Join Our Team!!

Volunteer Technicians help with the behind-the-scenes work that keeps a community pottery studio humming. Tasks vary from week to week and may include:

• Cleaning and wiping down pottery wheels

• Reclaiming, processing, and wedging clay

• Sweeping and mopping studio floors

• Cleaning sinks and shared work areas

• Organizing tools, bats, ware boards, and shelves

• Recycling and organizing studio materials

• Restocking glazes and other studio suppliesLoading and unloading bisque and glaze kilns after training

• Helping maintain clean, functional member spaces

• Assisting staff and studio members with general studio needs

• Tackling other studio upkeep projects as needed

Yes, there will be clay. There will also be buckets, mops, reclaim, and the occasional mysterious tool that needs to find its way home.

Our ideal Volunteer Technicians are reliable, proactive, community-minded, and comfortable working independently.

You don't need to be an expert potter, but some familiarity with a community ceramics studio is helpful. More importantly, we're looking for people who notice what needs to be done and are happy to jump in.

Volunteers should be able to:

• Commit to 3 hours every week

• Maintain a consistent weekly schedule

• Arrive on time and complete assigned responsibilities

• Communicate schedule changes or absences in advance

• Follow studio safety guidelines and equipment procedures

• Take direction from Shape Theory staff

• Work independently once trained

• Help create a welcoming, clean, and organized environment for our members and guests

In exchange for your weekly 3-hour volunteer shift, you'll receive full Shape Theory Studio membership access, including:

• Studio access during applicable member hours

• Use of pottery wheels, worktables, tools, and studio equipment

• Access to studio glazes

• Firing privileges

• Member storage and other membership amenities, subject to availability

• More time to make, experiment, and become part of our studio community

See Membership page for complete list of member perks.

Consistency is important to us. Our studio relies on Volunteer Technicians as part of our weekly operations, so we're looking for people who can make an ongoing commitment rather than occasionally volunteering when their schedule allows.

If you're looking for something you can pop into occasionally when you have free time, this probably isn't the right fit. If you're excited about having a regular studio shift and becoming part of our clay crew, we'd love to hear from you.

By joining the Volunteer Studio Technician Program, you are committing to 3 volunteer hours each week, regardless of how much studio time you use or book that week.

Your volunteer hours are exchanged for access to the membership itself, rather than calculated based on the number of hours you personally spend in the studio.