Deer Park is hiring an Assistant Registrar to support the operational needs of the monastery. This is a part-time position (20 hrs/week) based at Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California, requiring regular in-person attendance at the monastery. Remote work is not an option for this role.
Posted: November 25, 2025
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Are you inspired by the teachings of Thay, and the transformative power of mindfulness? Do you have an aspiration to deepen your practice by working at Deer Park Monastery? This is a call to serve and an opportunity to practice Right Livelihood at Deer Park.
Deer Park Monastery, part of the International Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism, is a vibrant mindfulness practice center in Escondido, California. Rooted in the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, the monastery offers a sanctuary for individuals seeking peace, connection, and transformation through mindfulness and meditation. With a spirit of inclusivity, collaboration, and siblinghood, Deer Park Monastery provides a calm and supportive environment for those interested in deepening their practice within the community.
Deer Park Monastery is seeking a dedicated Assistant Registrar to support the operational needs of the monastery. We are initially hiring for a 6-month evaluation period with the possibility of extension if the role proves to be mutually beneficial.
The ideal candidate is an experienced administrator with strong organizational skills and a commitment to customer service. With a mindfulness practice, preferably in the Plum Village Tradition, the ideal candidate will work collaboratively in a monastic environment, ensuring that guest support and administrative work contribute to harmony within the monastery. They will be able to skillfully communicate with lay retreatants and volunteers about monastery policy. They will be able to adjust to and announce changes to upcoming retreats or accommodation arrangements.
Since the monastery is a place of healing, we sometimes receive messages from people in emotional distress or even crisis. The ideal candidate will have a healthy sense of boundaries and be able to communicate with these friends the limited capacity of the monastery to help people with severe mental health challenges.
The Assistant Registrar reports to the Registrar at Deer Park, in service to the Monks, Nuns, and laypeople who live at and visit Deer Park.
Please note: This is an on-site position based at Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California. Working remotely is not an option for this role.
Work schedule is 20 hours per week including Fridays and Saturdays, with flexibility based on monastery needs, including special retreats and guest-related emergencies.
Occasional evening or weekend work may be required.
We are looking for caring and exceptional folks who want to practice Right Livelihood; make a positive difference; and help cultivate the conditions for everyone at Deer Park Monastery to thrive. If this role inspires you, we encourage you to apply.
Please complete the application form below by December 12, 2025 to apply. If you run into any issues with the form, you may reach out to us at jobs@deerparkmonastery.org. Include “Assistant Registrar” in the subject line of your email.
When completing the form below, you will be required to submit the following:
In the practice of inclusivity, we are an equal-opportunity employer and actively work to ensure fair and equal treatment for all, regardless of culture, socioeconomic status, race, marital or family situation, gender, age, ethnicity, physical ability, or sexual orientation.
May this work support the flourishing of mindfulness, compassion, and peace in the world.
From time to time we offer multi-week courses related to mindfulness, the teachings and life of Thich Nhat Hanh, and a variety of similar subjects. Please see our schedule of upcoming courses.
Take the Deer Park Monastery and Plum Village community with you wherever you go. The Plum Village app is designed to cultivate mindfulness, compassion, and joy through guided meditations, deep relaxations, practice poems, bells of mindfulness, and other practices — all through a mobile device.
