Jobs & Volunteering

Positions Currently Available

StarDate Café Manager
The McDonald Observatory Visitors Center is seeking a qualified food service supervisor to oversee operations at the Center's StarDate Café. The position fulltime with somewhat flexible hours and carries full University of Texas benefits. To see the official University job posting and/or to apply for the position, follow this link or contact the Visitors Center manager, Frank Cianciolo, at frankc @ utexas .edu (remove the spaces), or 432-426-4152.

StarDate Café Hourly Employees
The StarDate Café is seeking hourly employees to staff occasional, part-time shifts. Daytime & evening hours available. Please contact Frank Cianciolo, Visitors Center manager to apply (frankc @ utexas .edu [remove the spaces], 432-426-4152).

Volunteer Opportunities

The Public Observatory benefits greatly from volunteer support provided by area amateur astronomers. These individuals frequently bring their own telescopes to Star Parties in order to share striking views of the night sky with visitors to the Observatory.

On-site Amateur Astronomer Volunteers at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center
Are you an experienced amateur astronomer looking for an opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with the public? Do you have an RV or travel trailer and the freedom to spend several weeks (or more) at a remote dark-sky site.

The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory is looking for experienced amateur astronomers to serve as site-volunteers to support the Observatory's extensive public programs. The Observatory's Visitors Center plays host to approximately 60,000 visitors each year, many of whom participate in the Center's array of outreach activities. Site-volunteers will assist with both daytime and nighttime activities including guided tours, star parties, special viewing nights, and summer scout night programs as well as other special programs at other times of the year. In exchange for a four week (flexible), ≤ 20 hrs/wk (depending on time of year, up to 12 evening/night hours & up to 8 daytime hours) commitment and upon successful completion of the application process, the site-volunteer will be granted access to one of the Observatory's RV sites (full hook-ups, etc., provided.) Other restrictions apply. Background check required.

For more information, please contact Frank Cianciolo, Visitors Center manager (frankc@astro.as.utexas.edu, 432-426-4152).

Additional Volunteer Opportunities
The Frank N. Bash Visitor Center at McDonald Observatory offers volunteer opportunities to individuals interested in astronomy and/or education. The greatest need for volunteers has been during our public star parties at busy times of the year. We have several telescopes that we use for our public programs including a 16" Meade LX200, 22" Classical Cassegrain, 22" Dobsonian and several Celestron and Meade 8" Schmidt Cassegrains. Training is provided. If you would like more information please contact the Visitors Center through the Volunteer Coordinator or call us at 432-426-3640 and ask for Shannon Rudine.

See also: Outreach volunteer opportunities in Austin