Volunteers range from undergraduate students to retired educators, computer programmers to chemists, and writers to electricians. HVO provides free lodging for as many as 9 volunteers at a time in a fully-furnished cottage 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.
Volunteers are also responsible for all food and health-care costs.
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. HVO supports a variety of volunteer opportunities. Check the categories of work listed below for detailed descriptions of volunteer opportunities available at HVO and to submit an application form to supervisors. 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.