It's a unique experience to volunteer at the top of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse!

We need your time and your talents…as a volunteer. Interested in meeting people from all over the world? Want to learn about the history of lighthouses and life-saving stations? Do you like sharing what you know with an interested audience? Want to help the sea turtles? Would enjoy working in an office with an amazing view? Then you should become a National Park Service VIP (Volunteer-In-Parks) at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Below are just a few descriptions of our volunteer opportunities. If you don’t see something that interests you or have a project in mind, let us know. You can also learn about the basic requirements of volunteering or, for further information, call the listed contact person.

The park is generally in need of volunteers in the following categories:

Visitor Education
Contact:

• Bodie Island - Patrick Gamman (252) 995-4474 x21
• Hatteras Island - Jason Ginder (252) 995-4474 x24
• Ocracoke Island - Patrick Gamman (252) 995-4474 x21
  
  

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• Greet visitors and answer questions at one of the three park visitor centers.
• Share stories of the seashore with visitors while walking the beaches and historic grounds.
• Staff the base of the Bodie Island or Ocracoke Lighthouses, allowing visitors to look inside the historic icons.
• Enjoy the view from the top of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse while telling visitors about the natural and cultural significance of site.

Resource Management
Contact:

• Katy McCurdy (252) 995-6968
  

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• Be a Sea Turtle First Responder: work with park biologists to respond to the protection needs and strandings of these threatened and endangered species on park beaches and help educate visitors about sea turtles as well as ocean conservation.
• Be a Marine Mammal First Responder: work with park biologists to respond to the protection needs of threatened and endangered marine mammals that strand on park beaches and help educate visitors about these creatures as well as ocean conservation.

Campground Host
Contact:

• Oregon Inlet – Michael Colopy (252) 441-3646
• Cape Point and Frisco – Terry Brown (252) 995-5044 x222
• Ocracoke – Shirley Helms (252) 928-5111
  
  

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  Assist campers at one of our four campgrounds by being a campground host.

Volunteering at the National Park Service Outer Banks Group
At the National Park Service Outer Banks Group, 99 volunteers who donated 18,383 hours work side-by-side with National Park Service employees at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Wright Brothers National Memorial and Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Community VIPs may work on weekdays, weekends, mornings, or afternoons with a minimum of four hours per week. Volunteers provided park housing or a trailer pad work a minimum of 32 hours per week for 6 weeks. The schedule and amount of time worked will be negotiated. Training for all duties is provided. Uniforms are provided for volunteers who work with the public. Volunteer to be a part of our staff, which serves over 3 million visitors each year!