Volunteer at VIMS

  • Seining  Volunteer Caroline Herath catches an American eel while seining with a group of students.  © S. Maples/VIMS.
  • Boat Tour  Volunteers learn about the marine environment durring an educational outing.  © S. Maples/VIMS.
  • Poquoson Seafood Festival  VIMS graduate student Hadley McIntosh staffs the VIMS booth during the Poquoson Seafood Festival.  © S. Maples/VIMS.
  • Group Tour  Graduate students Brandon Conroy and Jami Ivory interact with students during a tour of the Zooplankton Ecology Lab.  © S. Maples/VIMS.
  • Fisheries Collection  Professor Eric Hilton talks with a guest during a tour of the VIMS Fisheries Collection.  © S. Maples/VIMS.
  • After Hours Lecture  Professor Carl Hershner addresses the audience during a VIMS After Hours lecture.  © D. Malmquist/VIMS.
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Join our efforts by volunteering at VIMS. Volunteer positions are generally available with our outreach and educational programs and occasionally with specific research programs. However, at this time, VIMS is not  taking on new volunteers. 

Volunteer positions will be posted here when they become available. Requirements for each volunteer position vary, but general requirements for all VIMS volunteers are below: 

  • Be at least 16 years of age
  • Complete safety training with the VIMS Safety Office before conducting any work as a volunteer
  • Complete required volunteer paperwork (check-in form, liability waiver, emergency contact information)
  • A volunteer position may require you to commit to a certain number of hours, such as two hours per week, 15 hours per year, or more regular hours during a certain timeframe (summer, specific sampling period, etc.)

For general questions about volunteering at VIMS, please contact Sally Brooks at sabrooks@vims.edu or 804-684-7010.