ANSC Volunteer Opportunities

We are excited to announce our NEW volunteer program at the Austin Nature & Science Center, beginning in summer 2023! Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. 

Applications for the summer session are currently closed. Please see the calendar below for the next round of applications.

Program Overview:

The Austin Nature & Science Center volunteer program has three 10-week new volunteer seasons for accepting new applicants each year:

How do I apply to become a volunteer?

Our new volunteer application opens three times each year in the months leading up to each new volunteer season. We welcome you to fill out a volunteer application during one of these seasonal application periods. If you are selected for our volunteer program, you will serve as a “volunteer-in-training” for the 10-week new volunteer season.

What is a “volunteer-in-training”?

During the 10-week new volunteer season you will receive an orientation to ANSC, safety training, and training for your specific volunteer position. This is an opportunity to find out if volunteering with ANSC long-term is a good fit for you. Volunteers-in-training are expected to volunteer an average of 9 hours per month (minimum) during the season and can always sign up for additional available shifts.

What happens after the 10-week new volunteer season?

At the end of the 10-week new volunteer season, you will complete a feedback survey with your volunteer manager and discuss a plan to become a fully-fledged ANSC volunteer. Our goal is to create a mutually beneficial relationship with regular volunteers. Full volunteers are also expected to volunteer an average of 9 hours per month (minimum) and can always sign up for additional available shifts.

Volunteer Opportunities:

ANSC Single-Day Volunteer Events

Assist staff with ANSC one-day events such as It’s My Park Day, Austin Museum Day, Fall Festival, Celebrate Urban Birds, and Austin Nature Day. Please check ANSC’s GivePulse Volunteer Portal for upcoming single-day volunteer events.

Trade Counter Volunteer

Are you interested in natural history with a keen eye for detail and want to engage your skills through community building? Consider joining the Trade Counter at the Naturalist Workshop. The Trade Counter is a unique program that gives visitors the opportunity to collect, investigate, and trade natural objects to further their learning experience and cultivate a deeper relationship to the natural world. As a volunteer here you will invite visitors to explore our natural history collections and facilitate trades of natural objects. Visitors may bring in objects they find out in the natural world to the counter where volunteers help them with the identification process, award points, and help them use their points to trade for other objects. For this position we seek patient volunteers who are comfortable interacting with children and the public for extended conversations, are inquisitive and curious about the natural world, and see challenges and unknowns as a fun learning opportunity.

Landscaping Volunteer

Do you want to help to beautify and enhance the Austin Nature and Science Center’s grounds with native plants and nature-based landscaping practices? We are seeking enthusiastic volunteers interested in sharing their passion for eco-friendly gardening and learning new skills while working hands-on with experienced landscapers. Our volunteers assist with many outdoor maintenance tasks such as planting, watering, deadheading, composting, using natural treatments for pests and diseases, weeding, digging, raking, leaf blowing, trash and debris removal, and seed collection and sorting. This volunteer position requires an interest in landscaping and outdoor maintenance, a willingness to work outdoors in various weather conditions, and the ability to bend, stoop, kneel, and lift up to 35 pounds. Our landscape volunteers will gain knowledge of organic time-tested gardening practices, learn about Texas native plant species, meet new people, take home transplants, and make a positive impact on the environment and community. Please consider donating your time to the Austin Nature and Science Center and apply to be a landscape volunteer today.

Application

Our Summer 2023 Volunteer Application is now open!

Important Dates | Summer 2023 New Volunteer Season:

• Volunteer Application Open April 1, 2023
• Volunteer Application Closes May 7, 2023 (or until program is full)
• Volunteer Interviews: rolling, April 3, 2023-May 10, 2023
• Applicants Notified: rolling, May 2023
• Group Orientation & Training (Required): TBD between May 13-June 4
• 10-week Volunteer Session: June 5 - August 11

Summer 2023 Volunteer Handbook (please read fully before submitting your application).

Summer 2023 New Volunteer Application closed. Please see calendar above for fall application dates.