Adult Volunteers

Interpreters talk with guests of all ages about animals and conservation actions. They lead activities and conduct presentations with specific themes.

Department: Conservation Engagement

Staff Liaison: Amy Hale, Education Program Specialist

Summary:

Guest experience interpreters serve as informal educators. Interpreters interact with guests of all ages, telling the stories of animals, explaining conservation actions, and increasing guest’s general knowledge of nature. Interpreters also lead activities and conduct presentations with specific themes.
*Note: Interpreters do not handle or care for animals.

Responsibilities:

• Provide excellent customer service to visitors
• Educate the public on animals, conservation, and the environment
• Present activities and biofacts, provide information and facilitate visitor’s exploration
• Answer or direct general zoo questions to appropriate resources (i.e. Front Gate, Membership, comment cards, Gift Shop)

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 18 years of age
• Able and willing to interact with the public in a positive manner
• Ability to take verbal and written direction well
• Ability to work independently
• Exhibit strong written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness to work various shift times based on interpretive needs.

Training:

• Zoo orientation
• Interpretive skills training and exhibit mentoring:

Time Commitment:

• Minimum of two shifts per months and 96 hours per year
• Commitment of at least 1 year.

Applications closed. Please check back.

Volunteers support the horticulture staff in maintenance of the landscaped beds on Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium grounds.

Department: Operations: Horticulture

Staff Liaison: Bryon Jones, Lead Horticulturist

Responsibilities:

(under direction of horticulture staff)

• Assist in the maintenance of the landscaped beds on zoo grounds including pruning, trimming, weeding, mulching, and planting of new plants.
• Assist with other operations or horticulture duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 18 years of age
• Professional or advanced gardening experience
• Knowledgeable in gardening techniques and plant identifications
• Ability to perform work under all weather conditions
• Ability to lift heavy items and stand or sit for long periods of time.
• Ability to take verbal and written direction well
• Ability to work independently with a great work ethic
• Able and willing to interact with the public in a positive manner

Training:

• Zoo orientation training
• Complete on‐the‐job training from horticulture staff

Application Process:

• Approval of application and background check
• Interview with horticulture staff

Time Commitment:

• One 3‐hour shift each week ( 7am – 10am)

Applications closed. Please check back.

Applications for the 2022 season are now closed.

Classroom training:

• May 19, 11:30am-12:45pm
• May 21, 1:15pm-2:30pm

Beach training:

•  Owen Beach, May 19, 1:15pm-2:30pm
•  Titlow Beach, May 21, 3:15pm-4:15pm
• Owen Beach, June 12, 8:15am-9:15am
• Titlow Beach, June 12, 8:15am-9:15am

Only one beach training is required but you can attend more.

Beach walk naturalists educate the public about animals and share how to care for Owen Beach in Point Defiance Park.

Department: Conservation Engagement

Summary: 

During scheduled beach walks, open to the public, naturalists will help participants connect to the awe-inspiring life found at the beach. Naturalists will aid participants in beach stewardship actions, animal identification, and community science action using the iNaturalist mobile app to record the presence of marine animals.

*Note: Beach naturalists will not be working on zoo grounds.
*Additional volunteer opportunity: Tiptoe Through the Tidepool with Tacoma Nature Center at Titlow Beach.

Responsibilities:

• Provide excellent customer service to participants
• Educate groups on marine animals, beach stewardship, and community science
• Provide marine animal information and facilitate the participant’s exploration of the beach
• Facilitate recording the presence and location of animals along Owen Beach using the iNaturalist mobile app.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 16 years of age or an active participant in the Zoo Guide youth volunteer program
• Must show proof of full vaccination. Medical or religious accommodation may be available after acceptance. This is based on current Metro Parks Tacoma COVID-19 guidelines and policies.
• Able and willing to interact with the public in a positive manner
• Ability to take verbal and written direction well
• Exhibit strong verbal communication skills
• Ability to engage adults and children in an outdoor setting keeping them safe while meeting the goals of the program including beach stewardship and citizen science.
• Ability to walk 1.5 miles on rocky terrain at Owen Beach

Training:

• Must attend one classroom training and one beach training. You may attend multiple beach trainings.

