Volunteer Opportunities

he S.S. JOHN W. BROWN is an operational, seaworthy ship licensed to carry passengers. As such the restoration, maintenance and operation of the ship is an extraordinarily labor-intensive, year-round and infinitely varied challenge. We require experienced maritime officers and ordinary sailors, oilers and cooks, machinists and medics, and just about every other job you would expect to find on a ship.

But the need is for more than volunteers with maritime skills. We need administrators, public relations and computer experts, people with office skills, fund-raisers, educators, historians, people to staff the Ship's Store -- in short, anyone with the time, energy and willingness to work as a volunteer. Surely somewhere among the following categories there is a job for you.

Volunteer Postions Available

DECK DEPARTMENT: Volunteers in the deck department include both licensed and non- licensed personnel. The department is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the ship's structures and cargo gear, ship-handling while underway and general seamanship. Members of the deck department handle mooring lines, tug boat lines and the anchors, stand lookout and steer the ship. The Project offers training through which volunteers may qualify for Coast Guard documentation limited to the S.S. JOHN W. BROWN.

ENGINE DEPARTMENT: Volunteers in the engine department are both licensed and non- licensed personnel. The department is responsible for the maintenance, repair and operation of the ship's boilers, main engine and auxiliary equipment in the engine room and elsewhere throughout the ship. Maritime experience, marine engine experience and licenses, SCTW qualifications and mechanical or steamfitting skills are particularly valuable. But regardless of experience there is work for you in the engine room. The Project offers training through which volunteers may qualify for Coast Guard documentation limited to the S.S. JOHN W. BROWN.

STEWARDS DEPARTMENT: Members of this department prepare and serve meals for crew members during cruises and are responsible for the cleanliness of the dining areas, crew cabins, heads and public use areas of the ship. The Chief Steward and staff order, receive, store and maintain an inventory of food and other supplies.

OPERATING CREW: During cruises, members of the deck department, engine department and stewards department staff and operate the ship in accordance with Coast Guard requirements. Licensed and non-licensed mariners are needed in the following positions: master/chief engineer, mates/assistant engineers, radio operators/GMDSS, oilers, wipers, firemen and watertenders, bosuns and able and ordinary seamen, and stewards department personnel. Persons with emergency medical training are needed to see to the health, safety and well-being of passengers and crew.

ARMED GUARD: Armed Guard volunteers maintain and operate the guns and gun mounts aboard the Brown, and maintain the Armed Guard quarters in the stern of the ship.

SHIP'S OFFICE: Our onboard ship's office is the center for administrative support of Project Liberty Ship. Clerical skills are needed here as well as the ability to deal with the public in a professional manner. Prior office experience or working with volunteer organizations or non-profits is a plus, as are computer skills such as word processing, database and mailing list management and graphics preparation. We also seek individuals with experience in fund-raising and in website development and maintenance.

DOCENTS: Volunteer docents explain the ship to visitors, lead individuals, families, groups and others in tours of the ship, and help provide for the safety and security of the ship and of those aboard the ship. Through our Speaker's Bureau docents offer talks or presentations, aboard the ship or elsewhere, about the history and operation of Liberty ships, the merchant marine, World War II or related subjects, or provide information about cruises and upcoming events. Docents supervise overnight visits organized by our Youth Program, including Boy Scout, Cub Scout and Girl Scout groups. During cruises docents assist in boarding and disembarking passengers, crowd control and safety and security.

SPECIAL EVENTS: Project Liberty Ship hosts different educational, cultural, social, veterans' group and other related events onboard the S.S. JOHN W. BROWN. Our volunteers assist in scheduling and planning events, handling large groups of visitors, assisting visitors with special needs, and providing for safety and security.

STORE: Volunteers order, stock and sell merchandise in the Ship's Store. The Ship's Store is open during cruises and public visiting hours, and also has a mail order operation.

MUSEUMS AND LIBRARY: Among Project Liberty Ship's most important elements are our three onboard museums, with displays of artifacts and historical information related to shipbuilding, the merchant marine and the U.S. Navy Armed Guard. Likewise the Project has an onboard library of several thousand books, magazines, video and audio tapes and other materials relevant to the ship and its era. Volunteers organize and staff the museums, other display areas and the library. We need volunteers who can serve as curators, exhibits specialists, information specialists, catalogers, archivists, historians and restoration experts.

ELECTRICAL SHOP, CARPENTRY SHOP, MACHINE SHOP, PIPE SHOP: Volunteers may work exclusively in these areas or in connection with other assignments aboard the ship. Tasks include a variety of restoration, fabrication, maintenance, repair and safety and security responsibilities. Specific related skills and experience are particularly valuable but not required.