VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR TEAM ARISIA

POSITIONS AVAILABLE for Arisia 2016

Last updated: 2015-12-27, new positions are added to top of page.

If you don't see a position you like, take a look at the Org Chart. A position without a name might be open. Also you could submit a volunteer form, and we'll try to find a position for you.

Position: Computer / Printer Wrangler(s) Needed

Responsibilities: Come help setup Arisia's Computers and Printers. We are talking roughly 8 Windows XP and Windows 7 machines (mostly laptops), and roughly 6 HP LaserJet Printers. The computers would be pre-configured and the printers pre-tested. They should just need to be plugged in, connected, and made sure they are working. But it might also involve helping some people in Ops / Sign Shop / Newsletter / etc. setup their computers to talk to the Arisia printers. It would probably also involve working with others in Ops IT who set up the network. Two-three people who have done this in the past but now have other positions at Arisia would be available for support if necessary

Time: This would involve being there on Thursday during the day and hopefully also Friday during the day. It is possible you might get by with Thursday evening and Friday day. Also, this would involve being thereon Monday to break things down. Experience with Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 7 required. Experience with HP LaserJet printers and Apple (for help setting up their computers to print) a plus.

Time: Please apply to ops-it@arisia.org

Position: Tabletop Room Host

Responsibilities: Shift Lead for tabletop game room. Escalates any issues to Area Head and/or Div-head on duty. Functions as desk monitor when necessary. Must be comfortable taking questions from attendees and answering them verbally; "people person" or extrovert ideal.

Time: Shifts available 24/7, in four-hour blocks.

Time: >Contact: Jason Schneiderman, gaming@arisia.org

Position: Tabletop Desk Monitor

Responsibilities: Checks games in and out of the library. Directs players on finding available games; directs game organizers to find assigned tables. No heavy lifting required.

Time: Shifts available 24/7, in two or four-hour blocks.

Contact: Jason Schneiderman, gaming@arisia.org

Position: Security Staffer

Responsibilities: Duties include badge/ID checking, cat herding, line wrangling, escort duties, weapons checking, assisting in necessary evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency, Implementing and carrying out the Arisia Code of Conduct, promote the overall comfort and ease of all Con-goers.

Time: Staffers who join The Watch are expected to work two different 4 hour shifts a day, making it a total of 8 hours a day. Lots of different shift times available.

Contact: Crow Meloccaro, illbemother@gmail.com

Position: Indie Game Expo Volunteer (2)

Responsibilities: The Indie Game Expo is a sub-event at Arisia in Grand A, open from 9 AM to 3 PM on Sunday. We have ~20 paying exhibitors who will be showing their analog and digital games. Duties will include:

- Sitting at an info desk in case people need help

- Getting an approximate headcount of attendees

- Potentially, directing traffic flow if the event gets too over-attended

- Facilitating postings on an indie community board

- Keeping the indie meeting area reasonably clean/orderly

- Potentially, facilitating indie meetups (e.g., reminding people if they overstay their time slot)

Physical requirements should be minimal, as the hotel will be taking care of moving all furniture. Exhibitors may request assistance moving equipment, and it's up to volunteers to decide what they are comfortable with.

Time: We're looking for two volunteers (or equivalent partial shifts) covering shifts from 8 AM to 3:30 PM (total of 7.5 hours when including setup teardown).

Contact: James Meickle, eronarn@gmail.com

Position: Team Arisia Headquarters Staff

Responsibilities: Arisia is a 100% volunteer-run convention that boasts an amazing staff of dedicated, awesome people. Help out at Team Arisia Headquarters -- Greet existing staff and potential volunteers. Log volunteer hours in spreadsheets. Re-stock snacks/drinks. Help promote volunteering throughout the convention.

Time: Flexible 6-hour shifts at con. Especially need staff for peak hours on Friday and Monday.

Contact:Terry or Mike, staffservices@arisia.org

Position: Dock Masters (2)

Responsibilities: Work at the vendor loading dock to coordinate dock traffic so as to allow for smooth traffic flow in/out of the dock area for vendors who are unloading their merchandise. Must be able to be able to work with people who have driven long distances, are tired, and are anxious to get their merchandise in/out of the dealer's room.

