Current Volunteer Opportunities
To apply for open volunteer opportunities,
please email application to volunteer@shellmuseum.org
or call 239-395-2233 with questions.
ADOPT-A-CLASS DOCENT
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Purpose: To educate Lee County 4th Graders about mollusks and create lifelong learners.
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Location: Various locations throughout the Shell Museum
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Responsibilities:
- Supervise students
- Educate students based on outlines
- Make each student feel empowered by acknowledging their ideas and observations
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Available shifts: 10am-12pm on field trip days. Monday through Friday.
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Minimum Time Commitment: 5 field trips per school year
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Qualifications:
- Must enjoy working with kids
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to follow lesson plan
- Experience teaching is a plus
AQUARIUM DOCENT
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Purpose: To interpret the Beyond Shells: Living Gallery for guests, answer questions, and facilitate learning. Help create a fantastic guest experience.
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Location: Ground floor, Museum
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Responsibilities:
- Answer guest questions
- Enhance guest experience with positive interactions and enthusiasm
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Available shifts: Usually 10 AM – 1 PM or 1 – 4 PM. Every day.
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Minimum Time Commitment: 2 shifts per month for 3 months
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Qualifications:
- Must be friendly, accommodating, respectful, understanding, and helpful when dealing with the public
- Must enjoy working with the public
- Must enjoy working with both children and adults
- Must have excellent communication skills and a passion for learning
AQUARIUM HUSBANDRY VOLUNTEER
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Purpose: Displaying live mollusks requires a high level of care. Help our expert aquarium husbandry staff care for these unique animals.
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Location: Ground floor of the Museum
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Responsibilities:
- Clean aquariums and associated life support system components
- Prepare a variety of animal foods
- Assist husbandry staff in other tasks and projects as needed
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Available shifts:
- Usually 8 AM – 12PM. Every day.
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Minimum Time Commitment: 1 shift per week, for 6 months
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Qualifications:
- Must have completed at least 6 months as an Aquarium Docent
- Must be able to follow detailed direction and safety protocols
- Must be able to lift 15 pounds
- Must be able to stand, bend, stoop, squat, reach, climb a ladder, work safely around water, work in hot or cold environments
- Excellent attention to detail and communication skills
GREAT HALL DOCENT
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Purpose: To educate visitors about shells and the mollusks that create them. Engage with guests and enhance guest experience while in the Museum.
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Location: Great Hall of Shells in Museum
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Responsibilities:
- Engage with guests
- Educate guests about exhibits and answer questions
- Answer general Museum questions (restroom/vending location, hours, daily programs, etc.)
- Assist guests in finding the answers to scavenger hunt questions throughout the Hall
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Available shifts: Usually 10 AM – 1 PM or 1 – 4 PM. Every day.
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Minimum Time Commitment: Two shifts per month, for 3 months.
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Qualifications:
- Must be friendly, accommodating, respectful, understanding, and helpful when dealing with the public
- Excellent communication skills
- Knowledge of mollusks or ability to learn
- Speaking a second language is a plus
GROUP TOUR DOCENT
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Purpose: To educate groups of adults or children in the Museum, creating a memorable experience and molding life-long learners.
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Location: Various locations throughout the Museum
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Responsibilities:
- Supervise guests while in the Museum
- Educate group guests
- Answer guest questions and facilitate engagement
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Available shifts: Variable. Usually 2.5 hours.
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Minimum Time Commitment: 5 group tours per year
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Qualifications:
- Must enjoy working with kids and/or adults
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to follow lesson plan
- Experience teaching is a plus
MOLLUSKS ON THE MOVE VOLUNTEER
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Purpose: To educate the students of Lee & Collier Counties about local mollusks, their identification, and their habitats. To inspire each student to get outside and explore the natural world.
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Location: Various schools throughout Lee & Collier Counties. May meet at the Museum to ride with a staff member or meet staff member at the school.
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Responsibilities:
- Assist students with shell identification
- Distribute shell identification guides to students
- Assist trip leader with logistics
- Answer general mollusk biology questions
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Available shifts: Variable, usually 5+ hours per day, but some days more than 8 hours. Usually begin before 8am. Monday through Friday
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Minimum Time Commitment: 4 per school year
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Qualifications:
- Must enjoy working with kids
- Excellent communication skills
- Fluent in Spanish a plus
- May be required to pass a background check per school district guidelines
MUSEUM STORE VOLUNTEER
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Purpose: To assist the Retail Manager with tasks as assigned in order to provide a special and enjoyable shopping experience for guests.
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Location: Museum Store at the Shell Museum.
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Responsibilities:
- Restock shelves
- Arrange items to look neat/attractive
- Greet customers and help them find merchandise
- Answer general Museum questions (restroom/vending location, hours, daily programs, etc.)
- Other miscellaneous retail store needs
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Available shifts:
- Flexible. Usually 10 AM – 1 PM or 1 – 4 PM. Every day.
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Minimum Time Commitment: 2 shifts per month, for 3 months
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Qualifications:
- Must be friendly, accommodating, respectful, understanding, and helpful when dealing with the public
- Must enjoy working with the public
- Must enjoy working with both children and adults
- Customer service experience is a plus
- Sales experience a plus
SHELL AMBASSADOR
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Purpose: To educate interested beach goers about local mollusks and ecology. To share your enthusiasm with others and help create other life-long learners.
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Location: Sanibel beaches.
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Responsibilities:
- Follow all local, state, and federal laws
- Follow all Museum policies at all time
- Responsible for your own safety
- Educate general public only after they approach you (you are not allowed to initiate engagement with anyone)
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Qualifications:
- Enthusiasm for mollusks
- Ability to learn shell identification, local beach ecology, and local laws
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Dress Code:
- Shell Ambassador shirt
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Special Notes:
- The Museum does not reimburse for beach parking fees, but does reimburse the Sanibel Causeway toll.
- Trainings are offered periodically through season (Dec – April) depending on need.
TOUCH POOL DOCENT
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Purpose: To facilitate guest engagement, educate, and supervise guests touching mollusks at the Touch Pools. Create a unique and memorable experience for guests and help foster lifelong learning.
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Location: Touch Pools in Museum
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Responsibilities:
- Supervise guests
- Ensure all guests wash hands
- Educate guests about mollusks
- Engage with all guests
- Public speaking to individuals and small groups
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Available shifts:
- Usually 10 AM – 1:30 PM or 1:30 – 5 PM (with 30 minute break). Every day.
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Minimum Time Commitment: 1 shift per week, for 3 months
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Qualifications:
- Must have completed at least 3 months as an Aquarium Docent
- Must enjoy working with both children and adults
- Excellent communication skills and a passion for learning
- Previous educating experience a plus