The following are general descriptions of volunteer positions within the New Mexico State Parks volunteer program. Each park may have an emphasis on specific duties, and some duties may overlap based on individual park need.

Administrative Assistant:

Assist park administrative staff in overall operation and management of park office. Perform routine clerical tasks such as filing, data entry, responding to telephone inquiries about the park and taking messages for staff, scheduling and accepting reservations for facilities, mailing correspondence, and assisting in park survey procedures. Perform light office maintenance duties. Volunteers shall not perform any duties, which the public may construe as law enforcement. Duties are subject to change based on park specific needs.

General Qualifications or Special Skills:

Knowledge of office procedures, filing, alphabetizing and arithmetic. Ability to perform a wide variety of clerical tasks accurately, understand and follow instructions, extract information from files and interpret park policy and operations. Computer skills are a plus.

Campground Host:

Provide information to visitors regarding facilities surrounding areas and park regulations, verify fee payments, and collect fees. Other tasks may include facility maintenance, checking comfort stations for cleanliness and supplies, assisting staff with projects such as park surveys and reservation system procedures. May be required to operate lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws and electric hand tools. May drive state vehicle (with permission from General Services Department, and if possessing a valid Drivers License from any state and after successful completion of an approved Defensive Driving Course). Volunteer shall not perform any duties, which the public may construe as law enforcement. Duties are subject to change based on park specific needs.

General Qualifications or Special Skills:

Willingness to work with park staff, other volunteers and visitors. Must maintain a positive image when dealing with the public. Experience in handling tools necessary. Must be able to count money and give change. Must have current driver’s license and proof of vehicle insurance.

Interpretive Assistant:

Assist parks or interpretive rangers with interpretive duties, including one or more of the following: Coordinate or arrange interpretive programs by recruiting and scheduling speakers to conduct presentations or activities on topics related to park cultural or natural resources. Assist speakers with program logistics. Research, prepare and assemble interpretive materials and handouts. Develop and conduct interpretive programs or presentations for park. Assist with park-specific resource inventory or research. Assist with exhibit design and layout. Volunteer shall not perform any duties that the public may construe as law enforcement. Duties are subject to change based on park specific needs.

General Qualifications or Special Skills:

Ability to research materials and information related to cultural or natural resources. Must have experience or education in one of various cultural or natural resources fields. Strong and creative communication skills and interpersonal skills are necessary to recruit program presenters and to conduct interpretive presentations. Desire to share knowledge of cultural or natural resources or related topics.

Maintenance Volunteer:

Assist park staff in the daily operation of the park including special projects. May perform minor repairs on vehicles, equipment, park facilities and spot maintenance on campsites. Some construction work conducted for repairs and special projects. Other duties may include cleaning grills, digging, painting, carpentry, welding, watering trees and shrubs, pruning and weed control, facility maintenance, litter pickup and checking comfort stations for cleanliness and supplies. May be required to operate lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws and electric hand tools. May drive state vehicle (with permission from General Services Department, and if possessing a valid Drivers License from any state and after successful completion of an approved Defensive Driving Course). Volunteer shall not perform any duties, which the public may construe as law enforcement. Duties are subject to change based on park specific needs.

General Qualifications or Special Skills:

Willingness to work with staff, other volunteers, and park visitors. Must maintain a positive image when dealing with the public. Must be knowledgeable or experienced in basic maintenance and construction, and use of power and hand tools. Must be safety conscious. Current Driver’s License and proof of vehicle insurance is required.

Night Sky Interpreter:

Duties fall in three categories depending on particular circumstances at each park: 1) Provide interpretive programs: Research, prepare and present night sky interpretive programs to park visitors; Take night sky programs to area schools. 2) Support park staff: Train parks staff on how to interpret the night sky, how to communicate with the public and how to use equipment; Advise parks staff on equipment purchase and maintenance. 3) Protect resources. As part of interpretive programs, send message of night sky protection; Investigate light pollution issues in and around the park.

