Volunteer

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Mount Washington Observatory!

As a nonprofit, member-supported institution, volunteers are an important part of our operations. Volunteer opportunities are available at our weather station on top of Mount Washington, and at our administrative offices located in downtown North Conway, New Hampshire. We also occasionally need volunteers to assist with tasks in the field and at offsite events.

Volunteers support our administrative staff in a variety of ways. In the office, volunteers help with mailings and other administrative tasks. Outside, volunteers help us with landscaping and maintaining our remote instrument sites throughout the White Mountains. Volunteers also provide support at local and regional events. If you would like to offer your time and talent, we invite you to complete a valley volunteer program application.

For more information about the program, email volunteer@mountwashington.org

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about volunteering with the Mount Washington Observatory. As a private, nonprofit research institution, the Observatory relies on volunteers to help support the daily operations of our renowned mountaintop weather station.

Each week during the summer season (June through September), two volunteers serve at the summit alongside Observatory staff. Volunteers play a key role in supporting operations through hospitality-focused work, including planning and preparing meals for the crew and Observatory guests, as well as spending a couple of hours each day assisting with retail operations in our Summit Museum gift shop. Summit volunteering is a service-oriented experience that helps keep the Observatory running smoothly during the busy summer season. Shifts are 8 days (Wednesday to Wednesday).

There are two applications available for the summer summit volunteers. Please carefully select the application that suits your situation: RETURNING summit volunteers or NEW summit volunteers. 

For new volunteers who have not previously served as summit volunteers, summer shifts are active and public-facing, supporting guests, educational program participants, and occasional overnight groups. Because summit volunteers live and work together in close quarters, applicants should be comfortable with a communal environment, including shared, co-ed bunkrooms, and a flexible daily schedule. 

Each week, two volunteers serve at the summit. Each volunteer typically contributes up to 8 hours of work per day, which may include: 

  • Assisting with meal preparation for the crew and overnight groups (feeding up to 17 people) 
  • Providing hospitality support during group day visits 
  • Spending approximately two hours per day supporting retail operations in the Summit Museum gift shop

Transportation is provided by the Observatory, and the hospitality-focused summit experience is designed as a full Wednesday–Wednesday stay, with volunteers remaining at the summit for the week. While there is some downtime, the role is busy and service-oriented, requiring flexibility and a willingness to help where needed each day.

We receive more applications than available shifts, so placement cannot be guaranteed. All applications are reviewed carefully, and selected volunteers will be contacted with next steps. If you are not placed initially, we encourage you to apply again in the future.

Note: When you click an application link below, there may be a brief delay before the form loads. Please allow a moment for it to appear.

To apply, visit:

NEW VOLUNTEERS: New Summer Summit Volunteer Application 

RETURNING VOLUNTEERS: Returning Summer Summit Volunteer Application 

Applications submitted by new volunteers using the returning volunteer form will not be considered.

The Mount Washington Observatory is now accepting applications for Summit Museum Docents, a selective volunteer role focused on public engagement, interpretation, and education at the summit.

Museum docents play a key role in welcoming visitors to the Observatory’s Summit Museum and helping guests engage with weather science through exhibits, hands-on activities, and informal educational programs for all ages. Docents work directly with the public, supporting daily visitor interactions and educational programming during the summer season.

This opportunity is best suited for volunteers with experience in education, public speaking, interpretation, or visitor engagement, and an interest in helping guests better understand the Observatory’s work, history, and role in weather research.

Summit Museum Docents serve on scheduled daytime shifts during the summer season (June-August). Training is provided by the Observatory’s educators in the spring. Overnight accommodations are not available for this role.

This is a public-facing role that is active and on your feet for much of the day and may involve walking up and down stairs while engaging with visitors from around the world.

Note: When you click an application link below, there may be a brief delay before the form loads. Please allow a moment for it to appear. 

To apply, visit:

Summit Museum Docent Application

The Mount Washington Observatory is now accepting applications for Summit Museum Retail Support Volunteers.

The Summit Retail Support Volunteers assist with customer service in the Mount Washington Observatory’s retail gift shop on select summer weekends (July and August). This role focuses on retail support and is not a museum docent or education-focused volunteer position. Volunteers serve on a Saturday and/or Sunday (weekend days only) to help support the Museum Assistant during busy weekends. There may be an option to stay overnight for people who commit to multiple shifts.
Primary responsibilities include:
This role is well suited for volunteers who enjoy customer service, are comfortable interacting with the public, and have some basic retail experience. No Observatory transport is available for this position at this time.
Note: When you click an application link below, there may be a brief delay before the form loads. Please allow a moment for it to appear. 

To apply, visit:

Summit Museum Retail Support Volunteer

Every year, Seek the Peak brings together outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and supporters of Mount Washington Observatory for a day of challenge, camaraderie, and community in July. Volunteers are essential to making this event successful, helping participants enjoy a memorable experience while supporting our mission to advance weather and climate science.

The 26th Annual Seek the Peak will be held on July 18, 2026.

Please check back in March to sign up to volunteer to support this event.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering to be a Winter Summit Volunteer. The 2026 season shift applications are now closed.

Email volunteer@mountwashington.org if you are a returning summit volunteer and would like to be on the volunteer fill-in list.

To note: Winter shift eligibility requires that you’ve previously completed at least one summer summit volunteer shift.