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Volunteer and Job Opportunities in FPMT
Participants in the Foundation Service Seminar hosted at Istituto Lama Tsong Khapa, Italy, April 2023
Offer Service
From directors to work-study volunteers, there are many different ways you can help FPMT centers, projects and services. Please scroll down to see what jobs and volunteer opportunities are currently open, and if there is something for you.
If a country is marked by ***, that indicates that there are opportunities in the centers in that country.
Use our Inner Job Description tool to help develop mindfulness about your thoughts, speech, and actions, so that increased awareness of your mental habits will enable you to make real, positive change and become an ‘inner professional’ as you offer service – as advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Offering Service in FPMT about offering service in the FPMT organization.
Volunteer Opportunities
Nalanda Monastery, Lavaur
Nalanda Monastery is a unique monastery for Western monks located in the South of France. We are a residential home for monks, lay students and residential volunteers. Living with us offers a rare opportunity of living a different way of life, focusing on cultivation of the mind, practicing compassion and wisdom. We emphasize personal engagement and practice, as well as high philosophical studies, since we have long-term study programs running continuously.
We are always in need of volunteers – please visit our website to find out more.
Volunteer Opportunities
Institut Vajra Yogini, Lavaur
Institut Vajra Yogini is a busy Buddhist teachings and retreat center set in beautiful rolling hills, 45 minutes from the city of Toulouse, ten minutes away from sister center Nalanda Monastery. Located in an old and impressive château, the Center offers a friendly and calm environment for people willing to offer service and to deepen their connection with the Dharma. The Institut is home to a resident Tibetan Geshe, ordained Sangha and a dedicated lay community. We offer all year round a wide range of teachings, retreats, universal education courses and other wellbeing programs. “Live in volunteers” and student-residents are welcome all year round to help in the kitchen, for housekeeping, reception, grounds work or small building works for periods ranging from a few days to three months. Student-residents can take part in the center’s activities or/and set up their own individual study program through readings and videos, while usually offering five half-days a week to the center as karma yoga. Main service language is French but language is not an obstacle as many of the center’s staff, volunteers and visitors do speak English. English speaking student-residents staying for a few months can be helped to set up their own study program using Discovering Buddhism or Basic Program. Please visit our website for more information.
Cooks and Builders Needed
Kalachakra Center, Paris
We are seeking friendly and committed cooks or builders with skills and practical experience to work at our retreat facility close to Paris, where we host a range of group and individual retreats all year. Ideally you would be able to come for a period of 1 to 6 months. Food, lodging and allowance will be offered as well as help for your travel expenses. If interested, please contact the center.
Participez à la diffusion du Dharma!
Éditions Mahayana, offre de merveilleuses occasions d’offrir ses services et de participer, de façon concrète, à la diffusion du Dharma dans les pays de langue française en tant que traducteur, relecteur, coordinateur de projet ou en offrant vos talents de mise en page et de graphisme. Lire les annonces détaillées.
Volunteer Cook Needed
Sera IMI House, Sera Je Monastery, Karnataka, India
Sera IMI House, an International Mahayana Institute monastic community at Sera Je Monastery, is seeking a male volunteer who would be interested in cooking and doing other basic tasks for Sera IMI House, in return for the opportunity to spend time living in the monastic community, making use of our extensive library, and attending teachings when they occur.
At the moment, Sera IMI House is at full capacity, but there is no full-time cook, so the monks alternate cooking duties. Having a cook (as we had in the past) would free up to monks to focus on their intensive studies and other aspects of the monastery schedule.
The prospective volunteer could be any of the following:
- A layperson interested in offering service for part or all of the year.
- A layperson interested in ordaining who wants to spend time in the monastery and consider their decision.
- A monk interested in the study program who first wants to live here as a volunteer, before making the decision to enter.
- A monk who would like to engage in private practice and study here, while offering service to the monks in the full-time study program.
Inquiries can be sent to seraimihouse@gmail.com.
Spiritual Program Coordinator Opportunity
Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India
Root Institute for Wisdom Culture is a beautiful oasis of tranquility located near Bodhgaya in the north Indian state of Bihar. Because of our vicinity to the Mahabodhi Stupa, where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, Root Institute is a unique place for practice, contemplation and blessings. In addition to the Dharma activities of the centre during the busy October-March season, Root Institute has grown to encompass a wonderfully beneficial family of socially engaged charitable projects located within or close by: Shakyamuni Buddha Health Care Clinic, Maitreya School and our peaceful retreat space, the Stupa Garden of Compassion.
The board is looking for a confident, dynamic and hands-on Spiritual Program Coordinator who thrives on teamwork to motivate, support and lead the team of staff and volunteers.
