Volunteer Opportunities
Join our Team!
Volunteers create engaging experiences that inspire lifelong curiosity in history and science at the Sloan Museum and Longway Planetarium. When volunteers share their gifts and talents, they help shape a culture of community-building. We are looking for individuals who share our passion for community and education to join our team! Many rewarding and interesting volunteer positions are available at Sloan Museum of Discover and Longway Planetarium! Read below for a full list of open positions.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please complete the application on Better Impact through the link below. Must be at least 16 years of age to be eligible.
Available Positions
Location(s): Sloan Museum of Discovery
Department: Collections
Reports To: Community Engagement Coordinator & Community Engagement Assistant
Summary of Position: The volunteer will provide support for the museum’s community engagement efforts in a variety of capacities, from clerical/organizational support to assistance with public events.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Provide information to the public through phone calls, email, and/or in-person communication
- Special event preparation and assistance including materials assembling, copying, setting-up, operating check-in or information tables, coordinating refreshments, etc.
- Promote community engagement through teamwork within team and the other departments at SMDLP
Requirements:
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Value Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA), as we work with people of all ages and different backgrounds
- Strong communication and organizational skills
- Knowledge of computers and common software (i.e. Microsoft Office, Windows) and Internet usage
Time Commitment: 3-4 hours per week (may vary based on event schedule)
Orientation and Training: The Community Engagement Volunteer will be introduced to the museum’s IDEA principles and the Of/By/For All Change Network.
Outside of specific department position training, all volunteers must complete a Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium volunteer orientation session that will provide building familiarization tours and an overview of SMDLP volunteer policies and procedures.
Location(s): Sloan Museum of Discovery
Department: Exhibits
Reports To: Exhibits Coordinator
Summary of Position: Assist the Sloan Museum of Discovery Exhibits staff in the cleaning, care, organizing, and restocking of Sloan Museum of Discovery exhibits and hands-on programming areas.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Dusting and cleaning exhibit cases, signage, interactives, toys, props and other non-collection items throughout all galleries.
- Helping organize supplies and hands-on areas
- Vacuuming exhibit areas that are not behind barriers.
Requirements:
- Willingness to learn and follow proper museum cleaning methods
- Physically able to lift 25 pounds
- Physically able to climb ladders and stairs
- Reliable
- Must provide own transportation to and from facility
- Complete Safety Training provided by Lead Exhibit Technician.
Time Commitment: 4 hours on Mondays and possibly at end of exhibit installations to prepare for exhibit opening.
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Outside of specific department position training, all volunteers must complete a Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium volunteer orientation session that will provide building familiarization tours and an overview of SMDLP volunteer policies and procedures.
Location(s): Sloan Museum of Discovery
Department: Education and Outreach
Reports To: Curator of Education and Outreach
Summary of Position: The Discovery Gallery floor staff team will help all our visitors engage with science, technology, engineering, and math while having fun and learning. Floor staff will facilitate cart-based activities and projects that further extend STEM concepts presented in the gallery. They will assist visitors with exhibit interactives and be available to answer questions and help search for answers. They will ensure that the gallery is clean and will assist the exhibit team in routine cleaning, repair, and maintenance.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Interacts with and assists visitors on the gallery floor
- Facilitates cart-based activities and demonstrations for visitors on the gallery floor.
- Performs light cleaning of exhibit interactives and the gallery space
- Monitors exhibit interactives to ensure they are working properly. Performs simple maintenance and repair tasks under the supervision of the exhibit department, reports issues with interactives to the exhibit department.
Requirements:
- Friendly, caring, and approachable personality
- Ability to work with diverse families with a positive and welcoming attitude is a MUST
- Ability to work in a loud, active, and energetic environment. Patience with children and their caring adults is a must.
- Willingness to learn and use strategies for positive behavior management
- Interest in and willingness to learn STEM based content and background information along with strategies for positive engagement with diverse audiences
- Ability to work in a team environment
- A criminal background check will be conducted
Time Commitment: Four-hour shifts
Orientation and Training:
- Gallery orientation training
- Basic child development and effective engagement training
- positive behavior intervention and support training
- content area training (literacy, math, science, etc)
- exhibit maintenance and cleaning training
Outside of specific department position training, all volunteers must complete a Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium volunteer orientation session that will provide building familiarization tours and an overview of SMDLP volunteer policies and procedures.
