Stargazing - Guide

Hermitage Hotel; Timaru; On-site; NZD 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Accommodation provided

Free activities access

Staff discounts

Career development

Job summary

Hermitage Hotel is seeking a passionate stargazing guide for a fixed-term role at Aoraki/Mount Cook Village. You will lead boutique and group tours, sharing insights about the Milky Way, planets, and celestial phenomena with guests under starry skies.

The position offers extensive training, a minimum 6-month commitment, and accommodation with Wi‑Fi/power. Enjoy free access to hotel activities after 8 weeks and generous staff discounts from day one.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a stargazing or astronomy guide is preferred.
• Effective communication skills in English and/or Mandarin.

Responsibilities

• Lead both small boutique tours and larger groups for stargazing experiences.
• Provide informative and entertaining commentary on the Southern Hemisphere night sky.
• Work with Guest Services/Retail team and support other departments as needed.

Skills

Communication skills

Stargazing/astronomy guide experience

Planetarium experience

Safety awareness

Driver license

Tools

SkySkan’s DigitalSky Dark Matter software

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Ever dreamed of working in a Dark Sky Reserve or 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, passionate, and outgoing astronomy enthusiast with excellent communication skills, we want to hear from you!

We're looking for a Guide to join our Star Gazing team on a fixed term contract to lead both small boutique tours and larger groups. This is an excellent opportunity to work in the exciting field of Astro tourism.

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 and in the Guest Services/Retail team.

Examples of common topics we discuss in our tours, and questions asked by our guests include the stars, their 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, the night sky phenomena such as meteors, auroras, and satellites. And a firm favorite, the Northern vs Southern Hemisphere night sky.

What you will bring to the role:

• Previous experience as a stargazing or astronomy guide is preferred, and/or other backgrounds in astronomy are desirable.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal English and/or Mandarin.
• You have the ability to comfortably articulate complex scientific information in a clear and engaging way to an audience.
• Previous experience working in a planetarium (we use SkySkan’s DigitalSky Dark Matter software) and telescopes is ideal, but not essential.
• Your outgoing, confident and collaborative personality to engage audiences of various sizes and people from all walks of life.
• You will ideally hold a New Zealand Full Driver License with Passenger endorsement. Class 2 Driver License would be very desirable, but it is not essentially.
• You are a keen follower of all safety processes in relation to each activity and tour, and have a strong sense of responsibility, commitment, and reliability with the flexibility to work across different experiences and products.

The benefits and role:

• Full-time, fixed-term contract, minimum 60 hour per fortnight, $28-$32 per hour
• The training for the role is extensive, so we are ideally looking for applicants available to work for a minimum of 6 months.
• Affordable accommodation in Aoraki/Mount Cook Village with Wi-Fi and power included.
• Free access to all activities offered by the Hermitage Hotel after 8 weeks.
• Generous discounts on food and beverage, available from your first day on the job.
• Opportunities to grow, develop and upskill, along with working in other departments to broaden your experience.