Director Needed
Choe Khor Sum Ling, Bangalore
The CKSL Board is looking for a suitable new Center Director – ideally a student who will be able to join our team very soon. If you are interested in offering service in this way, we invite you to read more about the position and the application process.
Administrative Manager Needed
MAITRI Charitable Trust, Bodhgaya
Located in Bodhgaya in Bihar, the place where Buddha reached enlightenment 2,500 years ago, in Bihar, one of the poorest, most depressed and densely populated states in India., MAITRI has been offering service to the local community in many ways since 1989, in particular in the fields of health, education and animal care. MAITRI is now looking for an administrative manager to support its activities. Please read more about this opportunity.
Spiritual Program Coordinator Needed
Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Center, Kathmandu
We are located in the heart of Kathmandu. We are looking to recruit a dynamic and organised person as the Manager/Spiritual Program Coordinator (SPC). There is a weekend teaching program plus weekday meditation classes. If you are interested in this opportunity, and are able to cover your expenses, we invite you to read more about the position, and how to apply.
Qualified Teachers Needed
Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu
We are looking for qualified, experienced teachers, in English, Science and Math, to help out at the Kopan School and the Nunnery school. A minimum commitment of 3 months is required, and longer commitments are welcome. Please read further information about the positions, which includes how to apply.
Live-in Volunteer Opportunities
Mahamudra Centre, Coromandel
Mahamudra Centre for Universal Unity is looking for two live-in volunteer caretakers to offer service in our beautiful Buddhist retreat centre. One position is for Maintenance & Grounds – maintaining lawns, gardens, weed control, co-ordination of volunteers, and basic building maintenance and utilities. The other position is for Housekeeping – caring for retreat rooms, main house and Gompa, supervising volunteers, and meeting and greeting visitors. See our flyer and find contact information.
Volunteer Opportunities
Chandrakirti Meditation Center, Nelson
We are a friendly community and rural retreat centre, located in a scenic region of New Zealand. We are looking for volunteers to join our friendly community. We invite volunteers to join our study program and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the center. If you have skills you would like to contribute to our Dharma community we would love to hear from you. Visit our website or email us to find out more!
Various Positions Available, Including Spiritual Program Coordinator
Oseling Retreat Center, near Granada
Oseling is set high in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains near the historic city of Granada in the south of Spain. In the boundaries of a national/natural park, the rustic environment offers an ideal place to meditate and a peaceful place to work. We are looking for a long term House and Retreat Caretaker; Maintenance; Gardener; Advertising and Reception staff. Please contact us for more information about each position, and how to apply.
Oseling Retreat Center is also looking for a new Spiritual Program Coordinator. We invite you to read more about the position, and how to apply.
Volunteer Opportunities
Yeshin Norbu, Stockholm
Being an urban center, we are also always looking for an extra pair of hands to help out with a wide array of tasks. Volunteering at Yeshin Norbu is a great way of deepening your practice, offering service to others and being a part of a community that wants to contribute to a more peaceful world. In return, we offer accommodation; a stipend to cover basic food and transportation costs around beautiful Stockholm; all courses, events, pujas at the centre free of charge; and a precious chance to live and work with like-minded people, build community, and deepen your knowledge and experiences of Tibetan Buddhist practices. For more info visit our website.
Live-in Operations Manager Needed
Jamyang Buddhist Centre, London
The Live-In Operations Manager is a key senior management position that works alongside the leadership team, comprised of the Executive Director, Spiritual Programme Coordinator, Comms & Project Manager as well as Admin, Finance and HR managers at Jamyang Buddhist Centre.
The primary function of the Operations Manager is to oversee the Centre and Jamyang’s operations. This involves a combination of people management and the running of our resident volunteer programme, as well as operational, health and safety and facilities management.
This role will require the successful candidate to be a strong team player, working closely with other team members to ensure the smooth running of Jamyang’s hospitality, guesthouse and venue hire, and supporting community events and the education team where needed.
This role is a live-in position with subsidised rent, as well as other staff benefits. The position is full time, Friday to Tuesday, 35 hours/week, plus 33 days paid holiday per year (NB Bank Holidays are taken as part of annual leave). Renumeration is £25,000 to £28,000 pa depending on experience. While this role includes working on weekends and being on call for (rare) emergencies, we will endeavour to work with the successful candidate to offer compensatory time off (TOIL) for any out-of-hours activity in order to ensure work-life balance.
We are seeking a kind-hearted individual with the people-skills and professional experience to manage the variety of tasks and activities and complexity that comes with working in a community centre. The candidate needs to demonstrate a capacity to handle volume and variety of tasks whilst remaining strategic. Learn more and apply!
