Volunteer
Job Description
FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a093d000000TaSSAA0/astronomy-volunteer
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ADDRESS: Bryce Canyon National Park; Highway 63; Bryce, Utah 84764
DEPT: National Park Service
DATES: 4/12/2022 – 10/31/2022
DESCRIPTION:
How often do you get the chance to embrace the darkness of a wilderness park and experience a nearly pristine night sky! One of the treasured resources of Bryce Canyon is the incredible night sky, where viewing our Milky Way galaxy and thousands of stars is a nightly occurrence. Bryce Canyon is seeking an Astronomy Volunteer to help share this incredible resource with our guests!
Bryce Canyon, in addition to being a geological wonderland, has some of the darkest night skies in the state of Utah. Bryce Canyon National Park has been interpreting the night sky for over 50 years, even though we have only recently been declared a dark sky park in 2019, by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA).
For guests and staff alike, there is no shortage of scenery to marvel at and photograph. The park is open 24 hours a day for this exact reason because “half the park is after dark.”
As part of the Astronomy interpretation team, you will have the opportunity to help guests finding meaning in the night sky. We host a variety of night sky programs on a weekly basis involving telescopes and guided constellation tours. In addition to regular programing, volunteers may rove along the rim of Bryce Canyon sharing their passion with guests through informal interpretation. Lastly, volunteers may be enlisted to help with our annual Astronomy Festival, which takes place in early June.
What will you be doing?
Visitor Center Information Desk:
As an astronomy volunteer part of the duties will be answering guest questions and orienting them to the park while staffing the visitor center information desk. Because your duties will require you to come in during the mid to late afternoon, you will most likely be helping guests towards the later part of the day and then helping close the Visitor Center.
Night Sky Program:
Astro volunteers will be sharing the night sky with guests through interpretive programming. Astronomy programming at Bryce canyon includes both 15–20-minute constellation tours and star-party style telescope viewings where rangers and volunteers work together using Bryce Canyon’s fleet of telescopes to interpret objects in the night sky. We are responsible for ensuring the safety of visitors and equipment. If you prefer to use your own equipment you may elect to do so, however, the park cannot be responsible for any damage that occurs during your time here.
Equipment Operation:
As an astronomy volunteer, you will be working with a team of rangers and other volunteers to make sure operations of the night sky programs run smoothly and the guests enjoy their experience. Duties will include setting up and aligning telescopes, greeting guests, making safety announcements, breaking down all equipment at the end of the night, and recording the number of guests who attended the program.
- Assist with set up break down and operation of telescope field during astronomy nights.
- Assist guests with viewing through the telescope, while guiding their experience.
- Rove trails above the rim during the night and interpret the night sky to guests using a laser pointer.
- Design and deliver astronomy themed pop – up programming, that could be used during the day.
- Perform closing operations of the visitor center.
- Assist in answering guests’ questions while stationed at the front desk.
- Conduct independent research on astronomy themed topic to share and further educate the summer interpretive team.
Position Details:
Minimum hours per week worked: 32
Timeframe: April – October
*Minimum 3 month commitment
Primary Qualifications:
- Strong background in astronomy
- Familiarity with common night sky objects such as: constellations, deep-sky objects, planets.
- Familiarity with common astronomical events: Meteor showers, eclipses.
- Previous experience working with telescopes including set up, break down and alignment.
- Comfortable working with a team of individuals but is also self – driven and willing to work independently.
- Able to take guidance and feedback and apply it to their work.
- Previous experience with public speaking or interpretation.
- Helping guests find meaning in the night sky.
- Knowledge of the International Dark sky Associations (IDA), and what it means to be an IDA site.
- Previous experience in customer service or hospitality fields.
Secondary Qualification (Best Qualified):
- Writing and spoken proficiency in a language in addition to English.
- Has a creative passion for art, music and is willing showcase or use in programming.
- Previous experience in public telescope viewing operations.
- Passion for astronomy that could be shared with guests through programming.
- Previous experience astronomy interpretation and public astronomy events such as at a National Park, public observatory, planetarium or museum.
- Conservation Education
- Drivers License
- Public Speaking
- Research/Librarian
- Visitor Information
- Working with People
Weather and Climate
In summer the days tend to be pleasant, with daytime highs in June typically in the high 60’s to low 70’s (F), High 70’s to low 80’s in July and August, while September is similar to June. The rainy season occurs in July and August with frequent, usually brief, afternoon thunderstorms which produce heavy rain and frequent lightning. Snowstorms in April and October aren’t uncommon and may produce heavy snowfall.
During the fall and winter temperatures can be highly variable. From October to May temperatures fall below freezing nearly every night. The park experiences its coldest and snowiest periods from December through February. Spring storms in March and April can still produce heavy snowfall that may impact travel in the region. At 8,000 feet, Bryce has cold winters and weather can be severe producing more than 100 inches of snow. All staff is expected to present programs and staff outdoor contact stations, COVID dependent. We perform duties in all weather conditions, including temperatures ranging between 10 and 65 degrees in winter.
Note: Bryce Canyon National Park elevations reach 9,100 feet (2778 meters). People with heart or respiratory concerns should be especially careful to not overexert themselves.