Around 3500 employees are hired every year in Yellowstone to provide service for the nearly 3 million visitors who annually visit the park. A wide variety of different types of jobs are available throughout the park - with dormitory-style housing frequently provided. Wages vary with the type of position and skill required. The National Park Service (NPS) and the concessionaires hire employees either full-time or seasonally (summer and winter). Most employment extends from the beginning of June through Labor Day, with some seasonal positions lasting up to six months. Volunteer positions can also be found with the NPS and the Student Conservation Association.
• Yellowstone National Park Service job opportunities, come in the form of vacancy announcements. Applicants must submit a specific application, within a specific time frame, for every position available. There is not a "generic" application for positions, nor is there a "standing file" for positions. Yellowstone National Park consistently receives more applications than there are available positions. Only United States citizens may be considered for government positions with the NPS. All applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, sex, religion, age, or national origin. Generally, employees must be 18 years of age.
• Non-government positions are available with:
These concessionaires hire the largest portion of the positions available and accept applications throughout the year, however those who apply before March have the greatest chance of being hired.
• The NPS has a Volunteers in Parks (VIP) where each year more than 85,000 volunteers donate more than 3,000,000 hours of service in the US national parks. The major objective of the program is to utilize voluntary help in such a way that is mutually beneficial to the NPS and the Volunteer. Persons interested in becoming a VIP must complete the Volunteer Application and mail it directly to the park where they wish to volunteer.
• Each year Yellowstone National Park welcomes a number of full-time volunteers from the Student Conservation Association (SCA), a national non-profit organization. These volunteers, who may be high school or college students or other adults, assist with a range of vital activities from trail maintenance or bear management to backcountry patrol or assisting park visitors. In return, the volunteers receive valuable training and experience, have most expenses paid, and are able to live and work in one of America's premier national parks. In addition to Yellowstone, SCA places volunteers at hundreds of other national and state parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and other natural and historical sites nationwide.
• The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a summer employment program for young men and women ages 15 through 18. Through work projects done in the park, this program provides enrollees with a better understanding of their environment and management of our natural resources. This residential program begins in mid-June and continues through mid-August. YCC is based out of Mammoth Hot Springs and gives participants opportunities to explore Yellowstone’s wilderness. Crews focus their efforts on projects dealing with rehabilitation of trails and backcountry areas, bridge reconstruction, and a wide variety of resource management, maintenance, and research projects. A wide spectrum of environmental education programs are offered as part of the program, as well as an extensive recreation program.
