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Volunteer Opportunities at ASDM
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum!
Looking for an opportunity to work with animals? Consider volunteering with the Interpretive Animal Collection! Volunteers in this position enjoy the up-close and personal nature that the IAC provides. For more information, select 'Animal Experiences - Interpretive Animal Collection' in the list below.
Volunteer Opportunities are available in the following areas:
- Volunteer Description:
- The Interpretive Animal Collection (IAC) is dedicated to the husbandry and training of a diverse collection of birds, mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates presented through various interpretational demonstrations both on and off Museum grounds. The IAC Volunteer assists the staff with projects related to the daily care of the IAC animals, including but not limited to: cleaning animal enclosures, logging observations, animal handling & feeding (including non-venomous snakes), and implementing enrichment.
Percent of time spent on various aspects of daily animal husbandry and care:
- 70% Cleaning of exhibits and enclosures (scrubbing, hosing, raking, sweeping)
- 10% Daily observations (visuals on animals and their surroundings)
- 10% Daily diet feeding/animal handling
- 10% Implementing animal enrichment
- Benefits:
- This is an opportunity to learn about the husbandry involved in a hands-on environment with captive wild animals of the Sonoran desert in an AZA accredited institution. Great for resume building and career building experience. Active status volunteers receive numerous benefits including complimentary membership and discounts for the duration of their service.
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. Volunteers in this role must be comfortable walking, standing, bending, kneeling, and balancing while performing a variety of volunteer duties, working outdoors throughout the year, and have the ability to lift and carry up to 25lbs for short distances. Applicants must possess good general communication skills, the ability to perform volunteer duties independently as well as in group settings, and interact well with people of all ages and backgrounds. For the safety of the animals, Volunteers in this role must be able to think and react quickly in demanding situations while adhering to Animal Experiences department protocols. Applicants should have a clear understanding of the boundaries related to animal interactions. All Desert Museum Volunteers must be able to learn and retain the Desert Museum’s safety procedures and protocols, as well as position specific responsibilities and competencies. -Following the initial interviews, selected applicants will be invited back for a “working interview”. -Volunteers selected for this program will be required to complete a four-week probationary period.
- Current Openings:
- Tuesdays or Wednesdays – 7:30am-12:00pm
- Volunteer Description:
- Volunteers in this position are assigned but not limited to support of the Stingray Touch Exhibit. 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.
Primary Specific Tasks:
- Assist HIIZ Keeper staff
- Assist with basic stingray husbandry (i.e., logging observations, etc.)
- 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 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. Active status volunteers receive numerous benefits including complimentary membership and discounts for the duration of their service.
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, 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 applicants must also be able and 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 protocols. Applicants should have a clear understanding of the boundaries related to animal interactions. All Desert Museum Volunteers must be able to learn and retain the Desert Museum’s safety procedures and protocols, as well as position specific responsibilities and competencies. Year-round availability welcome but not necessary.
- Current Openings:
- multiple days and shifts available
- Volunteer Description:
- One of the overarching goals of the Desert Museum's new master plan is to provide the living organisms in its care with top-notch well-being. This will require changes in facilities that house our animals as well as how we care for and manage them. Toward this end, the Desert Museum has initiated research that will provide data and new knowledge about what animals need and want to be happy. These projects are founded on the principles of choice and control by providing animals with large spaces and many options within them, set up in a manner that allows us to record space usage and, potentially, social behavior. The role of the Animal Behavior Observer Volunteers will be to assist staff with the following:
- Observation of animals and recording them in software loaded in an iPad
- Review of animal activity in video recordings (specific to snake project) and recording their observations in various software programs
- Collection of and deployment of SD cards in video recording devices
- Collection of GPS data from transmitters
- Downloading/uploading of data
- Interacting with the public while gathering data (specific to tortoise project)
- Benefits:
- This is a wonderful opportunity to gain knowledge and experience while participating in research related to animal well-being in an AZA accredited institution. Great for resume building and career building experience. This is also an excellent chance to provide impactful community service, as the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a non-profit organization and Volunteers are critical to the success of the organization. Additionally, active Museum Volunteers also enjoy Museum benefits, which include free memberships, discounts in the gift shops and restaurants, and Service Merit Awards.
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be 18 years or older to participate, and available to make a one day a week, two to four hours per shift commitment. Applicants should have an interest in conservation and animal well-being, should be detail-oriented and highly organized, and should be outgoing and personable in their interactions with others. Applicants should have ample manual dexterity and be comfortable using a computer. Most of the necessary skills and knowledge will come from on-the-job training, but individuals who are computer savvy, can assimilate information about the project, and are comfortable with public speaking are preferred. Applicants should have a clear understanding of the boundaries related to animal interactions. All Desert Museum Volunteers must be able to learn and follow the Desert Museum’s safety procedures and protocols, as well as position specific responsibilities and competencies. Volunteers selected for this program will be required to complete a four-week probationary period. All volunteer positions are at-will and can be ended at any time by either party with or without cause or notice.
- Current Openings:
- We are seeking 4-6 qualified Volunteers
- Volunteer Description:
- Volunteers in this position are stationed indoors in the beautiful Ironwood Gallery. Volunteers in this role act as a 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! Active Museum Volunteers enjoy benefits which include free memberships, discounts in the gift shops and restaurants, and Service Merit Awards.
- Requirements:
- Applicants must be able to make a minimum 6-month commitment, volunteering 3 hours, once a week. Able to learn and retain the Desert Museum’s safety procedures and protocols, as well as position specific responsibilities and competencies. Applicants should be comfortable and be open to selling (or learning how to sell) artwork. A background check will be performed for any volunteer working with sales.
- Current Openings:
- Thursday: 10:00am-1:00pm, Friday:10:00am-1:00pm
If a position aligns with your interests and availability, please fill out the following form:
Volunteer Application Form
If you're having trouble accessing the online application, please print this application form (PDF) and mail it to Volunteer & Internship Programs Coordinator (Mike Walker) 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 & Internship Programs Coordinator (Mike Walker) at: 520-883-3082 or at [email protected].
