Volunteer Opportunities
for Adults & Youth
Come to an informational orientation and find out more!
Adults
These are programs that are available to ZooGuides who have completed training and made a volunteer commitment to the Oregon Zoo. Please call (503) 220-2783 for information about becoming involved as an adult volunteer.
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Spring | |
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Summer | |
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Fall | |
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Winter | |
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Year-round | |
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Referral only -- Contact Volunteer Coordinator | |
| Steller Cove Crew | |
| Serve as an interpreter for all of the marine wildlife. Help answer questions for the public about the Steller sea lions, sea otters and the tide pool sea life. | |
| Information Booth | |
| Staff the information booth. Assist visitors, lost parents, and tourists. Distribute information on our many zoo programs. | |
| Library Assistance | |
| Help manage the zoos volunteer library. Organize books and magazines. Help identify resources as requested. | |
| Marketing Assistance | |
| Work with the zoos marketing staff to promote the zoo. Assist the media relations officer, or help plan special events. | |
| Outpost | |
| Be an ambassador with the zoos Outpost. This traveling exhibit visits fairs, shopping malls, and community events throughout the Portland area and sometimes out of town. Bring along animals, insects, specimens, activities, and occasionally our PGE Birds of Prey Show. | |
| Photo Committee | |
| Take photos and videos of zoo events and programs that are supported by volunteers. | |
| Overnights/ZooSnooze/Camperoo | |
| Implement after hours programming for youth groups and families on the zoo grounds. One of the innovative educational opportunities at the Zoo. | |
| Program Animal Care | |
 Help keepers care for animals used in education programs and Zoomobiles. |
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| Pygmy Goat Barn | |
 Share your enjoyment and knowledge of the pygmy goats. During the spring and autumn seasons answer questions of zoo visitors and care for the goats in the contact area. |
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| Security | |
| Help our security staff at events. Act as a visible deterrent to unacceptable behavior. Help provide a safe and healthy environment for visitors and our animals. | |
| Show Programs | |
| A limited number of openings are available in the exciting PGE Birds of Prey and Living History presentations. An additional training program gives you the opportunity to assist the trainers, care for the animals, and make presentations. | |
| Speakers Bureau | |
| Tell the community about your zoo. Visit clubs, civic groups, community centers, and other organizations and talk about the zoo. | |
| Animal Management | |
| Work with keepers cleaning and feeding exhibit animals. Special training, education, and experience required. You must volunteer for six months to one year before being placed. | |
| Animal Talks | |
| Present short talks to visitors on the zoo grounds. Talk about penguin antics, elephant personalities, chimpanzee interactions, and more. | |
| Breakfast with the Beasts | |
| Provide a continental breakfast and act as guides for this early morning educational program for adults featuring a close-up behind-the scenes look at the zoo. | |
| Calliope | |
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| Concerts | |
| Help out with concert performances during the summer. Where else can you have animals, music, and community all at the same time? | |
| Events | |
 Help and manage the many special activities on zoo grounds. Help with Packys birthday party, new exhibit openings, ZooLights, and other events throughout the year. |
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| Free Tuesday | |
| Plan and implement special activities for the second Tuesday of each month, which is free to the public from 1 p.m. to closing. Provide environmental messages for a diverse audience. | |
| Gardening | |
| Work with gardeners or be a plant inventory worker. Several opportunities exist to help the zoos gardening crew. | |
| Staff Assistance | |
| A call for help often comes from zoo offices. Assist with many tasks in the administrative offices. | |
| Tours | |
| Take groups on organized tours of the zoo as requested. Catered, youth, school groups, and new volunteers during training are some of the requested tours. | |
| Train Wash | |
| During the summer months the train needs special washing and cleaning. A fun way to spend a lazy summer morning and help your zoo. | |
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V.A.S.T.
(Visitor and Animal Studies Team) |
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| Visitor and animal behavior research studies for the zoos Animal Management and Design Services Division. Special training is required. | |
| Wild in the City | |
| Volunteer drivers escort families to discover and explore wild areas throughout the greater Portland area. Share the wonders of nature and help spread the zoos conservation message. | |
| ZooDoer | |
| Be a reporter, layout artist, or cartoonist for the volunteer monthly newsletter. | |
| Zoo Experiences | |
| Develop the content and conduct these animal related classes for children and their parents. We currently have 30 different offerings and we are adding more all the time. | |
| Zoomobiles | |
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Nursing Home Zoomobile: Take live animals and a slide show to nursing homes and retirement facilities. (Fridays, Saturdays) Special Education Zoomobile: Visit special education classrooms with our program animals. (Mondays) School Zoomobile: Give specialized presentations in kindergarten through third grade classrooms. (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays) |
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| Zoo Parent Program | |
| Contribute to the zoos conservation effort by helping to track and generate interest in the community for individuals that wish to become a "parent" for one of the Zoo animals. | |
| Zoo Puppeteers | |
| A new show for ZooLights is planned each year. Stories are animal related and designed for volunteer and audience enjoyment. | |
Ride or drive the zoos old fashioned calliope in local neighborhood parades. Promote the zoo around the Portland Metro area.
Take small animals on the road. For more youth volunteer information call (503) 220-2449
| ZooTeens | |
| Young adults age 13-17 trained to do presentations with small mammals and reptiles for zoo visitors. Apply in January of the year you are interested in working. | |
| Explorers | |
| A co-educational, career education post of the Boy Scouts for teens interested in zoology and related fields. | |
For more information about adult volunteer opportunities call (503) 220-2783; for youth volunteer information call (503) 220-2449.