Time: Thursday 2 PM-10 PM, Friday 9 AM-5 PM, Monday 3 PM-9 PM

Contact: Edward Trachtenberg, dealers@arisia.org

Position: Dealer Load In/Out Assistants (4+)

Responsibilities: Assist vendors who are moving merchandise between the loading dock and their vending space in the hotel. This position can best be described as ""schlepping." Help to be given only to dealers who accept it (some people want to do it themselves). Some merchandise FRAGILE.

Time: Thursday 2PM-9PM, Friday 9AM-5PM, Monday 3PM-9PM

Contact: Edward Trachtenberg, dealers@arisia.org

Position: Dealer Room Set-Up / Tear-Down Helper

Responsibilities: Assist dealers during set-up and tear down hours to get whatever they need to make their jobs easier (add/remove tables/chairs)

Time: Thursday 2pm-9pm; Friday 9am-5pm; Monday 3-9pm

Contact: Edward Trachtenberg, dealers@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Student Art Contest Liaison

Responsibilities: Ensure that data from Student Art Contest is propagated into Art Show systems. Check that students wishing to sell their work have provided a mailing address for their check. Receive art at the convention and provide a receipt to the student. Help hang art in Student Art Contest bay. Return art to students.

Time: Requires presence in the Art Show at least between noon and 6pm Friday and between 10am and noon Monday; ideally also some Thursday night hours for dropoff and Sunday night hours for pickup. Training will be provided, including cross-training as Art Show Checkin Clerk.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Check-In Clerk

Responsibilities: Receive artists at the convention, instruct them in setting up their art, check their setup, and provide a receipt to the artist.

Time: Shifts will start at 11am Friday and run until 9pm but the time of greatest need is noon to 6pm. Training will be provided pre-con and at-con, including cross-training for pre-con trainees.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Zambia Web Developer

Responsibilities: Zambia is the open source scheduling software used by Arisia and is written and maintained entirely by Arisia volunteers. It is also used by some other cons. Zambia uses the following technologies: PHP, Javascript, HTML, MySQL, XSLT, JQuery, JQueryUI, and Bootstrap. We are looking for developers with experience with one or more of these technologies to help develop and maintain Zambia.

Time: All work is outside of con and can be as many hours as one is willing to work. Note, working as a volunteer developer can be a good way to get experience leading to a job. Someone without enough experience or qualifications to be hired may still be helpful as a volunteer.

Contact: Peter Olszowka, p.olszowka@gmail.com

Position: Art Show Volunteer Coordinator

Responsibilities: Track volunteers and shifts. Orient volunteers at con as they arrive and provide training if needed. Make sure volunteers get breaks and meals. Make sure departing volunteers know when they are needed next. Track cross-training and re-balance volunteers as needed. Interface with Volunteers division at-con. Provide redundancy in time tracking in case of lost timesheets. Act as ombudsman for Art Show staff.

Time: Must be available pre-con for cross-training

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Tally Clerk

Responsibilities: Expedite checkout process for art buyers. Training and calculation aids will be provided. Grace under pressure desired.

Time: 1.5 hour minimum time commitment. Crunch time 4-7pm Sunday, with mandatory training session at 3pm for crunch time volunteers. Additional hours available throughout the weekend. Attendance at pre-con training session strongly recommended.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Cashier (2)

Responsibilities: Collect money from art buyers. Double-check paperwork to ensure ease of artist payment post-con. We strongly desire previous experience as Art Show cashier or tally clerk, or as Arisia registration volunteer. Training and calculation aids will be provided. Grace under pressure desired.

Time: 1.5 hour minimum time commitment. Crunch time 4-7pm Sunday, with mandatory training session at 3 pm for crunch time volunteers. Additional hours available throughout the weekend. Attendance at pre-con training session strongly recommended.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Mail-In Clerk

Responsibilities: Hang and check in art for mail-in artists. Handle associated paperwork. Pack up unsold art for return at the end of the convention. Some lifting required. May require making artistic judgments.

