Lead Studio Woodworker

Lead Studio Woodworker (Sculptural objects + Studio furniture)

Posted:
January 15, 2026

Lead Studio Woodworker (Sculptural objects + Studio furniture)
Location: Portland, OR Hours: 2–3 days/week (16–24 hrs) to start, with room to grow Pay: $30–$38/hr DOE, with a path to $40+ as Workshop Manager if the fit is right

• 20-minute paid meditation / contemplative period each shift
• Growth to full-time / Workshop Manager

About us

We are a small design studio specializing in creating high-quality products for contemplative spaces (i.e. meditation). We are still a startup, just out of our launch phase. Our work is ornate, original, and often meticulous in its production processes and sourcing. This includes a healthy blend of hybrid woodworking techniques – work made by both by handtools and machines. We are committed to using sustainable and ethical production methods and materials, and supporting local makers and communities.

At our core, we believe that work itself can be a form of contemplative practice, and that every aspect of our business is an experiment in learning and practicing awareness individually and as a team.

The role

This role is for an experienced woodworker, with a clear path to Workshop Manager. You’ll coordinate closely with our founding artist/woodworker while working independently to take pieces from idea or prototype to small-batch production, and keep the shop running with reliable cadence, quality control, safety protocols, organized systems, and routine maintenance.

As an early hire, we hope you’ll be excited to help define the processes, products and culture of a studio built on care, precision, and presence, working closely with founders Clare and Ben while owning your lane. We try to exercise a “work as practice” ethos and aspire to treat our studio as a place to build, reflect, pause, and grow, in addition to producing high quality work.

We’re ideally looking for someone who wants to grow with us beyond this role.

You’ll be accountable for

• Prototype to production:
  Turn ideas and prototypes into beautiful objects with repeatable production (templates/jigs, cutlists, build notes, process steps, etc). Like all new product development and prototyping work it involves creative problem solving, independent thinking and some engineering.
• Project management :
  Estimate realistic timelines, track progress and communicate early. Bring problems with possible solutions. Identify potential production partners when applicable
• Obsessive quality control:
  Execute consistently with high finishing standards. Fix issues before they become bigger issues.
• Maintain shop order :
  Maintenance logs, clean work areas, safety culture, and more.

The ideal candidate has

• Proven experience in fine woodworking including handtool techniques.
• Demonstrated aesthetic judgment (“taste”) and curiosity about design, art, and craft lineages, especially the traditions adjacent to studio furniture and functional sculpture (i.e. can talk clearly about references (designers/artists/material traditions) and why they matter to a particular project or finish)
• Detail-oriented with a high level of accuracy and precision
• Able to work both independently and as part of a team
• An unwavering attention to safety, carefulness, honesty, and open communication.
• Bonus:
  Interest in adjacent fine arts, fabrication and other sculptural practices (sculptural plaster work, color, etc)
• Bonus:
  Prior experience as a shop lead, build lead, or running small-batch production
• Bonus:
  Interest in meditation or contemplative traditions

Core skills we expect

• Uncompromisingly safe, accurate operations on woodworking machines and tools and adhering to strict safety protocols (bandsaw, table saw, jointer, planer, scrollsaw, router, drill press, etc).
• Hand sharpening and stropping blades, chisels, gouges, and card scrapers and other tools using diamond plates and Japanese whetstones to a high level of polish and precision.
• Accurate layout/measurement using machinist’s tools; comfort with templates/jigs and repeatability
• Efficient use and maintenance of high-end hand planes, router planes, spoke shaves.
• Safe and effective use of routers, both for edge work and for making templates.
• Hand-carving techniques, including understanding grain direction, chisel/gouge selection, and tool sharpening.
• Safe and effective use of power carvers.
• Strong surface prep & finishing experience, especially using oil/hardwax finishing with consistent results
• Include 5–10 images of your work (site / PDF / Instagram is fine). Finalists may be invited for a paid shop trial.
• We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome all qualified candidates to apply