Employment

Whitewater starts accepting applications as soon as the snow starts melting. We accept applications through our online Application system in April, but we only start reviewing them in July (unless otherwise noted for year-round positions).

Yes, this helps us easily identify which department(s) you are interested and why you would like to work for Whitewater.

When filling out the application, we ask what position you would like to apply for. If you would like to be considered for multiple departments, you can list your top 3 preferred positions. This is important to us, so that we can place you somewhere your previous experience and personal preference meet for optimal happiness.

As part of your employment at Whitewater we offer a free season pass so you can experience what Whitewater is renowned for - incredible terrain and deep powder!

We also want you to share your stoke for where you work so in addition to the complimentary pass for you, we also offer complimentary and discounted lift tickets for your friends and family!

And to complete the experience, employee discounts are available in our retail shop, rental shop, snow school and restaurants. Whitewater also offers an affordable staff shuttle that runs daily between the ski hill and Nelson.

These standards are intended to define the boundary for an individual employee’s appearance.  Management may choose to more strictly enforce components of this policy but they cannot allow a relaxation of this policy.    

Personal Appearance Mission Statement: Whitewater Ski Resort is a family resort where our employees can relate to children and parents in a confident, knowledgeable manner. It is a place where our guests recognize and value the presentation of our employees and the pride it instills throughout the resort. We know that a person’s outward appearance is not an indication of their worth or attitude, but it is the first impression a guest has. We aspire to a high standard of presentation. 

We rely on your good judgment and commitment to maintaining a professional, well-groomed appearance while at work. Each employee is required to practice good habits of grooming and personal hygiene and abide by all points noted below. 

Personal Appearance Standards:

• You must be clean-shaven every day. If you already have established facial hair such as a mustache, beard, and/or sideburns they are to be clean and neatly trimmed at all times.

• Hair must be clean and neatly groomed. hair left down should be behind the ears and no longer than collar length in the back & long hair should be neatly tied back.  All employees must maintain a professional appearance, as directed by supervisors & management. For Food & Beverage Department; hair should be tied back at all times.
• All staff must respect our Neutral Smell policy, which means no excessive perfumes and ensuring your personal hygiene is well maintained at all times.

• Jewelry must be worn in moderation, in good taste, and must not interfere with job function or safety.  Tongue piercings are limited to one small stud which must not impede speech and is not easily apparent to guests.  Facial piercings are limited to one small nose stud or a small delicate hoop. All other facial jewelry or exposed body piercings must be removed or covered while on the job.  Spacers in the ears are acceptable to a maximum of 0.5cms (5mm) in width. For outdoor staff, the nose hoop must be tight for safety purposes and there may also be amendments based on your position for safety reasons
• Any tattoos that could reasonably offend a guest or fellow employee must be covered at all times while at work.

Staff Uniforms:

• Employees may wear their uniforms to and from work, but uniforms must not be worn during non-working hours (freeskiing, days off, etc.). Nametags or uniforms may not be worn in licensed establishments, including Coal Oil Johnny’s.
• When personal clothing is allowed to be worn in conjunction with the company uniform, it must be neat and clean. It can not be torn, faded, or patched. Solid color leggings are allowed only with a shirt or skirt long enough to reach the mid-thighs. Ensure you are wearing appropriate footwear depending on your work environment.
• For indoor staff, button-up uniform shirts must be worn as such and not open with an undershirt. This is to ensure the most professional presentation of our staff. All headwear worn indoors must be Whitewater branded.
• For outdoor staff that is wearing helmets, we ask that the material underneath is of a solid print and that the helmets are free of offensive stickers such as those that include profanity. When not required to wear a helmet, the hat should be your Whitewater branded headwear. All outdoor gear, such as skis and snowboards, should remain free of any offensive messaging such as that which includes profanity.
• Nametags are part of your uniform and must be worn at all times while on duty.

In order to work at Whitewater you must be a Canadian citizen or have a valid Canadian Visa and Work Permit. All foreign workers must show their Visa, Work Permit, Canadian Social Insurance Number and/or proof that you have applied for the Social Insurance Number. Please note that Whitewater Ski Resort does not give out letters of offer for foreign workers. All international staff must have travel insurance, and medical coverage is highly recommended. Gathering all of the necessary documents can take some time. For further information please contact the Canadian Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate in your host country.

Whitewater does not offer any form of staff accommodation. You are responsible for finding your own accommodation within the surrounding area. We offer a subsidised staff shuttle from Nelson every day.

Whitewater receives a high volume of applications and unfortunately, because of that, we are unable to let all applicants know about the status of their application. Please note that only successful applicants will be contacted.

Occupational First Aid Level III or 80 hour Advanced First Aid, current CPR, advanced skiing ability, CAA Avalanche Operations Level I.

YES, if you are a successful applicant, Whitewater will refund your pass according to our policy and the amount of days you work.

Yes, this is strongly encouraged. We receive several applications for Volly Patrol and start hiring after the early bird season pass deadline. If you successfully get through the interview process you will receive a pass at 50% in exchange for your 16 volunteer shifts. Once you have completed your volly shifts in full, the remaining amount will be refunded. This is a huge commitment and a huge help to the Pro Patrol. Plus, a great way to gain experience for next season!

Whitewater has a 14 seat staff shuttle which runs twice every morning (before the public shuttle bus). Scheduled employees are able to utilize this service at a discounted rate. As seats are limited, we also encourage you to carpool with your fellow coworkers.

This question is the hardest to answer…! But find a “rough” summary of our department hiring timeline:

Lift & Outdoor Guest Services – July - September

Snow School: - August - October

Indoor Guest Services: August - October

Retail: September - October

FOH (Food & Beverage Attendant, Barista, Janitor): August – November

Kitchen: October – November

Rentals: October- November

Volunteer Patrol: October – November

Pro Patrol: Hiring clinic in March (season before)

If the department you are looking for is not on the list, we do not have to hire for this position each year and we will post vacancies on our website

We operate from early December to mid-April.

Advice on finding accommodation in Nelson Nelson has a diverse population of close to 10,000 people, a hidden gem in the Kootenays, nestled in the Selkirk Mountains along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake. It has a vibrant and carefully restored downtown shopping area, incredible dining options and a busy social scene with live performances, arts and music nearly every night of the week. When it comes to the outdoors the only limit to what you can do is your imagination - Nelson and the surrounding area are stunning year round with 4 seasons worth of adventure. Whitewater does not offer any accommodation at the resort so most employees live in Nelson. The resort is located about a 15 minute drive outside the city of Nelson. We do offer a daily shuttle at a minimal cost to employees which stops at three different locations in town.

Below are a few links to local rental/accommodation websites.

Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce http://www.discovernelson.com/classifieds/category.php?id=28

Nelson Community Websites: I love Nelson Rentals, Pennywise Rentals

Nelson BC – Homes & rooms for rent (Facebook group)

Other sites: Kijiji – Nelson rentals