Time: Shifts will start at 11am Friday and run until 6pm. Teardown shifts will be available Sunday evening and Monday morning. Training will be provided pre-con and at-con, including cross-training for pre-con trainees. No minimum time commitment.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Check-out Clerk

Responsibilities: Guide artists through the checkout process at the end of the convention. Time: Shifts will be available Sunday evening and Monday morning. Training will be provided pre-con and at-con, including cross-training for pre-con trainees. No minimum time commitment.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Bag Check Clerk (2)

Responsibilities: Check and retrieve bags and other oversized items for Art Show attendees. Answer questions about the Art Show and the convention in general, from a provided answer sheet. Maintain cheerful disposition, as you are the first Art Show staff a visitor encounters.

Time: 1.5 hour minimum time commitment. Shifts will be available throughout the weekend. Training will be provided pre-con and at-con, including cross-training for pre-con trainees.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Door Dragon

Responsibilities: Check that attendees have checked their bags with the bag check. Check for badges. Check credentials for those allowed in during closed hours. Assertiveness required. Time: 1.5 hour minimum time commitment. Shifts will be available throughout the weekend. Training will be provided pre-con and at-con, including cross-training for pre-con trainees.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: Art Show Receipt Checker (2)

Responsibilities: Final check, after purchase, that receipts match purchases.

Time: Sunday afternoon only, 5-7pm. Training will be provided pre-con and at-con, including cross-training for pre-con trainees.

Contact: Nicholas "phi" Shectman, artshow@arisia.org

Position: At-Con Hotel Liaison

Responsibilities: Interface with the hotel staff to ensure the smooth running of the con. For example, managing requests for water refills, temperature changes, furniture changes, etc.

Time: Ideally 8-12 hours over the course of the weekend.

Contact: Amos Meeks, am0053@gmail.com

Position: At-Con Innkeeper

Responsibilities: Help guests interface with the hotel to solve any guest room related questions or problems.

Time: Ideally 8-12 hours over the course of the weekend

Contact: Amos Meeks, hotel@arisia.org

Position: Promotions Liaison

Responsibilities: The position involves the following:
* contacting PR firms, publishers, and other businesses for interesting items to give out to our attendees and volunteers
* sorting through the items and identifying any that should go to the Team Arisia HQ (Volunteers)
* getting the items to the convention
* putting out a portion of the items at the Freebie tables and periodically refreshing the Freebie table during the convention

Time: Pre-Con: This position may involve emailing and telephoning companies during business hours and responding to them in a timely fashion. Some lifting of boxes might be required. At-Con: setup, refreshing tables daily, and tear down at end of con.

Contact: Benjamin Levy, exhibits@arisia.org

Position: Green Room Staff

Responsibilities: Food service experience is helpful but not required. Help feed our program participants and provide a relaxing place for them to chill out.

Time: Flexible. We need people for a few hours, and people for longer hours.

Contact: Fred & Suli Isaccs, food@arisia.org

Position: Con Suite Staff

Responsibilities: We need as many volunteers as possible to work flexible shifts in Con Suite, preparing and handling food to feed our convention attendees. Must have a sincere desire to feed people! Food handling and basic sanitation are helpful skills to have for this position.

Time: Con Suite is open 24 hours a day during the convention, so we need volunteers, insomniacs, awesome people to make it happen.

Contact: Fred & Suli Isaacs, food@arisia.org

Position: Food Service Staff

Responsibilities: Lifting heavy objects, driving a small truck to do food shopping for the convention. This position is crucial to making FOOD happen at Arisia. We need people to make supply runs, wash dishes, guard doors... do all the things at the con to help make the deliciousness happen!

Time: Need a number of volunteers to work 5+ hour shifts

Contact: Fred & Suli Isaacs, food@arisia.org

Position: Program AV Data Wrangler

Responsibilities: Must be able to communicate effectively via email, and have some database knowledge. Wranglers help figure out which program items need audiovisual support. Video projectors, sound systems, and other more esoteric needs are hidden in the programming database.

Time: Hours needed: 10-20.

Contact: Abby Noyce, tech@arisia.org

Position: Theatrical Tech Staff

Responsibilities: Lighting, sound, video, theatre production experience welcome, but not required!

