts
• Assists management with challenging situations
• Registers guests arriving after hours
• Responds to entreaties from Welcome Desk or MOD

Qualifications :

• Physically fit (able to run short distance, able to be on feet for 2-3 hours at a time, lift 50 pounds)
• Able to implement safety and security policies
• Able to remain calm in emergency situations
• Alert, observant, and vigilant
• Good interpersonal skills, with ability to be courteous at all times.
• Able to implement safety and security policies
• Able to assess challenging situation and use discrimination
• Able to take directions
• Ability to work with a variety of people
• Basic computer skills (E-mails, Word)

Welcome Desk Coordinator (part-time)
Position Reports To: Event Manager

Objectives:
To ensure all Ashram visitors are greeted with love and respect and share basic information about Siddha Yoga and the Ashram schedule.

Responsibilities:

• Takes responsibility for scheduling and covering open shifts.
• Maintains information updates in Welcome Desk binder and outgoing communications to the entire Welcome Desk Team.
• Outreaches and trains new sevites.
• Develops and maintains manual for the Welcome Desk Coordinator.
• Coordinates special projects as needed.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 3 years practicing Siddha Yoga.
• Grounded in the philosophy and practices of Siddha Yoga.
• Good organizational and leadership skills.
• Able to multitask, while remaining calm.
• Sensitive, friendly, outgoing, at ease with people.
• Able to speak easefully and clearly about the Siddha Yoga path and sadhana with new people.
• Ability to communicate clearly, accurately & timely, both written & verbally with sevites.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Computer literate in Word, Excel& E-mail.

How to Apply to Be a Staff (Long-Term Retreat Participant)

To begin the application process:

• Create a seva profile
• Review the long-term requirements
• Request an application by e-mail: serve@syda.org  or phone: 845-434-2000, ext. 1453
• Specify the listed seva position(s) that interest you. Complete the application, including references and a résumé/curriculum vitae, and send it via e-mail to serve@syda.org .

Please note: the application process may take up to three months and longer for candidates who are not USA citizens.

If you would like to have an exploratory conversation about applying to serve the SYDA Foundation now or in the future, e-mail us at Serve@syda.org .

If you do not have an e-mail address, please contact us by phone: 845-434-2000, ext. 1453
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 - 11:00 AM and 2:00 - 4:00 PM ET