Contribute

Isentropic Robotics relies on sponsorship and volunteer time in roughly equal measure: sponsorship funds materials, competition fees, and travel, while volunteers run the mentoring, instruction, and outreach that make up the organization's programs. Both are described below.

Sponsor

Sponsorship is organized into a small set of tiers, each carrying different recognition and involvement in the organization's events. The packet linked below describes each tier's benefits along with the program's budget and history. Organizations interested in a custom or in-kind arrangement are welcome to describe it in the message field of the form.

Sponsor packet (PDF, 1 KB)

Join us

Open volunteer roles are grouped by area below. Each listing gives the role's location and expected time commitment along with its responsibilities and qualifications.

Engineering2 open

  • Build Team Volunteer

    Portland, OR · 5 hours/week during build season

    Build team volunteers work alongside students in the shop, helping design, fabricate, and test the robot each season. This is a hands-on volunteer role, not a paid position: the organization runs on the time its volunteers contribute.

    Responsibilities

    • Support students in the design and machining of mechanical subsystems
    • Help maintain shop tools and enforce safe workshop practices
    • Review student CAD work and offer engineering feedback
    • Attend weekly build sessions during the competition season

    Qualifications

    • Background in mechanical or manufacturing engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience
    • Comfort working with students without doing the work for them
    • Availability for evening or weekend build sessions during the season

  • Software Mentor

    Remote · 3 hours/week

    Software mentors meet regularly with student programming teams to review code, discuss design decisions, and help debug issues that come up during the season. The role is remote and scheduled around the mentor’s availability.

    Responsibilities

    • Hold a weekly check-in with one or two student teams
    • Review pull requests and offer feedback on structure and readability
    • Help students work through debugging problems rather than solving them outright
    • Suggest resources for topics the students want to learn on their own

    Qualifications

    • Professional or academic experience in software engineering
    • Familiarity with version control and collaborative code review
    • Patience for working with students who are still learning the basics
Education2 open

  • Summer Camp Instructor

    Portland, OR · One week in summer

    Summer camp instructors lead a week of introductory robotics activities for middle-school students, covering basic mechanical assembly, simple programming, and teamwork exercises. No prior teaching experience is required; a short orientation session is provided beforehand.

    Responsibilities

    • Lead daily activities from a prepared curriculum
    • Support small groups of students in assembling and programming a kit robot
    • Help manage classroom logistics alongside a co-instructor
    • Complete a brief written debrief at the end of the week

    Qualifications

    • Comfort working with middle-school-aged students
    • Basic familiarity with robotics or programming concepts
    • Availability for the full camp week, including a half-day orientation

  • Outreach Volunteer

    Regional (Pacific Northwest) · Flexible, event-based

    Outreach volunteers represent the organization at community events — school visits, STEM fairs, and regional competitions — helping run demonstrations and answer questions from students and families about robotics and the organization’s programs.

    Responsibilities

    • Staff a demonstration table at community and school events
    • Run simple, prepared activities for visitors of varying ages
    • Answer general questions about the organization and its programs
    • Help transport and set up demonstration equipment

    Qualifications

    • Comfort speaking with the public, including younger students
    • Reliable transportation to event locations
    • No robotics background required; a short orientation is provided

Apply

PDF preferred.