Volunteer Opportunities at ASDM
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum!
For more information, select 'School Group Assistants (Short term- Volunteer) ' in the list below.
Volunteer Opportunities are available in the following areas:
- Volunteer Description:
- Interested in helping the Desert Museum with an ongoing research project? Consider becoming a Citizen Scientists with our Pollinator Hotspots Program.
- Benefits:
- This citizen science opportunity is a fun way to contribute towards the identification of Pollinator Hotspots - areas of particularly high density across the Sonoran Desert landscape that provide essential resources for pollinators.
- Requirements:
- If you're interested in helping with this project, there is no need to submit a volunteer application; just visit the Pollinator Hotspots page for more information on getting involved!
- Current Openings:
- Flexible
- Volunteer Description:
- Volunteers in this position assist in the production of the Museum�¢ï¿½ï¿½s Cool Summer Nights special events. Primary Specific Tasks: â�¢ Event set-up â�¢ Organizing special event tasks â�¢ Greet and direct speakers and vendors â�¢ Some computer work related to special events â�¢ Supply inventory â�¢ Updating event information on spreadsheets â�¢ Cart transport (training provided)
- Benefits:
- Experience working with a world-renowned attraction during seasonal special events. Knowledge of event planning, organizing, and execution.
- Requirements:
- Qualifications: Physical requirements: Able to walk distances, handle light lifting, stand for sometimes-long periods. Skills/knowledge required: Computer literate, pleasant on phone, self-starter, little or no supervision required, excellent organizational skills, creative, self-confident, and good people skills.
- Current Openings:
- Summer Saturday Nights (May 25, 2019 - August 31, 2019) 4 p.m. - 9:30 p.m
- Volunteer Description:
- Docents are trained volunteers whose major responsibility is to help people on the Museum grounds and in the community better understand and appreciate the Sonoran Desert region. Docents are adults of all ages, walks of life and educational backgrounds. Duties include, but are not limited to: leading tours, interpreting natural history themed kits and presenting live animals to guests from around the world.
- Benefits:
- This is a fun and educational opportunity! Being a docent is a great way to gain first-hand knowledge about the natural history of the Sonoran Desert Region; once trained, docents get to directly interact and share their passion of the region with museum guests.
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be current members of the Desert Museum and interested in making a two-year commitment, contributing 144 hours per year. Trainees must successfully complete a 15 week training course (enrollment fees do apply). View more information on the Docent Program here.
- Current Openings:
- The next Docent training is scheduled for August 2019.
- Volunteer Description:
- Volunteers in this position assist keepers in the Herpetology, Ichthyology & Invertebrate Zoology (HIIZ) department. Duties include (but are not limited to): husbandry, diet prep, cleaning, servicing enclosures, feeding animals and helping with the set up/tear down of larger projects.
- Benefits:
- This is a great opportunity for anyone looking for an gain hands-on experience, working with live animals in captivity within a specific collection of animals.
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be able to make at least a 12 month commitment, volunteering approximately 5 hours once a week. Applicants must have the ability to bend, kneel and balance while performing a variety of tasks; they should be able to work outdoors throughout the year and lift up to 25 lbs. Having the ability to work hands-on with a variety of lower vertebrates (non-venomous) and invertebrates is essential. For the safety of the animals, applicants must be able to think quickly in demanding situations and communicate decisions related to animal needs. Applicants should have a clear understanding of the boundaries related to animal interactions.
- Current Openings:
- Fridays (8:00am - 1:00pm)
- Volunteer Description:
- Volunteers in this position are assigned but not limited to support of the Stingray Touch Exhibit under the HIIZ (Herpetology, Ichthyology & Invertebrate Zoology) Department. Volunteers are support for the animal Keeper staff. Additionally, volunteers in this role will engage and guide guests with instructions, guidelines, interpretation and animal contact. This includes the guest feeding experience and other husbandry-related tasks and activities. Volunteers may also help behind the scenes with the HIIZ (Herpetology, Ichthyology & Invertebrate Zoology) Department.
Primary Specific Tasks:
- Assist HIIZ Keeper staff,
- Assist with basic stingray husbandry (i.e., logging observations, AM diet prep),
- Interact with Museum visitors,
- Help facilitate guest entry and guest services while at the stingray exhibit,
- Assure the safety of both the stingrays and guests at all times,
- Stingray pool-related tasks,
- Assist with enrichment activities,
- Other tasks may be assigned.
