Volunteer at CALM Zoo
Make a Difference for Wildlife
Support animal care, conservation, education, and guest experiences by volunteering at CALM Zoo.
Volunteer Opportunities
Help support the daily care and operation of CALM Zoo
CALM is always in need of volunteers in areas of individual interest and facility needs. Volunteers support daily routine chores that allow staff to focus on more complex tasks, animal care, guest education, and facility projects.
Volunteers may assist animal keepers, support maintenance staff, help educate the visiting public, or participate in group volunteer events.
Ways Volunteers Help
- Support animal care and enrichment
- Assist with grounds and maintenance projects
- Help guests learn about California wildlife
- Support special events and fundraisers
- Participate as individuals or groups
Important
Volunteer Safety Requirements
For your safety, all volunteers must follow CALM’s required dress code and age guidelines.
Volunteer Portal
How to sign up
CALM uses VolunteerMark to organize volunteer opportunities. All volunteers can sign up through the CALM VolunteerMark portal.
Sign-up steps
- Go to VolunteerMark and select “Find your organization.”
- Search for CALM in Bakersfield.
- Select California Living Museum CALM.
- Choose the opportunity you are interested in.
- Select “Sign Up Now.”
- Log in or register a new free VolunteerMark account.
- Follow the prompts and select your shift.
Ready to volunteer?
Use the Volunteer Portal to view available opportunities, or download the step-by-step registration guide if you need help signing up.
Volunteer Class Schedule
Upcoming orientation opportunities
Some volunteer roles require orientation before volunteers can sign up for shifts.
Animal Care Orientation
- June 4 at 5:30pm - 6:30pm
- June 6 at 9:30am - 10:30am
Guest Experience Orientation
- June 20th 9:30am - 11:00am
Veterinary Volunteer Orientation
Dates are currently TBD. Volunteers must attend Animal Care Orientation before attending Veterinary Volunteer Orientation.
Volunteer Roles
Find the right opportunity for you
CALM offers volunteer opportunities for animal care, guest support, events, grounds work, commissary support, and veterinary assistance.
Animal Care Volunteers
Age 16+ · Orientation required
Animal Care Volunteers support the care and maintenance of zoo animals and exhibits. Duties may include scrubbing and hosing enclosures, removing trash, feeding diets, and assisting keepers with projects.
This role may be right for you if:
- You have attended Animal Care Orientation
- You want experience in the animal care field
- You enjoy being outdoors and are willing to get dirty
- You understand the role involves significant cleaning
- You are comfortable handling animal diets
Commissary Volunteer
Age 16+ · Requires the animal care orientation
Commissary Volunteers prepare animal diets zoo-wide. Work may include cutting, chopping, blending, organizing, cleaning, washing dishes, and preparing food-based enrichment.
This role may be right for you if:
- You enjoy preparing diets and food enrichment
- You are organized and can follow strict directions
- You are comfortable handling meat, fish, mice, chicks, and other diet items
- You can work independently
- You are comfortable using food prep tools
Guest Experience Volunteer
Age 16+ · Orientation required
Guest Experience Volunteers help educate visitors, answer questions, support programs, and create positive experiences for guests throughout CALM Zoo.
This role may be right for you if:
- You enjoy working with the public
- You are passionate about California wildlife
- You bring positivity and friendliness to programs
- You are comfortable working with education tools
- You are interested in ambassador animal work
Grounds Volunteer
Age 13+ · Adult supervision required under 16
Grounds Volunteers help beautify CALM through outdoor projects such as raking, mowing, planting, painting, weeding, and other daily facility needs.
This role may be right for you if:
- You enjoy working outdoors
- You like hands-on projects
- You can work with a variety of tools
- You need volunteer hours without a long-term commitment
- You are part of a group seeking a project
Special Events Volunteering
Age 16+ · Event-based opportunities
Special Event Volunteers help CALM fundraisers and events run smoothly. Duties may include event setup, breakdown, traffic flow, guest assistance, and public-facing support.
This role may be right for you if:
- You enjoy helping with events
- You are a team player
- You enjoy working with the public
- You have a positive can-do attitude
Veterinary Volunteer
Age 16+ · Animal Care + Vet Orientation required
Veterinary Volunteers support CALM’s veterinary team and hospital operations. This role may involve cleaning veterinary spaces, supporting organization, and helping with care-related tasks.
This role may be right for you if:
- You have completed Animal Care Orientation
- You have completed Veterinary Volunteer Orientation
- You are interested in veterinary care
- You are organized and work well independently
- You are willing to clean and support the vet hospital
Group Volunteers
Interested in a group volunteer project?
Group volunteer projects may be available upon request and can include grounds, beautification, event support, and other facility needs.
Volunteer Contact
Questions about volunteering?
Contact CALM’s volunteer coordinator for questions about opportunities, orientation, or group projects.