General Qualifications or Special Skills:

Position requires strong communication skills and must have experience or education of the night sky to be proficient in communicating complex concepts to park visitors and other non-experts. In general, volunteer should work with one specific park at a time to schedule programs and campsite needs. Events will typically be scheduled on a particular weekend, and parks will provide a free campsite to interpreter for that weekend. Interpreter must have all the night sky equipment he/she needs to conduct programs.

Site Steward:

Work with park staff to monitor historic and prehistoric properties in State Parks. On a regular basis, steward will visit historic or prehistoric sites or historic buildings, record condition, and report evidence of natural or human caused damage. Site Steward may also research, map, draw, photograph cultural resource or provide other assistance according to steward’s talents or interests or the needs of the resource.

General Qualifications or Special Skills:

Interest or experience in New Mexico history and cultural resources. Good observational and documentation skills. Willingness to work and communicate with park staff and prepare periodic reports. Interest in and/or knowledge of cultural resource protection laws and guidelines. Some hiking may be involved.

Boating Volunteer:

Assist Boating officers with any combination of the following: Provide information services to boat users in an effort to promote boating safety and the use of facilities in boating area of lake, including buoy navigational system, boat ramps, courtesy dock, wind warning lights and hazards in the lake. Assist at boat ramp (e.g. ramp master duties, Courtesy marine Examinations and information dissemination). May assist with boating safety education program once qualified. Assist marine Enforcement Officer (MEO) in maintaining a secure and safe distance between patrol boat and boat being detained. Assist MEO with conducting boating inspections and during search and rescue attempts. In such instances where there is a victim, volunteer may be required to assist in lifting the victim onto patrol boat. Volunteer will assist officer in securing patrol boat to shoreline.

Other related duties may be maintenance of courtesy docks, buoys; wind warning lights, boating training facility, and landscaping, and special projects. Some office duties may be required. May drive state vehicle (with permission from General Services Department and if possessing a valid driver’s license from any state, and after successful completion of a Defensive Driving Course). Boating volunteers may be authorized to operate Division vessels without the on-board supervision of the MEO or another Division employee with vessel operation authorization after completion of MEO I and II and the administration of the boating officer proficiency test. Volunteer shall not perform any duties, which the public may construe as law enforcement.

General Qualifications or Special Skills:

Must be at least 16 years of age or older and in good physical condition. May be required to lift heavy objects. Must be willing to work in adverse weather conditions year round and maintain positive image with park visitors and park staff. If volunteer is going to teach Division’s eight-hour Boating Basics course, he or she must participate in “on-the-job” classroom training and receive a positive evaluation from Division-certified boating education instructor.

Visitor Center Associate:

Assist park staff in the general operation of the visitor center and office, answer telephones and distribute maps and brochures. Provide information services to visitors regarding use of facilities, fee payment, permits, campground regulations, surrounding areas and other state parks. Assist park staff at entrance station, collecting fees, selling passes, and with reservation procedures. May assist with park surveys as needed. Volunteer shall not perform any duties, which the public may construe as law enforcement. Duties are subject to change based on park specific needs.

General Qualifications or Special Skills:

Willingness to work with staff, other volunteers and park visitors. Must maintain a positive image when dealing with the public. Must be able to count money and give change. Must be able to give directions and communicate well with others. Responsible for providing information on the park, facilities, fee structure and state park system to visitors.

Day Volunteer Positions at:

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, Carlsbad NM

• Docent
• Front Desk Volunteer
• Green House Manager
• Groundskeeper Aid
• Horticulture Aid
• Laborer
• Special Events/Project Aid
• Wildlife Rehabilitator
• Zookeeper Aid

Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, Albuquerque, NM

• Bird Walk Guide
• Greeter
• Interpretive Naturalist
• Nature Shop
• Outreach Interpreter
• Phone Committee
• Special Events
• Trail Watch Volunteer