Volunteer
Opportunities

Exhibit – Model Shop Volunteer

This volunteer would primarily help with making wildflower and other plant models – being part of an assembly line including vacuum-forming, cutting out leaves, petals, etc., assembly (including small pieces), and painting.

Volunteer MUST:

• Have fine motor skills/steady hand for detail work. Good sense of scale and accuracy.
• Good sense of color and painting ability.
• Experience as an artist/craftsperson very helpful.
• Patience for the process – good attention span.
• Experience with an airbrush a plus!

Would be good to be able to work one or 2 days a week, depending on hours available per day (four to six hours a week would be good).

Animal Resources – Bat Volunteer

The bat volunteer will assist the Animal Resources staff in feeding bats, cleaning enclosures, performing health checks, providing enrichment, and performing bat flight programs.

Volunteer MUST:

• Have a background in working with bats.
• A current rabies vaccine or titer is required.

Would be good to be able to work one or 2 days a week.

Animal Resources Volunteer

The Animal Resources volunteer will assist the Animal Resources staff in feeding animals, cleaning enclosures, performing health checks, providing enrichment, and performing animal programs.

Volunteer MUST:

• Have a background in working with various animals, including snakes, turtles, and bugs.

Would be good to be able to work one or 2 days a week.

Collections and Research – Zoology Volunteer

Department: Collections and Research

Status: Ongoing

Term: Long-term

Volunteer Title: Study Skin Preparator

Purpose: to assist in the daily operations of the zoology department including, processing, cataloging, data entry, and on-going care/maintenance of zoology collections, and cleaning/organizing of collection and laboratory areas.

Background: Cincinnati Museum Center’s zoology collections include birds, mammals, herps (reptiles/amphibians), fish, insects, and shells. These collections include both dry and fluid preserved collections, with some specimens dating back over 100 years. Collections are managed for both research and education purposes, as well as potential exhibit. Volunteers are critical to help museum staff keep up with daily activities in the collections.

Location: Geier Collections and Research Center – 760 West Fifth St, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203

Key Responsibilities:

• Preparing animal carcasses for inclusion in the collection.
• Maintaining catalog records.
• Monitor collections for evidence of pests, mold, damaged housing (cabinets, jars, etc.), missing labels, etc.
• Helping museum staff to keep work and collection areas clean and well-organized.
• Assist in electronic record keeping for the collection.
• Assist staff in preparation of specimens for loans and/or exhibits.

Requirements:

• Ability to access MyImpactPage.com (MIP) to self-manage your volunteer schedule and required training materials or otherwise arrange access through Volunteer & Intern Services.
• Scheduling flexibility and capacity to notify supervisor of sudden absences.
• Must be able to work as part of a team.
• Must be able to perform technical work, make careful observations and record data legibly and accurately.
• Must have strong organizational skills and be attentive to detail.
• Must be able to lift weight of at least 25 pounds.

Reports To: Dr. Heather Farrington – Curator of Zoology; Dr. Emily Imhoff – Zoology Collections Manager

Time Commitment: Minimum 40 hours per calendar year.

Benefits:

• Free admission to all permanent CMC exhibits and access to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
• Free parking at Cincinnati Museum Center locations.
• Discounts at food locations.
• Invitations to select exhibit previews, special events and lectures.
• Professional development, training opportunities and work experience.
• Complimentary CMC membership with set hour contributions.
  • CMC Individual Membership: 100+ hours in a fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).

Dress Code: Casual – clothes may get dusty/dirty

Age Requirement: Minimum – 18 years old

Collections and Research – Zoology Data Entry Volunteer

Department: Collections and Research

Status: Ongoing

Term: Long-term

Volunteer Title: Study Skin Preparator

Purpose: to assist Zoology staff in a long-term effort to digitize collection holdings for access by the global research community and the public.

Background: Cincinnati Museum Center’s zoology collections include birds, mammals, herps (reptiles/amphibians), fish, insects, and shells. These collections include both dry and fluid preserved collections, with some specimens dating back over 100 years. Collections are managed for both research and education purposes, as well as potential exhibit. Volunteers are critical to help museum staff keep up with daily activities in the collections.

