Volunteer Opportunities

Foundational Science: Beach Watch

Join Beach Watch and help gather critical data along our coastal shores, tracking wildlife, marine debris, and ocean health. This highly sought after volunteer program trains community members as shoreline scientists collecting critical information about the health of the sanctuary. This rewarding volunteer experience has built a community of ocean stewards trained to identify and record coastal wildlife, take pollution samples, and report potential sanctuary violations. Volunteer recruitment occurs approximately every two years.

Commitment: In-depth training is required to become a Beach Watch volunteer; commitment once a month to conduct beach surveys and enter data.

Beach Watch at Pinnacle Gulch

Immersive Education: Visitor Center

Join our team of visitor center volunteers to welcome guests and support immersive marine science experiences. Volunteer activities may include:

  • Greeting visitors at the welcome desk
  • Assisting with cold water aquarium care
  • Feeding aquarium animals
  • Collecting plankton samples

Volunteers work in the Greater Farallones/Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center on the Crissy Field Beach in the Presidio of San Francisco, receive training from education staff, gain marine science experience, and learn public engagement.

Commitment: Once a week for a minimum 16 weeks

Available volunteer dates: Wednesday–Sunday; Greatest need: weekend volunteers (9:30 AM – 4:30 PM)

A person sits behind a desk in the Visitor Center viewing a plankton sample on a computer monitor.

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