Location(s): Sloan Museum of Discovery
Department: Education and Outreach
Reports To: Curator of Education and Outreach
Summary of Position: The Hagerman Street Gallery floor staff team is all about PLAY! Floor staff will engage our youngest visitors in child-driven, age appropriate play. Along with being available for our littlest visitors to play with, volunteers will engage families with projects, activities, and story times on the gallery floor. They will ensure that the gallery is tidy and organized, and will assist the exhibit team in routine cleaning and maintenance.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Greeter
- Welcomes families as they enter the gallery
- Shares behavior expectations with families
- Makes sure families know where the restroom, nursing room, infant/toddler area, and the quiet area are
- Monitors the entry gate to ensure that children don’t leave the gallery without their caring adult
Play Partner
- Is a willing partner in child-directed play throughout the gallery
- Invites families to and facilitates learning activities on the gallery floor. These activities are developed by the Education and Outreach team staff and support early childhood learning standards in STEM, literacy, and social studies
- Monitors gallery use and uses positive intervention strategies when visitor behavior needs to be addressed
- Understands that children will use toys, manipulatives, and props and that those objects will move throughout the gallery and will need to be put away constantly. Play Partners will positively engage children in clean-up activities and encourage children to put the objects they are using away, understanding that not all children will be cooperative
- Will be trained to perform routine gallery cleaning, maintenance, and repair. They will report any broken exhibit interactives, equipment, or materials to the appropriate department
- Assists with the preparation, organization, and inventory of materials and supplies that support learning activities
Requirements:
- Friendly, caring, and approachable personality
- Ability to work with diverse families with a positive and welcoming attitude is a MUST
- Ability to work in a loud, active, and energetic environment. Patience with very young children and their caring adults is a must.
- Willingness to learn and use strategies for positive behavior management
- Willingness to learn and apply basic early childhood development strategies and content in STEM, literacy, and social studies
- Ability to work in a team environment
- A criminal background check will be conducted
Time Commitment: While we are able to offer a flexible schedule, the standard shift is four-hours
Orientation and Training:
- Gallery orientation training
- Basic early childhood development training
- Positive behavior intervention and support training
- Content area training (literacy, math, science, etc)
- Exhibit maintenance and cleaning training
Outside of specific department position training, all volunteers must complete a Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium volunteer orientation session that will provide building familiarization tours and an overview of SMDLP volunteer policies and procedures.
Location(s): Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium
Department: Special Events Department
Reports To: Special Events Manager
Summary of Position: Volunteer will be assisting with various aspects of special events, such as setting up tables and chairs. Volunteers would also help ensure that guest are staying in appropriate areas of the building and ensuring that no food or drink is leaving designated areas.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Set up and take down of chairs, removal of linens and other event needs
- Ensuring guest stay within certain areas.
Requirements:
- The ability to lift 30lbs or more
- The ability to stand for long periods
- A criminal background check will be conducted
Time Commitment: Mostly evenings. From four to six hours each shift.
Orientation and Training:
Outside of specific department position training, all volunteers must complete a Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium volunteer orientation session that will provide building familiarization tours and an overview of SMDLP volunteer policies and procedures.
Location(s): Longway Planetarium Theatre
Department: Planetarium
Reports To: Planetarium Manager
Summary of Position: The Planetarium Scope Operator will assist with star parties hosted by or affiliated with the Longway Planetarium. Astronomical knowledge is required and ownership of a telescope that can be used at star parties is preferred but not required. The location of star parties will vary but will normally stay within 30 miles of the Longway Planetarium. This position is intended for amateur astronomers who are familiar with star gazing or individuals looking to be involved with the local astronomical community. Scope Operators will be notified of scheduled star parties as they are scheduled. Scheduling occurs usual at least 30 days in advanced. Given the sporadic nature of the events, Scope Operators are welcome, but not required, to attend.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Interact with guests at star parties.
- Operate a telescope and ensure the telescope remains properly tracked throughout the evening
- Be able to provide transportation for self and scope
Requirements:
- Comfortable in initiating conversations with others.
- Treat guests with respect and attentiveness as reflected in Longway Planetarium’s Core Values
- A criminal background check will be conducted
Time Commitment: 1-3 evenings a quarter
Orientation and Training:
Outside of specific department position training, all volunteers must complete a Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium volunteer orientation session that will provide building familiarization tours and an overview of SMDLP volunteer policies and procedures.