U.S. Geological Survey - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory - History

Volunteers range from undergraduate students to retired educators, computer programmers to chemists, and writers to electricians. People come from around the world to volunteer at HVO. Hawai`i's active volcanoes and natural beauty make the volunteer positions very popular and highly competitive.

If you are not a citizen of the United States the USGS Exchange Visitor Program will enable you to collaborate and work with USGS scientists, similar to volunteers.

HVO provides free lodging for as many as 7 volunteers at a time in a fully-furnished house about 4 km from the Observatory. Volunteers staying in our guest house must be willing to work for at least three months on a full-time basis. Transportation is provided between the house and HVO, but volunteers are responsible for all non-work-related travel expenses (travel to and from Hilo, Hawai`i, and travel on the Big Island and neighboring islands). Volunteers are also responsible for all food and health-care costs.

Many of the volunteer positions require work in the field, sometimes in remote areas of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and other parts of the Big Island. For these positions, volunteers often must hike several kilometers over rough and irregular ground in hot, humid conditions, or sometimes in raw, bone-chilling cold and wet weather high on the volcanoes. Also, some of the field sites are near active fumaroles, and many sites are intermittently swept by the plume of sulfur dioxide gas from the Pu`u `O`o vent--the noxious plume poses a health hazard by aggravating preexisting respiratory ailments (for more information about the plume, see Volcanic air pollution--a hazard in Hawai`i).

Volunteer information

• How to become a volunteer
• HVO housing in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park
• Examples of volunteer experiences
• About HVO
• About the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

Type & date of volunteer work and opportunities at HVO There are a total of 7 spaces available in the HVO cottage. The number of spaces available in the next few months are as follows: 4 spaces in April, 3 in May, none in June, July, and August, 5 in September, and 6 in October 2006. HVO supports a variety of volunteer opportunities. Although each volunteer is assigned to a research or support group and supervised by an HVO staff member, volunteers are provided with opportunities to learn about the other research activities at HVO. Check the categories of work listed below for detailed descriptions of volunteer opportunities available at HVO and to submit an application form to supervisors. You may also submit an application to all supervisors (see last entry in table below). Type of Work Next Available Opening Seismology   Now Geodesy (deformation)   Now Gas Geochemistry   Now Kilauea Geology   None available Mauna Loa Geology   September 2006 Geophysics   None available USGS volcano websites   None available Library   Now Electronics/carpentry   Now GIS   Now All HVO Work   See dates above

Volunteer opportunities with the Federal Government are available to both citizens and non-citizens.

Some universities and other educational institutions will grant academic credit for participation in volunteer projects. Student volunteers are personally responsible for making all arrangements with their instructors or department heads. The Federal Government will cooperate in this process by providing a record of specific service upon request.

• Other USGS Volunteer Opportunities
• USGS Employment Information Center