About Us

Riptide Café is owned and operated by Brian and Rachel Goodremont. When they aren’t running kayak & whale watching tours or making excellent espresso beverages, Brian & Rachel enjoy island life with their two children, Forrest & Aurelia. Together they enjoy skiing, adventuring in their camper, playing island sports, and running their small family farm. 

Our goal at Riptide Café is to provide our island community with high-quality coffee beverages, freshly baked goods, and thoughtfully sourced products with a smile. We hope you can taste the difference. We proudly partner with several local PNW and island businesses, including Third House Coffee Roasters, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Kinglet Chai, Inspired Earth Tea and San Juan Sea Salt to provide our guests with the very best experience.

Now Hiring Baristas for the 2026 Season!

Job Title: Barista 

Wages: Starting at $17.50 per hour 

Hours: April – October; 30 – 40 hours per week, full-time, seasonal 

Location: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington, USA 

Barista Job Description 

We are seeking enthusiastic and customer service-oriented baristas to join our 2026 team. Meet guests from around the world as they travel through our little village of Friday Harbor. Whether it’s engaging with locals coming in for their favorite cup of coffee and conversation, or someone visiting for the first time, we aim to provide a positive experience for everyone who walks through our doors. Our waterfront seating has a view that can’t be beat. Enjoy making craft coffee with the backdrop of the beautiful Salish Sea – if you are lucky, whales might even swim by to say hello! Tasks include but are not limited to: preparing coffee, smoothies, and food items, effective time management, providing the highest quality customer service, working well under pressure and ensuring the highest quality of products are served, competent multitasking, and task prioritization.  

Major Duties 

• Preparing and serving a variety of foods and beverages quickly and consistently to our high standards 
• Managing a high-volume of customers at peak times with accuracy  
• Maintaining a clean, orderly and sanitized workspace at all times  
• Restocking items such as cups, syrups, straws, and utensils 
• Providing exceptional customer service, answering questions, receiving and processing payments  
• Collaborate and communicate with team members and management  
• Maintaining a positive work environment  
• Supporting other team members with tasks such as cleaning, inventory counts, restocking, etc. 

Qualifications 

• Hospitality or other relevant experience 
• High attention to detail and cleanliness  
• Ability to respond and engage with different character types 
• Excellent communication with customers, team members and managers  
• Treating guests, team members, and managers with respect 
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Skills

• 1 year Barista experience  
• Familiarity with a La Marzocco or manual espresso machine  
• Knowledge of specialty coffee  
• Passion for coffee and craft beverages 
• Washington Food Handlers Card

Training

There will be comprehensive paid training shifts with our manager on the coffee origins, espresso machine, recipes, processes, and procedures. 

Benefits & Compensation

As a member of the San Juan Outfitters Umbrella, Riptide Café employees have the same perks as our seasonal guides such as:  

• San Juan Island – San Juan Island is one of the few places in the world where you can see a variety of whale species, including orcas on a regular basis. Enjoy living on an island where you get the chance to view orcas from shore and join whale watch and kayak tours. The islands are beautiful and lend themselves to biking, hiking, birding, boating, kayaking and many other outdoor activities. There is also easy access to mainland Washington and Canada.  Enjoy a summer exploring the islands and all the PNW has to offer. 

• Pro Purchasing – Employees can apply for discounts on industry gear from top outdoor brands.  

• Family & Friends Policy – Family and friends of employees can join tours at a discounted rate or for free depending on the tour and space availability.  

• Equipment Use & Tour Participation – Employees have the opportunity to join any day tour for free on a space available basis throughout the duration of their employment. Employees are also able to use equipment on their own such as SUPs, sit-on-top kayaks, and sea kayaks with the necessary training.   

To Apply

Please submit a resume and three references to Cafe Manager, Erinn at riptidecafe.sji@gmail.com. Hiring typically takes place in March for the coming season. Resumes and references are accepted year-round.   

Housing

Riptide Café staff are required to live on San Juan Island during the tenure of their employment. Staff are required to find their own housing. Riptide Café will assist if needed by either renting a room to the employee in the company’s employee housing complexes or assisting in the process of finding a seasonal rental. Riptide Café is dedicated to ensuring each seasonal staff member has a quality living situation during the duration of their employment.