become a
volunteer

be the heart of discovery: volunteer at SNCO

Volunteers are at the heart of the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory (SNCO), supporting our mission to inspire curiosity, foster conservation, and connect our community with the natural world. With opportunities ranging from wildlife care and environmental education to astronomy, native plant restoration, visitor services, and sustainable retail, there’s a meaningful role for everyone to make a difference. Read the volunteer role descriptions below, and if any pique your interest, we invite you to apply today to become part of our passionate community.

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Start your journey now! Click on the volunteer titles below to read the role description, learn about schedules and note any age restrictions.

Our resident wildlife has the job of acting as representatives of their species. Birds of prey, ducks, quail, reptiles, and amphibians give visitors up-close opportunities to learn about wildlife and how to advocate for their conservation. If you can see yourself helping care for our ambassador wildlife, maintaining the cleanliness of enclosures, prepping diets, and interpreting their natural history facts to visitors, join us as an Animal Care volunteer.
Schedule: 7 days a week, 9am-12pm
Ideally, volunteers must be able to commit to at least one weekly three-hour shift.
*Must be 16+ and proximity to carnivore animal ambassadors is reserved for volunteers over 18.
Educational programming sits at the heart of our mission at SNCO. Our Education staff are looking for volunteers to help them run field trips, summer camps, and homeschool days with themes in a variety of natural science and astronomy curriculums. If you are passionate about helping to inspire the world’s future conservationists/astronomers and enjoy nature walks, making crafts, and hands-on science, consider becoming an Education Program volunteer.
There is no minimum time commitment. Program offerings change throughout the year and sessions can last anywhere between 1-4 hours.
Our nature center is full of opportunities to discover, explore, and connect with the natural world. Naturalist volunteers help bring these experiences to life by engaging visitors, answering questions about local plants, wildlife, and landscapes, and helping visitors dive deeper into scientific inquiry regarding those observations. If you enjoy sharing your knowledge of the natural world, connecting with people, and sparking curiosity about the environment around us, consider joining us as a Naturalist volunteer
Schedule: The Nature Center is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10am-3pm, with two 2.5-hour volunteer shifts available each day.
*All ages welcome, volunteers under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The front desk is the first point of contact for visitors exploring SNCO! Front Desk volunteers help create a welcoming experience by greeting guests, processing admissions, answering general questions, and orienting visitors to the nature center’s campus and offerings. If you enjoy interacting with people, providing great customer service, and helping visitors make the most of their experience, consider joining us as a Front Desk volunteer. Basic money-handling skills and comfort using a point-of-sale (POS) system are required.
Schedule: The Nature Center is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10am-3pm, with two 2.5-hour volunteer shifts available each day.
*Ages 18 +

Nature Center Volunteers

If you are passionate about astronomy education and would like to learn how to operate state-of-the-art telescopes to inspire guests to love the night sky, you might find a nocturnal home at the Observatory.
Our Observatory boasts the largest collection of telescopes available for public use in the country (possibly the universe)! Sunriver’s status as an international Dark Sky community makes for ideal conditions for our Observatory staff and volunteers to guide visitors in viewing distant stars, planets, globular clusters, and galaxies. No previous telescope operating experience required, just a willingness to learn!
Schedule: Public observatory programs happen year-round Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights with more nights of operation in the summertime. Start times are dependent on sunset but range between 7pm and 9pm with shifts lasting 3 hours.
*Teenagers welcome, volunteers under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
If you like to get your hands dirty tending to seedlings growing to create more biodiverse landscapes in our neighborhoods, join us at our native plant nursery, Project Ponderosa.
Project Ponderosa supports the restoration of native Ponderosa Pine trees in the Sunriver community and the Upper Deschutes River ecosystem. Nursery volunteers help grow and care for Ponderosa Pine seedlings that will contribute to forest health, habitat restoration, and greater forest diversity. If you enjoy working with plants and supporting local conservation efforts, consider joining us as a Project Ponderosa Nursery volunteer!
Schedule: Fridays 10am-2pms
*All ages welcome, volunteers under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
Looking for a community of people focused on sustainability? Contribute your time at the Second Tern Thrift Store where we turn donated items into curated gems, all proceeds of those directly funding SNCO operations.
The Second Tern Thrift hosts SNCO’s largest number of volunteers. From unloading and sorting donations, pricing items, organizing store displays, and assisting customers, volunteers work with staff to facilitate every aspect of the retail thrift store’s operations. Volunteer roles are organized by store departments such as clothing, linens, kitchen/décor, electronics, furniture, sporting goods, tools, books, jewelry, and more!
Schedule: The thrift store is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10am-3pm, with volunteer shifts from 9am-3pm. There are also volunteer workdays on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am-3pm. Ideally, volunteers commit to at least a three-hour shift weekly.
*Ages 16+

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Donate today to help Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory grow! Our mission is to inspire people of all ages to fall in love with nature and to reach for the stars.