- Benefits:
- This is a unique opportunity to volunteer with stingrays and other HIIZ collection animals at an AZA accredited, world-class institution. Volunteers receive the opportunity to expand upon their public speaking skills while gaining hands-on experience. Great for resume building and career building experience.
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. Volunteers must have the ability to bend, kneel and balance while doing a variety of tasks; they must also be comfortable lifting up to 25 lbs. Applicants should be comfortable helping outdoors throughout the year and have the ability to work cooperatively with others in a complex and busy social environment. Having a positive attitude is very important, and must be willing to follow directions. Preference will be shown to applicants who can demonstrate good general communication skills. For the safety of the animals, applicants must be able to think quickly in demanding situations while adhering to HIIZ department protocol. Applicants should have a clear understanding of the boundaries related to animal interactions.
- Current Openings:
- Mondays, 10am - 2pm, Saturdays, 12:30pm - 4:30pm or Sundays, 8am - 12pm. We are asking for a minimum of 6 months commitment. Additional Summer Shifts are Saturday nights from 5:30pm-9:30pm during our Cool Summer Nights Events (CSN, May - Sept)
- Volunteer Description:
- Volunteers in this position are stationed in the Ironwood Gallery; they act as friendly and knowledgeable representatives of the Museum while monitoring the gallery exhibition space. Duties include (but are not limited to): reinforcing gallery rules, assisting with clerical tasks, organizing materials, answering phone calls, assisting with the sale of artwork and maintaining a clean exhibit space.
- Benefits:
- This is a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys being around creative, like-minded people. Art Institute volunteers have the chance to interact with museum guests from around the world; they also receive first-hand access to new gallery exhibits, featured artists and special Art Institute programing. If you're looking for a position that offers the flexibility to work on your own projects (in between gallery visitors), this is the environment for you!
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be able to make a 3-6 month commitment, volunteering 3 hours, once a week. Applicants should be comfortable using technology and be open to selling (or learning how to sell) artwork.
- Current Openings:
- Saturdays (10:00am-1:00pm) or Sundays (10:00am-1:00pm) or Cool Summer Nights Events (Summer Saturday nights 4pm - 9pm) Thursdays ( 1:00pm - 4:00pm), Saturdays(10:00am-1:00pm), or Sundays (10:00am-1:00pm)
- Volunteer Description:
- Volunteers in this position act as guides and liaisons for school groups that are visiting the Museum on field trips. Duties include (but are not limited to): greeting school groups upon arrival, facilitating lunch times for groups eating at the Museum, checking on/assisting the groups throughout their visit, and helping the Education department with various administrative tasks.
- Benefits:
- This is a chance to share your passion for the Sonoran Desert by facilitating educational experiences to future conservationist!
- Requirements:
- Applicants should be available between the months that school is in session (now - end of May); volunteering once a week is preferred but a flexible schedule can be accommodated. Applicants should have the ability to traverse the Museum grounds in all types of weather conditions (carrying a light bag with paperwork). Preference will be shown to applicants who are enthusiastic about volunteering with youth of all ages.
- Current Openings:
- Tuesdays
- Volunteer Description:
- The Desert Museum's Tortoise Adoption Program (TAP), benefits the welfare of captive and wild desert tortoises in the Tucson area. TAP volunteers assist staff with phone calls and emails from the public, who request information about the program; volunteers also travel to prospective adoption sites and conduct yard inspections before tortoises are placed.
- Benefits:
- This is a great opportunity for individuals who are interested in wildlife conservation. TAP volunteers interact with community members who are passionate and interested in gaining knowledge on tortoise care. This volunteer position is also done from home!
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be 18 years or older to participate. Prospective volunteers must be able to make a minimum of a one year commitment, volunteering once a week; please keep in mind that during the winter/spring months, hours decline due to the inactivity of the tortoises. Volunteers must be able to move around yards to inspect tortoise areas. Volunteers also need to have access to a phone, the internet and their own transportation.
- Current Openings:
- Saturdays
Volunteer Application Form
If the position aligns with your interests and availability, please fill out the following form:
If you're having trouble accessing the online application, please print this application form (PDF) and mail it to Volunteer & Internship Programs Manager at: 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85743.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please don't hesitate to call the Volunteer Programs Manager at: 520-883-3071.