Arisia Tech supports the panels, performances, presentations, and media that make up the convention. We build theaters into ballrooms to create performance spaces; we provide sound reinforcement and projection for panels; we run sound, lights, cameras, and backstage work for Arisia events like the Masquerade; and we welcome new people to join us.

Time: 6-20+ hours! There is pre-con work available as well - let us know if you're interested.

Contact: Abby Noyce, tech@arisia.org

Position: Program AV Staff

Responsiblities: Help set up and pack up video projectors, microphones, speaker systems, and screens in panel rooms. Requires some comfort with plugs & cables, but no specific advance notice.

Time: 6-2-+ hours, mostly in small chunks of time

Contact: Abby Noyce, tech@arisia.org

Position: Packet Assemblers

Responsibilities: Gather the schedules, welcome letter, ribbons and other contents of welcome packets, and assemble them into welcome packets for panelists, GMs, and event participants.

Time: Directly before con! This work schedule occurs Thursday and Friday morning before start of con. Maximum 6 hours.

Contact: Tom Traina, programming@arisia.org

Position: Room Counters/Runners

Responsibilities: Walk from room to room, count the attendees at a session, and provide data to Program Nexus. At certain times, counters may also be asked to replace signage in/near rooms as the schedule shifts for rooms. This is a crucial position, as it helps Arisia gather attendance data, to make our con better!

Time: Flexible work schedule: 1-1.5 hour blocks

Contact: Tom Traina, programming@arisia.org

Position: Press Liasion

Responsibilities: Be "ON DUTY" for specific hours at the convention to Greet and orient any incoming press, supply them with the press packet, obtain relevant signed forms, and answer any questions they may have about Arisia or conventions. Volunteers should be somewhat outgoing and be able to speak clearly and professionally. It is also important to have someone with a number of years of experience with Arisia, to be able to answer questions. They will need to have a working cell phone at con.

Time: Shifts during con, to be determined.

Contact: Tanya Washburn, memberservices@arisia.org

Position: Ops Desk Support

Responsibilities: Looking for friendly and energetic volunteers who have the ability to use computer resources and search through data. Volunteers must be calm and excel at troubleshooting. This position involves routing requests of varying urgency to con staff, and providing general information.

Time: Desk shifts, At-con only.

Contact: Daniel Eareckson, ops@arisia.org

Position: Sign Shop Assistant

Responsibilities: Volunteer must have the ability to lift things and handle setting up the "grid wall" -- Arisia's moveable walls -- where we post all our signs at the con. Must have spatial reasoning. Must be able to comply with Hotel signage policies.

Time: Pre-con: About 8 hours on Thursday of Con. Get some pre-con volunteer hours!

Contact: Jana Lepon Spencer, signshop@arisia.org

Position: Sign Shop Runner

Responsibilities: Tape up signs, cut out signs as necessary. Lots of walking. Must be able to comply with hotel's policies on hanging signs.

Time: Want to get some pre-con volunteer hours early? Come help us hang signs throughout the hotel on Thursday night and Friday morning of con. Your efforts will be visible all weekend long!

Contact: Jana Lepon Spencer, signshop@arisia.org

Position: Registration Staff

Responsibilties: Come join the friendly, welcoming people of Registration! As the first faces attendees see when they arrive at the convention, Registration volunteers are an incredibly important part of the Con. Reg Staff must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, and enjoy helping people.

Money handling, customer service, work under pressure, sitting for long periods of time, using a laptop.

Time: Flexible shifts at con, training pre-con

Contact: Diana Hsu, reg@arisia.org

POSITION: Webmaster

RESPONSIBILITIES: Coordinate with our Communications division to update content on Arisia's Drupal-based website for Arisia 2016.
Update website with new content as requested by other divisions and areas. Must know basic HTML, be comfortable with the command line, and have used Drupal before or have sufficient general computer-fu.

TIME: Pre-con and some At-con. Would require a couple of hours per week between now and January, when the site would need daily updates that might take an hour or two per day.

