Look below for a full list and description of volunteer positions. Interested in volunteering in other ways, not necessarily at a competition? No problem! Please email Bill Padnos at bpadnos@ntma.org.
NRL 2019 National Competition Volunteer Sign Up
You are invited to be part of the team that makes the 2019 NRL National Competition possible.
Our 2018 competition will be held at the Convocation Center on the campus of California University of Pennsylvania, California, PA from May 17th – 18th, 2019, and we need a strong group of volunteers to help make the event a great experience for our competitors.
Starting with set-up on Thursday, May 16th, all the way through tear-down on Saturday, May 18th, this competition is a volunteer run event — so if you have some time — even as little as 2-4 hours to join us, please sign up! If you are interested/available to work more than one shift, we’d love to have you! Just click “sign up” next to all the shifts you’d like to claim.
Volunteer Requirements
The NTMA is committed to safety of our youth participants. We require ANYONE volunteering at our national competition, with the EXCEPTION of currently enrolled students, to provide completed certifications/paperwork of the following:
- Report of Criminal History
- Child Abuse History
For volunteers that live outside of Pennsylvania that do not have these clearances, please click over to the NRL Volunteer Clearances Portal to receive directions on how to obtain them.
For volunteers that live in Pennsylvania, please follow the links below to obtain your clearances.
- Report of criminal history from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP)
- Child Abuse History certification from the Department of Human Services
- Request for fingerprint waiver (one of the two below)
- Individual has been a PA resident for the past 10 years (FBI Clearance Waiver 10-Year Resident)
- Individual has been a PA resident for less than 10 years (FBI Clearance Waiver NOT a 10-Year Resident)
Volunteer Positions
Technical Jobs
Competition Judge:
Watches the matches and assigns points to each team’s robot during the match. Based on the score, signals the winning robot of the match.
Interviewer/Documentation Reviewer:
Interviews team members about the safety procedures that were followed, teamwork displayed, and skills developed during the design and construction of the robot.
Documentation Reviewer
Evaluates notebooks which teams are required to produce, documenting the steps that were taken during building the robot. This individual should be familiar with structural analysis, engineering drawings, assembly models, and/or wiring schematics in order to evaluate the quality of the work produced by the teams in these areas.
Pit Monitor:
Patrols the pit area to ensure all safety procedures regarding work performed on the robots are followed, including the wearing of proper safety eyewear at all times. Ensures that only those people with properly marked name badges are in the pit area. Ensures that no more than six people from any one team are present in the pit area at any given time.
Referee:
Observes matches to determine the presence of any rules violations which may occur in the course of the match.
Safety Judge:
Ensures a team’s robot meets safety guidelines for weaponry, assembly, and electrical systems. These guidelines will be provided on the day of the competition, in the form of a checklist so that no safety aspect is forgotten.
Speed Test Judge:
Ensures that robots meet the minimum and maximum speed requirements before the robot is permitted to compete.
Test Box Monitor:
Observes and monitors testing of a robot’s weapon and drive systems in the box designed for safety during this procedure.
Welder/Grinder:
Controls access to the welding and grinding area, and performs any permitted modifications through welding or grinding of parts for robots at the request of a team.
Non-Technical Jobs
Arena Assembler:
Assembles the arena in which the competition will occur. The following tools will be needed: 7/16-inch and 9/16-inch socket set. We have a limited number of these tools so if you are able to bring your own, it is very much appreciated. Be sure to mark them in some way so that we can ensure that your tools are returned to you if they get misplaced. You may wish to bring protective work gloves, as some pieces may have burrs or sharp edges. We ask that only those who are mechanically inclined and able to lift up to 75 pounds sign up for this job.
Arena Dis-assembler:
Disassembles the arena immediately after the conclusion of the competition. The following tools will be needed: 7/16-inch and 9/16-inch socket set. We have a limited number of these tools so if you are able to bring your own, it is very much appreciated. Be sure to mark them in some way so that we can ensure that your tools are returned to you if they get misplaced. You may wish to bring protective work gloves, as some pieces may have burrs or sharp edges. We ask that only those who are mechanically inclined and able to lift up to 75 pounds sign up for this job.
Arena Sweeper:
Removes any debris generated during a match from the arena before the next match may begin.
Clean-up/Shut-down:
Ensures all supplies and documents are secured after the conclusion of the first day of competition, and knows the location of supplies and documents in preparation for setting up the second day of competition.
Documentation Reviewer Non-Technical:
Evaluates notebooks which teams are required to produce, documenting the steps that were taken during building the robot. A non-technical documentation reviewer will evaluate the quality of student compositions, competition strategies, and funding, time, and data management plans.
Event Photographer:
Takes pictures of the event and the participants to document the proceedings of the competition. May post photographs to the NRL website and other social media, such as Instagram, Twitter and Flickr. Can also record and post videos to YouTube.
Light-Duty Worker:
Carries supplies, completes forms, fills in for volunteers who need a break, helps set up food in the volunteer lounge, and assists with a variety of tasks throughout the event.
Materials Handler:
Carries large, heavy pieces of the arena and equipment from the storage area to the assembly floor, or from the assembly floor to the storage area. You should be able to lift up to 75 pounds to do this job. You may wish to bring protective work gloves, as some pieces may have burrs or sharp edges.
On-Deck Assistant:
Assists with determining which teams will compete in the next match and assigns colors to the teams. Helps to track the progress of teams through the brackets as the competition continues. Provides guidance to the pit runners about which teams should be escorted to the arena area.
Pit Entrance Monitor:
Restricts access to the pit area to those with the proper badges to allow entrance and with appropriate safety glasses.
Pit Perimeter Security:
Monitors the perimeter of the pit area to ensure that no unauthorized individuals or those who lack the appropriate safety goggles and/or name badge enter the pit area.
Pit Runner:
Enters the pit area to inform teams that their match will begin next, and escorts the teams to the arena area in time for the start of the match. Conveys any messages from the committee to the teams, and vice-versa.
Scale Judge:
Measures the weight of each robot before a match to ensure the robot is within the allowed weight limit, particularly after any modification has occurred to the robot.
Score Keeper:
Records and tracks all points earned by teams as a result of competing in matches, forfeits, interviews, and documentation during the course of the competition. This score is used to determine the winner in most award categories. Proficiency with Excel is required.
Sales Clerk:
Sells NRL-related items, such as shirts, hats, and safety glasses, to team members and the general audience.
Team Escort:
Guides teams as they progress through completing interviews, team photographs, and student surveys.
Team Photographer:
Takes photographs of each team involved in the competition, to be given to the team’s school or team members for display.
Team Registration:
Records those team members and faculty sponsor present on the day of competition, hands out badges to allow access to pit, collects release forms, and scans documentation to ensure it is complete before the team is allowed access to the pit area for competition.
Timer:
Signals the start of a match and monitors the timer during each battle, stopping the timer as required by the rules of the competition, and ends the match when the allotted time for the match has expired.
Volunteer Lounge Monitor:
Ensures that only NRL volunteers enter the lounge area, and that adequate quantities of food, beverage, ice, and paper products are available, replenishing as needed.
Wherever Needed:
Use this job designation if you are willing to volunteer your time in almost any capacity at the competitions, set-ups, and/or tear-downs. Please note any restrictions or preferences in the My Note box of the form and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