Spiritual Programme Coordinator Needed
Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Leeds
Jamyang Leeds is an FPMT centre in the North of England, in Holbeck, a suburb close to Leeds City Centre. We provide good opportunities for students to study and practice the Dharma including FPMT Basic Program and Discovering Buddhism. We also have a strong international practice community online from Morning Prayers to Yamantaka and Kalachakra practice groups.
In this fulfilling role you would be responsible for designing and coordinating a full programme of studies, practices and Dharma events for all the community from total beginners through to Advanced practitioners alongside our new resident teacher Geshe Rinchen, following FPMT guidelines.
This is a part time paid role 25 hours a week. It does require the new SPC to be at the centre at least two days each week, although they could work from home at other times. See further details on the Jamyang Leeds website or contact Chrissie on spc@jamyangleeds.co.uk if you would like to know more.
Centre Manager Needed, and Other Opportunities
Land of Joy, Hexham
In its short ten years since inception, Land of Joy has established itself as an FPMT centre for solitary and group retreat in Europe, offering numerous completion practices to support personal retreat, as well as providing a range of spiritual and secular retreats for the wider community.
We are now seeking a flexible and resourceful Manager. It will be a person with a good heart, with collaborative leadership skills; and respect for and familiarity with the FPMT organization. We invite you to read our full advertisement, which includes further information.
We also have some short-term team member opportunities. We encourage you to consider coming to Land of Joy to take on the challenges, and the joys, of living and working as part of this very special community. No financial rewards but the benefits package is inestimable – a fantastic place to live, practice and offer service – and skies of merit! More information and the application form for these service opportunities can be found on our website.
Volunteers Needed – Registration System Specialist & AV Technician
Shantideva Center, New York, USA
Shantideva Center is seeking help for two volunteer positions, one fully online and one onsite at the center:
Registration System Specialist
This is a fully online position. Responsible for the setup and configuration of registration for our events, using the MindBody Client web-based application. Approx 2-8 hours/week (depending on event schedule); must be available on a regular basis with reliability. We will provide training and continuous support. Read more & apply »
AV Technician
Responsible for the setup and operation of audio-video equipment and Zoom application, in-person at Shantideva Center for live programs. Approx 4-8 hours/live event, once every 2-3 months (depending on event schedule). We will provide training and support if necessary. Read more & apply »
Caretaker and Lead Cook needed
Vajrapani Institute, California, USA
Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture supports the transformation of spiritual teachings into experience through contemplative retreat. As a spiritual community serving the needs of retreaters in all traditions, we are nurtured by the energy of our Tibetan Buddhist founder Lama Thubten Yeshe and our spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche, by our teachers and holy objects, and by the stillness of the California redwood forest.
The Caretaker is a part of the Land Team whose primary goal is to maintain our 70 acres of land and off the grid retreat facilities including buildings, electrical system, plumbing, roads, and utilities. The Caretaker is primarily responsible for carrying out general maintenance, repairs, and small projects. They should be great at following the Land Manager’s lead, and just as comfortable working independently or within a team based on project demands. This position is truly a hands-on position, which allows one to work on many varying projects. Read more about the Caretaker position and how to apply.
The Cook is a supportive role to the Kitchen Manager, and steps in as the lead for the kitchen team in the managers absence. The Kitchen Team meets both retreater and staff needs as it relates to meal service and kitchen organization. This position is a precious opportunity to share one’s culinary skills while connecting with a community of dedicated spiritual practitioners. At VPI, we strive to cultivate a contemplative environment. The kitchen department is at the heart of this endeavor. Read more about the Lead Cook position and how to apply.
Seeking a Branding & Digital Content Coordinator (Remote Volunteer)
FPMT North America Regional Office
FPMT’s North American Regional Office is seeking a creative and organized individual to help develop and manage our branding, website and social media content. The goal is for these platforms to serve as 1) educational resources for diverse audiences including those new to Buddhism and/or FPMT and 2) a hub to connect with nearest FPMT centers and online courses/events.
The position is fully online. Initially this role will focus on setting up our branding, extensively redesigning the website (fpmtna.org) and launching an expanded social media presence (currently only on Facebook). Afterwards the role will transition to creating social media content to maintain engagement as well as regular website updates and content management. Position available to start ASAP. Learn more and apply »
Opportunity to Offer Service as European Regional Coordinator
We are seeking a new and amazing Regional Coordinator who will help move the region forward. Do you have the drive and enthusiasm for this position or know someone who does?
The European Regional Coordinator supports FPMT affiliates and entities pending affiliation in Europe, in their work to offer the FPMT Five Pillars of Service and fulfill the FPMT Mission statement. FPMT regional and national coordinators provide support by working as a local link between affiliates and International Office, as part of the FPMT regional strategy.
Please see the Job Description for more information about the position and how to apply!