Life at the Grainery is dynamic and seasonal, so at any given time we are open to hearing from experienced bakers or eager millers who might want to join our crew. To inquire about a potential position, please send a letter of interest, resume and accurate list of your availability, including start date and days/hours available to: Keith@chimacumgrain.com

Current openings!

Artisan Bread and Pastry Baker

Seeking an experienced baker (with weekend availability) to help grow our baking program at Chimacum Valley Grainery, a unique organic farm, artisan grain mill and woodfired bakery. The ideal candidate will have a strong work ethic, can-do attitude, and a commitment to producing high-quality, handcrafted breads and baked goods.

Job Title: Artisan Bread and Pastry Baker

Location: Chimacum Valley Grainery, Chimacum WA

Employment Type: 30 hours/week

Reports to: Lead Baker, Lead Miller and Co-owners

Schedule: Early mornings (as early as 5:00am), full production days. We bake Monday-Saturday.

Environment: Small-scale, rural, fast-paced, wood-fired bakery working with freshly milled grains

Job Summary:
Chimacum Valley Grainery is an organic family farm, stone mill, wood fired bakery and craft micro-brewery — growing and milling heritage and modern landrace grains selected for flavor, nutrition and local climate resilience.  We are seeking a passionate and skilled artisan baker with experience in baking and interest in local food systems to join our small, dedicated team. The ideal candidate will have a strong work ethic, can-do attitude, and a commitment to producing high-quality, handcrafted breads and baked goods.  Working primarily with sourdough techniques and a woodfired oven, you will be responsible for preparing, shaping, and baking a variety of sourdoughs and specialty loaves. 

As a farm-based, micro-enterprise,  employees at the Grainery are cross-trained to do multiple tasks in multiple branches of the operation, including flour milling production, packaging of flour, labeling products, and assembling orders for delivery and for shipping. 

Position Overview

This is a hands-on, highly dynamic artisan baking position for someone who thrives in a multi-tasking, production-driven environment. The Artisan Woodfired Baker is responsible for managing multiple doughs, fermentation timelines, and oven conditions simultaneously—often overlapping tasks that require strong judgment, adaptability, and calm focus.

This role is deeply involved in every stage of bread production: milling, mixing, dough handling, wood-fired baking, packing, cleaning, and preparing the bakery for the following day. Bakers in this position must be comfortable making real-time decisions based on dough behavior, oven conditions, and production needs.

Key Features of This Role

• Multi-Dough Management:
  Oversee several doughs at different stages of fermentation at once, including baguettes, tin loaves, and hearth breads. Also pastry.

• Fermentation-Driven Decision Making:
  Assess proof, strength, and timing throughout the day to determine folds, shaping windows, and whether doughs are floor-fermented or retarded.

• Wood-Fired Oven Operation:
  Light, feed, monitor, and close a wood-fired oven, adjusting bake strategy based on temperature, humidity, and bread type.

• Freshly Milled Grain Production:
  Work directly with freshly milled flour, requiring attentiveness to hydration, dough feel, and variability.

• Physical, Hands-On Craft:
  Perform repeated lifting, shaping, loading, and cleaning in an active bakery environment.

• Production Planning & Follow-Through:
  Pack and organize daily bread for wholesale and retail accounts, complete order documentation, print next-day production schedules, and prepare scale kits for future mixes.
  
  Core Responsibilities

• Mix, autolyse, fold, divide, and shape naturally leavened doughs

• Prepare and maintain sourdough starters and levains

• Load, bake, and unload breads/pastry in a wood-fired and electric ovens

• Monitor and adjust fermentation throughout the day

• Pack and label bread/pastry for accounts and markets accurately

• Maintain cleanliness, organization, and food safety standards

• Print next day’s production plan and prepare scale kits

• Clean, reset and close the bakery to ensure a successful next bake

  Requirements:

  • Food Handlers Permit

  • Professional experience in baking, preferably in an artisan or sourdough bakery.

  • Strong understanding of fermentation, hydration levels, and dough handling.

  • Ability to work early mornings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

  • Physically fit – able to lift heavy bags of flour,  handle hot equipment, and work in a variable temperature environment. Must be able to lift 50# and to stand for 8hrs a day.

  • Attention to detail, consistency, and a passion for high-quality food.
    
    Who This Role Is For
    
    This position is ideal for a baker who:

• Enjoys juggling multiple tasks and timelines

• Is comfortable working without rigid scripts—responding to dough and fire instead of the clock

• Has strong situational awareness and time management skills

• Values quality, consistency, and craftsmanship

• Thrives in a small, collaborative team environment
  
  Preferred Experience & Skills

• Experience with sourdough and naturally leavened breads and with pastry

• Familiarity with woodfired ovens (or strong desire to learn)

• Experience working with whole grains and freshly milled flour a plus

• Ability to stay organized and focused during peak production

• Physically capable of sustained, hands-on work

• Previous artisan bakery experience 

• Culinary or baking certification or coursework
  
  What We Offer

• Hourly wage range from $23-$26 based on experience

• Deep involvement in a family farm and full-cycle artisan bread production

• A creative, collaborative bakery culture with commitment to beautiful food

• Ongoing learning in fermentation, fire management, and grain

• Meaningful work on a working organic farm that directly serves our rural community

Final Note

This role rewards attention, intuition, and care. Bakers who succeed here are those who see complexity not as chaos, but as rhythm—and who find satisfaction in guiding bread through a demanding, beautiful process from grain to loaf.

The Grainery is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• TO APPLY:

  To inquire about this position, please send a letter of interest, resume, several references and accurate list of your availability including start date and days/hours available to: bakery@chimacumgrain and Keith@chimacumgrain.com