Volunteering at the Academy

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Academy! At this time, we are pausing the ANTs program and do not have an anticipated re-opening date. Please fill out this form to join our Youth Programs Email List for information about future opportunities.

Do you have an interest in back-of-house animal husbandry? Do you have great attention to detail? Come volunteer with the Academy's Animal Health Team in our hospital and quarantine areas. Volunteers assist with cleaning exhibits, preparing diets, observing medical procedures, and record-keeping. This role offers the opportunity to learn more about the process of introducing new animals to our exhibits and how we provide veterinary care for our living collection.

Plunge into stunningly beautiful environments while feeding fish and keeping tanks sparkling clean. Interested divers may also be trained to deliver dive presentations in our Philippine Coral Reef exhibit.

Are you able to make a weekly volunteer commitment and are interested in working with the inhabitants of Steinhart Aquarium? The Aquarium Husbandry Volunteers assist staff in a variety of tasks involved in caring for our aquatic animals and habitats, and are guaranteed to get wet and dirty! Great for aquarium hobbyists or those looking to learn what it takes to work in the aquarium field.

*Please note that due to the nature of this role. previous experience is required.

Are you someone with experience working in molecular lab, and have an interest in flexing your skills to assist genomic researchers with active biodiversity research? Join our team as a volunteer in the Center for Comparative Genomics (CCG)! CCG volunteers assist with lab upkeep as well as actively participating in laboratory work.

Join our community of informal educators that help bring the Academy's mission to life! As a docent, you will assume a vital role in engaging visitors from diverse backgrounds, inspiring curiosity and exploration. You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Academy's world-class exhibits and use specimens from the docent collection to facilitate hands-on learning.

Are you interested in the Docent role but have a limited schedule? Consider our Special Engagement Volunteer (SEV) position! An SEV is a public-facing informal education role that has lower monthly shift commitment.

Do you enjoy being outdoors, working with children and families, and are passionate about regenerating the natural world? Volunteering with the Family Nature Club might be for you!

Family Nature Club volunteers supports the Academy by facilitating a range of activities that may include tabling, engaging with families in outdoor science education, nature play, community science events, and stewardship projects, at the Academy and off-site locations.

Do you enjoy working outside, have an interest in native California flora, and are enthusiastic about horticulture work? If so, this role might be for you. Landscaping volunteers support the horticulture operations staff in maintaining and improving the Academy's grounds, including the California native gardens around the building and the iconic 2.5-acre rooftop botanical ecosystem.

Please note that this role will involve working outdoors, performing moderately strenuous physical tasks, and may include lifting and carrying items weighing up to 30 lbs.

*Please note that due to the nature of this role, previous experience is required.

Are you someone with experience in animal necropsy, field work and a flexible schedule? The marine mammal response team could use your help! Field response volunteers assist with carcass retrieval or necropsy across northern California. Personal transportation required.

Facilitate hands-on science activities in the Academy's Naturalist Center, as a Naturalist Center Engagement Volunteer! Dissect owl pellets, investigate iridescence, and more with Naturalist Center Engagement Kits. Engagement volunteers inspire curiosity and have fun with guests of all ages.

Are you an evening person who enjoys interacting with guests in a high energy environment? The NightLife Ambassador role might be for you!

Similar to the Orienteer role, NightLife Ambassadors support the Academy's Guest Experience team at our evening events by greeting guests, offering event-specific assistance, and proactively engaging with guests to help create a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere.

Note: NightLife Ambassadors must be at least 21 years of age, and shifts are available only on Thursday evenings.

Orienteers help Academy guests feel welcome and comfortable when they enter the museum. They answer questions, provide useful tips, and help visitors navigate the public floor.

The Orienteer is a public-facing role that supports the Academy's Guest Experience team. You can find more information about the Orienteer and other front of house roles here.

Guide young explorers and their families in creative, explorative, and open-ended activities as they roam the Academy before bedtime! 

Volunteers supports the Academy staff by facilitating arts and crafts, story time, early childhood activities, and educational programming during our evening Penguin and Pajamas sleepover events. Candidates must be able to attend a minimum of six events between October 2025 - June 2026, with shift times from 5:30-9:00 PM.

Are you looking to use your administrative skills to help regenerate the natural world? Do you have great penmanship, strong organizational skills, or great data entry experience? Join our Development team as an Administrative Support Volunteer. Tasks range from writing handwritten notes to our donors, scanning and labeling documents, and supporting other administrative projects. Great for those looking to make a monthly commitment or those looking for a shorter-term project that can be completed in a few shifts.

Are you looking to help engage Academy guests in our mission to regenerate the natural world? From helping visitors navigate the museum to educating guests about scientific specimens to engaging our youngest visitors in facilitated play and exploration, Public Programs and Guest Experience Volunteers help bring the Academy's mission to life. Browse through the variety of opportunities available to find the perfect role to match your interests and availability.

Are you a plant enthusiast with an interest in tropical ecosystems? Rainforest Horticulture Volunteers assist with the daily maintenance of the plants inside the Academy, including plants inside our rainforest dome. This role offers the opportunity to expand your horticulture knowledge and skills. Must be able to work in hot and humid conditions.

Support our Academy collections managers in preparing and maintaining scientific collections in our research departments. Individual duties are diverse—mount plants, classify bones, re-bottling specimens, document collections, and more—but all volunteers are immersed in the principles and techniques of modern scientific-collections management.​

Enjoy working with school groups in an informal setting? This volunteer opportunity provides an in-depth, hands-on experience for people interested in informal education. Volunteers learn teaching techniques and gain an understanding of how to communicate with students of varying ages and backgrounds. We can also work with graduate and undergraduate students to fulfill a graduation requirement.

Genomics, collections, and computing infrastructure all need your help! Bring your programming, IT, and database skills to help with tasks ranging from regular maintenance to groundbreaking research work. Positions will be tailored to skill sets and volunteer availability.

Interested in engaging with guests on the public floor, but have limited time to dedicate to volunteering? The Special Engagement Volunteer (SEV) role is a pared-down version of our docent role.

The Special Engagement Volunteer is a public-facing role that supports the Academy's Public Programs team via informal and interactive engagement with guests. You can find more information about our Public Programs Roles here.

Do you have an interest in birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, or arachnids? Terrestrial Husbandry Volunteers assist staff in many of the tasks involved in routine animal husbandry of the terrestrial animals who call the Academy home. This role may involve working inside the Academy's rainforest, so is best suited to those who are comfortable working in hot and humid environments.

Keeping our living collections healthy and thriving means making sure that their habitats are cared for as well! Water Quality Volunteers learn to assist in conducting water quality tests on samples they collect from exhibits throughout Steinhart Aquarium. Do you have experience in a laboratory setting and an interest in helping the Academy to care for our living collection? Come join the Water Quality Team!