Volunteer
Job Description
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is seeking enthusiastic astronomy volunteers for the 2021 season! Come be part of a team dedicated to preserving our night skies for future generations in an International Dark Sky Park!
Half the park is after dark! Night at Great Sand Dunes can include dunes exploration under a bright full moon, viewing thousands of stars on a clear moonless night, listening for owls along the foothills, or observing migrating amphibians on a wet night.
With a combination of dry air, little light pollution, and high elevation, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is an excellent dark sky viewing location! In 2019, Great Sand Dunes was certified as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association.
Night Sky Volunteers use telescopes and naked-eye star tours to share their knowledge and enthusiasm of the dark night sky and the sun. Multiple times a week rangers and volunteers present at the amphitheater inside the Pinon Flats Campground located inside the National Park from 7pm – 11pm (start times depend on sunset times). Several days a week, rangers and volunteers also gives solar telescope programs at the visitor center where they teach about the nearest star to us, Sol.
All telescopes and equipment are provided by the park. The use of personal equipment may be considered.
If you join the volunteer program team at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, you spend the season living next to the tallest dunes in North America! The sand dunes are the centerpiece in a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, conifer and aspen forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Experience this diversity through hiking, sand sledding, splashing in Medano Creek, wildlife watching, and more!
Enjoy amazing scenery in beautiful Colorado, too. Activities in the surrounding area include: hiking, camping, hot springs, wildlife viewing, stargazing, and outstanding solitude. Alamosa is nearby (34 miles) with access to groceries, shopping, health clinics, movie theaters, restaurants, and Adams State University. The park will issue shirts, jackets, and baseball caps to be returned at the end of the season. Due to remoteness reliable personal transportation and a valid driver’s license are required. Laundry facilities are available at the park.
An RV pad (25 feet max length) with sewer, water and electric (30 amp) hookups will be available.
Volunteer positions are subject to sudden termination or cancellation based on the changing condition and regulations placed to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Volunteers will support both the National Park Service mission and our goal of night sky protection by:
- Setting up and operating telescopes during evening astronomy programs
- Leading daytime solar viewing sessions
- Making informal visitor contacts about night skies and other park resources
- Assisting with astronomy program logistics
- Assisting in the planning and implementing of the park’s Annual Star Party
- Occasionally helping staff the visitor center information desk.
- Occasionally help with other park projects and events.
The typical workweek for a single volunteer living inside the park will be 32 – 40 hours. Volunteer couples typically work 16 – 20 hours each, per week. The free RV pad for volunteers requires a minimum of 32 hours of service per week.
Depending on the interests and skills of the volunteer, additional opportunities to get involved in the park’s interpretation, visitor services, and resource management programs may be available.
Great Sand Dunes is seeking volunteers with a scientific knowledge of astronomy and a passion for communicating it to the public.
The ideal applicant will:
- be familiar with the night sky and sun
- have a working knowledge or ability to learn how to operate a variety of telescopes
- be able to readily identify and point out prominent stars and constellations
- be willing to learn about and utilize NPS interpretation techniques
- be willing to learn and interpret both the science and culture of the stars
- be outgoing
- be flexible
- be self-motivated
- be knowledgeable
- be approachable
- be good public speaker
Volunteers are encouraged to use the park’s telescopes. If the volunteer chooses to bring and use their own telescopes, the park is not responsible for damages to personal equipment.
- Conservation Education
- Drivers License
- General Assistance
- Public Speaking
- Teaching
- Visitor Information
- Working with People
The campground sits at an elevation of 8,200 feet. The highest elevation in the park is 13,604′. Some people experience headaches, dehydration, fatigue, sleeplessness, rapid heartbeat, and shortness of breath at this altitude. Drink plenty of liquids, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and move slowly until your body acclimates over a day or two.
At this elevation, the sun is more intense and skin can burn easily. Sunscreen is highly recommended, especially for those that have sensitivities to sun exposure.
Visit the park’s website to learn about average weather conditions to expect each month of the year.