Volunteer Information


Save the Dates - 2025

  • Middle School, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025
  • High School, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025
Sign up to volunteer!

Volunteer opportunities include: 

  • Moderators
  • Scorekeepers
  • Judges/timekeepers
  • General volunteers (e.g., greeters, t-shirt/team bag table, volunteer room, volunteer food, room monitor, door holders, set-up crew, pack-op crew, lobby activity tables, information table, score room, runner, family lounge attendant, team food monitor)

For detailed descriptions of each of the volunteer duties and responsibilities please visit the U.S. Department of Energy Science Bowl webpage.

Before the events, we have Friday night set-ups. It only takes a few hours, and snacks and beverages are included! 

Saturday volunteers are provided breakfast, lunch and snacks depending on shift time. For a detailed list of volunteer time slots, see the Volunteer Shift Times section, below. 

Please email Mike Campbell, Science Bowl Volunteer Coordinator, if you have any questions.

Volunteer Job Descriptions

  • Officiant - judges/timekeepers: setting/resetting buzzer lights, use stopwatch to monitor time during competition, collaborate and make judgements during competitions
  • Officiant - moderators: read questions during team competitions, keep the competitions moving along, make the tough calls when teams interrupt or blurt out answers and reign in disruptions from the audience
  • Officiant - scorekeepers: fill out scoreboard during competitions
  • Friday night set up: competition room set-up  
  • Early morning set-up: arrive by 5:30 am
  • Photography assistant: help BPA staff photographer during team check-in
  • Breakfast for student teams: protect for competitors only; tidy up
  • Friends and family lounge monitor: provide a relaxing atmosphere for competitors' friends and family; tidy up 
  • Door holder: opens the doors for attendees
  • Runners: staffed by kids aged 10 years and up – running scores from competition rooms to score room
  • Lobby activity and information tables: information and check in and team t-shirt/bag distribution
  • Score room: data entry of scores into system
  • Greeters and stair monitors: greet competitors with high energy and direct traffic
  • Team's lunch cooler monitor: label and watch over the team lunch coolers while they compete
  • Volunteer room coordinators: checking in volunteers, passing out volunteer gear, answering questions and tracking down missing officiants
  • Catering monitor for three buildings: making sure we receive the food we have ordered
  • Tear-down and inventory crew: breaking down rooms after competition, starting at 1:30 pm

Informational Links

Volunteer Shift Times

The following shifts are available on event day; the 6:30 a.m. shifts have a check-in time of 6:00 a.m.

  • Half Day 6:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Full Day 6:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (greatest need)
  • Afternoon 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (general volunteers only)
  • Extended FULL Day 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (includes final competition and post-competition clean-up)

Volunteers are also needed for Friday night set-up, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

After sign-ups conclude, you may be contacted by our volunteer coordinator to fill a different time slot based on scheduling needs. Shift assignments will be finalized in Jan. 2025.

Volunteer Training

Volunteer Resources