Application Process:

• Acceptance as a PDZA volunteer

Time Commitment:

• Complete required trainings

Application now closed for 2022 volunteers. Please check back in 2023.

Help monitor local nest box sites on Ruston Way or Titlow Park for purple martins. Join us for a fun and informative training workshop! Learn how important these beautiful birds are to our ecosystem and how you can help monitor their populations.

Department: Conservation Engagement

Responsibilities:

• Ability to observe Purple Martins for 2 hours. This occurs 2 hours after sunrise or 2 hours before sunset.
• Observe birds for presence, breeding behaviors, or chick sightings.
• Complete datasheet form correctly, recording the presence of birds, breeding and mating behaviors, and chick sightings.
• Send in completed datasheets from observation days via mail, email, or in-person.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 18 years of age or an active participant in the Zoo Guide Youth Volunteer Program
• Ability to take verbal and written direction well
• Must show proof of full vaccination
• Gear – binoculars are required to participate; spotting scopes and field guides are ideal if you have them. We do have binoculars, scopes and guides to loan; however, it may be inconvenient to pick them up and drop them off for each monitoring session.

 Training:

• Saturday, April 2nd 2pm-4pm
• Attend one group Observation Day (TBD)

Application Process:

• The application for this year’s spot the Spot the Swallows volunteer opportunity is now closed.

Time Commitment:

• Minimum of 2 observations per month
• Each field session takes 2 hours (occurring the 2 hours after sunrise or the 2 hours before sunset) from Mid-April to Sept.

Applications are now closed.

Volunteers assist with husbandry of the major aquarium exhibits by diving under the direction of the dive safety officers.

Area: Aquariums

Supervisor(s): Gavin Wuttken, Dive Safety Officer; Heidi Wilken, Asst. Dive Safety Officer

Responsibilities:

(under direction of aquarium staff and dive safety officers)

• Removing and documenting invasive species accumulating on exhibit viewing windows and coral heads
• Lessen exhibit bio‐load through the use of sand filtration equipment and exchange of artificial coral
• Use full face dive mask with communication system to talk to guests about the animals

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 18 years of age
• Must be certified by a nationally recognized scuba organization to the level of rescue diver
• Must have a minimum of 12 dives in Washington or similar cold water environment
• Supply all dive gear and cost of dive physical
• Maintain current CPR and Oxygen Administration Certification
• Abide by all standards of the PDZA dive manual, including logging all PDZA dives and volunteer hours
• Able and willing to talk with guests in a positive manner
• Ability to take verbal and written direction well

Training:

• Complete all required dive applications and tests
• Complete zoo orientation training
• Complete on‐the‐job training for aquarium diving

Application Process

• Complete dive application process (written scuba exam, diving physical, and scuba skills evaluation)
• Acceptance as a PDZA volunteer

Time Commitment:

• One dive shift (~ 2‐3 hours) every other week OR every week depending on dive schedule
• Minimum of 60 hours per year
• Commitment of at least 1 year to the program.

Volunteers provide routine husbandry duties to the collection of aquatic species and support aquarium operations as directed by aquarium staff.

Area: South Pacific Aquarium, Pacific Seas Aquarium

Supervisor(s): Gavin Wuttken, aquarium liaison

Responsibilities:

(under direction of aquarium staff)

• Clean windows and guest areas
• Ensure clean kitchen facilities and food prep utensils
• Weigh, measure and prepare food items
• Keep accurate records
• Clean exhibit spaces
• Clean and maintain aquarium equipment
• Feed aquarium fish and invertebrates

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 18 years of age
• Aquarium husbandry and maintenance experience preferred
• Able and willing to talk with the public in a positive manner
• Ability to take verbal and written direction well
• Ability to work independently
• Exhibit strong communication skills
• Display great work ethic

Training:

• Complete zoo orientation
• Complete on‐the‐job training from Aquarium staff

Application Process:

• Acceptance as a PDZA volunteer
• Submit letter of interest to volunteer office
• Interview with aquarium staff

Time Commitment:

• One 4‐hour shift each week and a minimum of 176 hours per year
• Commitment of at least 1 year

Applications closed. Please check back.