Location: Geier Collections and Research Center – 760 West Fifth St, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203

Key Responsibilities:

• Transcribing data from paper catalogs to digital format (currently Excel, but will ultimately use the museum’s internal database system).
• Updating outdated species designations to match current taxonomic assignments.
• For some collections, catalog data are incomplete, so volunteers must access original field notes and catalogs to collect specimen information.
• Linking digital images of specimens to their electronic records.
• Assist in electronic record keeping for the collection.

Requirements:

• Ability to access MyImpactPage.com (MIP) to self-manage your volunteer schedule and required training materials or otherwise arrange access through Volunteer & Intern Services.
• Scheduling flexibility and capacity to notify supervisor of sudden absences.
• Must be able to work as part of a team.
• Must be able to perform technical work, make careful observations and record data legibly and accurately.
• Must have strong organizational skills and be attentive to detail.
• Must be able to lift weight of at least 25 pounds.

Reports To: Dr. Heather Farrington – Curator of Zoology; Dr. Emily Imhoff – Zoology Collections Manager

Time Commitment: Minimum 40 hours per calendar year.

Benefits:

• Free admission to all permanent CMC exhibits and access to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
• Free parking at Cincinnati Museum Center locations.
• Discounts at food locations.
• Invitations to select exhibit previews, special events and lectures.
• Professional development, training opportunities and work experience.
• Complimentary CMC membership with set hour contributions.
  • CMC Individual Membership: 100+ hours in a fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).

Dress Code: Casual – clothes may get dusty/dirty

Age Requirement: Minimum – 18 years old

Collections and Research – Study Skin Preparator Volunteer

Department: Collections and Research

Status: Ongoing

Term: Long-term

Volunteer Title: Study Skin Preparator

Purpose: to assist Zoology staff in clearing the backlog of bird and mammal specimens that need to be prepared for inclusion in the collection.

Background: Cincinnati Museum Center’s zoology collections include birds, mammals, herps (reptiles/amphibians), fish, insects, and shells. These collections include both dry and fluid preserved collections, with some specimens dating back over 100 years. Collections are managed for both research and education purposes, as well as potential exhibit. Volunteers are critical to help museum staff keep up with daily activities in the collections.

Location: Geier Collections and Research Center – 760 West Fifth St, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203

Key Responsibilities:

• Preparing animal carcasses for inclusion in the collection – including preparation of skins, spread wings, skeletal material, and/or tissue samples.
• Helping to maintain freezer inventories and log in new specimen donations.
• Assist in maintaining our skeleton prep facility by monitoring/caring for our dermestid beetle colony and/or maceration set-up.
• Maintaining catalog/electronic records for prepared specimens.
• Rotating specimens through freezer quarantine and filing newly prepared specimens into permanent storage.

Requirements:

• Ability to access MyImpactPage.com (MIP) to self-manage your volunteer schedule and required training materials or otherwise arrange access through Volunteer & Intern Services.
• Scheduling flexibility and capacity to notify supervisor of sudden absences.
• Must be able to work as part of a team.
• Must be able to perform technical work, make careful observations and record data legibly and accurately.
• Must have strong organizational skills and be attentive to detail.
• Must be able to lift weight of at least 25 pounds.

Reports To: Dr. Heather Farrington – Curator of Zoology; Dr. Emily Imhoff – Zoology Collections Manager

Time Commitment: Minimum 40 hours per calendar year.

Benefits:

• Free admission to all permanent CMC exhibits and access to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
• Free parking at Cincinnati Museum Center locations.
• Discounts at food locations.
• Invitations to select exhibit previews, special events and lectures.
• Professional development, training opportunities and work experience.
• Complimentary CMC membership with set hour contributions.
  • CMC Individual Membership: 100+ hours in a fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).

Dress Code: Casual – clothes may get dusty/dirty

Age Requirement: Minimum – 18 years old