Banista (Banana Attendant) for Northwest Center Services Amazon

Northwest Center is hiring a Banista (Banana Attendant) to join the team!

In 2015, Amazon opened Seattle’s first Community Banana stand for the community and offers free bananas for everyone who passes by. Amazon chose bananas because they’re healthy, fully compostable, and an affordable snack. Since then, Amazon’s notable and beloved Banana Stands have expanded throughout all the Amazon campuses.

Northwest Center has been supporting this operation by finding talented employees to operate Amazon’s community banana stands, called Banistas. Through our partnership with Amazon, Northwest Center, a non-profit organization, can focus on our efforts to support and advocate for individuals with disabilities. The work we do every day contributes to the advancement of equal opportunities for children and adults with disabilities through programs of therapy, education, and work opportunity.

Join our warm and friendly team as a Banista, where you will deliver 5-star customer service to both corporate employees and community members. In this role, you'll take pride in restocking inventory, maintaining daily metrics, and ensuring efficient communication of any issues.

Watch a video to learn more about the Amazon Banana Stand:

Location: Crystal City, VA and Greater DMV Area

Schedule: Monday – Friday, an 8-hour shift, between the hours of 7:00AM - 4:00PM

Starting Wage Range – $21.59 per hour Full Wage Range – $21.59 - $25.70 per hour

What we can offer:

Competitive and affordable Medical (including hearing & hardware coverage!), Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life Insurance

17 Accrued Paid Time Off Days Annually

Additional 11 Annual Floating Holidays, Parental Leave, and Paid Compassion Leave

Retirement 401(K) with a company match

Free onsite parking at Herndon, VA

Company-Provided SmarTrip card or Parking Stipend - $153/month

Employment Assistance Program (EAP) via Spring Health

Mental Wellness Program including six free therapy sessions per year

Opportunity for career development with our NWC Mentorship Match program

Physical Wellness Reimbursement Program - $25/month

Student Loan Contribution Program - $50/month

Pet Insurance Discount Program

Check out the entire list of benefits Northwest Center has to offer here:

**Please submit a resume with your application**

What You Will Do:

Assisting with daily set-up and/or tear down of stand, including occasional decorations

Greeting and engaging every visitor to the stand in a friendly, warm, professional, and courteous manner

Selecting appropriate music to play during operating hours

Unloading bananas from boxes into crates, keeping the stand full and plentiful, and sorting any bruised or damaged bananas out

Ensuring the banana stand is organized and clean at all times, including emptying the compost bin when full

Tracking daily metrics in tracking software, comments, general inquiries, and public response

Learning FAQ’s and banana facts to share with visitors

Communicating issues needing supervisor attention immediately

Creating and submitting posts for PR approval to the Banana Stand Twitter account

Working at various banana stand locations (including some offsite locations) between 6:30am and 4:00pm Monday through Friday, including occasional after-hours requests and the weekend

Training on all reception duties including but not limited to hanging posters, covering desks, lunch hand out, and distribution of supplies

Who You Are:

One (1+) years of customer service experience

Able to do subtraction, multiplication, and division for equations up to 3 digits

Proficient with Microsoft Suite

Strong conflict resolution and problem-solving skills

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Can work independently with limited supervision and as part of a team

Ability to understand, interpret and follow Northwest Center (NWC) and Amazon Policies and Procedures

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

Must be able to stand and/or sit outdoors in all weather conditions above 35 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4 hours at a time and up to 8 hours for the day

Must be able to handle bananas and/or various food products without allergic reaction

Potential to work in conditions below 40 degrees for up 3 hours

Must be able to lift bananas and stack boxes up to 50 lbs. repeatedly

Ability to move consistently within a 1.5 radius is required

Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the business, including occasionally arriving early, staying late on a moment’s notice and occasional evening and weekend shifts

This is a dog friendly environment with over 1000 dogs on campus. Individuals with dog allergies or those who do not particularly care for dogs may not be the best fit

About Northwest Center

When People of all Abilities Learn and Work Together, Everyone Benefits. The purpose of Northwest Center is to change society so that people of all abilities engage with each other fully in classrooms, workplaces, and the community. Legally structured as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, Northwest Center is more broadly a "for-purpose" organization that uses and blends the best techniques of human services, business, and philanthropy in innovative ways.

As a social enterprise organization, Northwest Center proves to the world every day that employing people of all abilities can be a powerful competitive advantage. Northwest Center’s businesses generate over $5 million annually that Northwest Center reinvests into human services while covering 100% of the overhead expense of the organization and building cash reserves for future sustainability.

Northwest Center’s mission is to promote the growth, development, and independence of people with disabilities through programs of therapy, education, and work opportunity. We are committed to offering reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact us at

At Northwest Center, we do not just accept diversity and inclusion — we celebrate it, support it, live it, and flourish in it to benefit our employees, the community, and our clientele. We believe that our strength lies within our diversity and the forward motion towards a day when people of all abilities can learn and work together.

We believe that curiosity and critical thinking are essential to the dialogue and improving decision-making, planning, resource allocation, and how we treat others. Our goal is to create and implement more equitable practices, policies, and culture. To be equitable means to value and respect individuals from all cultural backgrounds, genders, races, identities, and abilities. Northwest Center is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, including disability and veterans’ status.