CONTACT: Rachel Kadel-Garcia, comms@arisia.org

POSITION: Tech Staff

RESPONSIBILITIES: Arisia Tech supports the panels, performances, presentations, and media that make up the convention. We build theaters into ballrooms to create performance spaces; we provide sound reinforcement and projection for panels; we run sound, lights, cameras, and backstage work for Arisia events like the Masquerade; and we welcome new people to join us. We are particularly looking for people with theatrical tech and production experience, and/or with AV experience.

TIME: There are pre-con positions available, as well as at-con.

CONTACT: Abby Noyce, tech@arisia.org

POSITION: Truck Load Director

RESPONSIBILITIES: Tell people where to put things on the truck - arrange them so that the truck is well packed. Make sure people don't break things. Check labels to make sure that things are going into the right truck load.

TIME: Wednesday January 13 pre-con, 11am-6pm or so. Monday January 18, 1pm - 8pm or so. Tuesday January 19, 9-10am.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org

POSITION: Truck Unload Director (NEED 2)

RESPONSIBILITIES: ell people where to take things as they come off the truck. Make sure people don't break things.

TIME: Thursday, January 14, noon-3pm. Monday, January 18, from 3pm-10pm.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org

POSITION: Storage Packing Director

RESPONSIBILITIES: Tell people where to put things in Storage. Will need to know, by then, how storage is arranged, but can learn it between now and then. Make sure things don't get broken and get back where they're supposed to.

TIME: Monday, January 18, 3pm-10pm. Tuesday 10am-1pm.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org

POSITION: Truck Load/Unload Workers (NEED: 8)

RESPONSIBILITIES: Pick things up and put them down again. TIME: Wednesday, January 13, 11am-6pm. Thursday, January 14, noon-6pm. Monday, January 18, noon-10pm. Tuesday, January 19, ~9am to 1pm.

LOCATION: Split between the Arisia Storage Unit and the Westin Hotel; maybe also 1 or 2 at NESFA. We can arrange to move people around.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org

*If you'd like to help with loading or unloading the trucks, you can follow the progress of the truck at "twitter.com/ArisiaLogistics *

POSITION: Truck Drivers

RESPONSIBILITIES: Drive 24' box trucks around the city. From pick-up to NESFA and Arisia storage and to the Westin Hotel.

TIME: Wednesday morning + evening, Thursday around noon (when we start unload), Thursday evening (to return one truck), Monday afternoon (when we start load), Monday evening (between hotel and storage), Tuesday morning.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org

POSITION: Personnel Logistics Drivers

RESPONSIBILITIES: Make sure that people who are working Logistics can get to/from where they need to. Must have vehicle. Ideally this should be someone who's also doing some other job for Logistics.

TIME: Wednesday morning + evening, Thursday around noon (when we start unload), Thursday evening (to return one truck), Monday afternoon (when we start load), Monday evening (between hotel and storage), Tuesday morning.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org

POSITION: At-Con Staging Room Manager

RESPONSIBILITIES: Manage the room where things are being staged as they get loaded in - make sure that signs get put up for where things will go as they are staged, tell people where their stuff is, direct crews helping areas get their gear from the staging area to where it will be used, check in/out hand carts. Communicate with Volunteers regarding changing needs for load-in volunteers. Low mobility requirements - you can mostly sit at a table.

TIME: Thursday noon - 6pm or so.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org

POSITION: At-Con Load-out Manager

RESPONSIBILITIES: Manage the room where things are being staged to load out. Check in/out hand carts, direct crews getting things from areas. Direct people to confirm that rooms are cleared and track which ones are empty and which still need stuff removed from them. Communicate with Volunteers regarding changing needs for load-out volunteers.

TIME: Monday 1pm - 7pm or so. Tuesday 9am-11am.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org

POSITION: General Gear Wranglers

RESPONSIBILITIES: Move stuff around the hotel - from staging areas to where it's going and from where it was used back to staging areas. Overlaps a bit with the truck load/unload workers. This is low priority compared to the other ones but we can definitely use lots of hands at this time.

TIME: Thursday noon-6pm or so. Monday 1pm-8pm or so. Tuesday 9am-11am.

CONTACT: Lucky, logistics@arisia.org