Hermitage Hotel - Stargazing Guide/ Supervisor

Ever dreamed of working in a National Park with the vast expanse of the Milky Way forming part of your office? Would you love to talk with people about the planets, stars, and galaxies visible in the beautiful skies of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve? If you are an inspiring, energetic, passionate, and outgoing astronomy enthusiast with excellent communication skills, we want to hear from you!

We are searching for a Stargazing Guide/Supervisor to join our operation. Positive, energetic, and upbeat by nature with genuine charisma and a natural ability to lead both small boutique tours and larger groups, this is an excellent opportunity to work in the exciting field of astrotourism.

Come and join our team of guides who provide informative and entertaining commentary on the spectacular Southern Hemisphere night sky to our guests. Stargazing tour guiding can last up to 4-5 hours per evening, hosting both indoor (planetarium) and outdoor stargazing experiences, with the remaining time on-shift working closely with the Guest Services team.

Qualities of an ideal candidate:

• (Preferred) Previous experience as a stargazing or astronomy guide, and/or other background in astronomy is desirable.
• (Preferred) Previous experience working with telescopes.
• (Ideal, but not essential) Previous experience working in a planetarium (we use SkySkan’s DigitalSky Dark Matter software).
• An outgoing, confident and collaborative personality that can work well with audiences of various sizes and people from all walks of life.
• Science communication: the ability to comfortably articulate complex information in a clear and engaging way to an audience.
• Enthusiasm for astronomy and working knowledge of a range of concepts in space science. Examples of common topics we discuss in our tours (and questions asked by our guests):
  • Stars – formation, fusion, evolution, and fates
  • The Big Bang, cosmology, and galaxies
  • Planets and moons
  • Constellations and the celestial sphere
  • Celestial navigational using the Southern Cross (Crux) and other stars
  • Night sky phenomena such as meteors, auroras, and satellites
  • Northern vs Southern Hemisphere night sky
• (Ideal, but not essential) New Zealand Full Driver Licence with Passenger endorsement. Class 2 Driver Licence would be very desirable.
• Highly effective interpersonal communication skills, leading to positive interactions with hotel staff, management, and guests. Previous experience working in a retail, front desk or other customer service environment would be useful.
• The ability to build, maintain and follow all safety processes in relation to each activity and tour.
• A strong sense of responsibility, commitment, and reliability with the flexibility to work across different tours and products.

Further information:

• Given the training required for this role, we are ideally looking for applicants available to work for a minimum of 6-12 months. However, we can be flexible depending on previous experience in stargazing.
• Subsidized accommodation in Aoraki/Mount Cook Village, with Wi-Fi and power included.
• Minimum 30 hour per week contract. Pay range is from $28.18 to $32.00
• Free access to all activities offered by the Hermitage Hotel, along with generous discounts on food and beverage, available from your first day on the job.
• Stunning surroundings and unparalleled views living and working in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. Explore hiking tracks, mountain ranges and other adventure activities nearby.
• Opportunities to grow, develop and upskill, along with working in other departments to broaden your experience.
• Discounted hotel accommodation for Friends and Family.