Applications open Sept. 16 – Oct. 31.

We’re doing something good for the community and helping groups around the world. It’s nice to be a part of that grand activity.

– ARDC volunteer. Quote collected anonymously through yearly feedback survey

It’s that time of year again – ARDC is now accepting applications for our next cohort of volunteers! We are looking for qualified individuals to serve on our existing committees:

• Grants Advisory Committee (GAC) – reviews grant applications.
• Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) – works on 44Net-related projects and policies.
• Grants Evaluation Team (GET) – evaluates and analyzes grant reports.
• Conduct Review Committee (CRC) – helps to evaluate Code of Conduct incident reports. Must concurrently serve in another volunteer role.

Additionally, we have two new volunteer opportunities for 2026:

• Grants Communications Team (GCT) – shares results of funded grants with the public.
• 44Net Portal Ticket Handlers – helps to verify call signs and related information for 44Net address space requesters.

All of these positions bring critical community input into our programs, ensuring that our work is continually in service to our community. If you are interested in making a difference in this way, keep reading!

Terms, Time Commitment & Meetings

GAC, TAC, GET, and CRC volunteers serve on 1-year terms that run January through December, with a maximum of 4 consecutive terms. We request at least a 1-year commitment from other volunteer positions.

When applying for any of these volunteer positions, please note the following estimated time commitments.

For regular meetings:

• GAC – once a week for an hour
• TAC – once a month for an hour
• GET – once a month for an hour
• GCT – once every two weeks for an hour

Ongoing:

• 44Net Portal Ticket Handlers – typically an hour or two per week, depending on volume.

Volunteers may be expected to spend additional time on tasks such as reviewing proposals (GAC), grant reports (GET, GCT), policies and roadmaps (TAC), or correspondence via email or Zulip, our internal chat app. Overall, our volunteers report spending about 2-5 hours per week on ARDC-related volunteering.

Time commitment for CRC, the team that supports enforcement of our Code of Conduct, is anticipated to be very low. Given this, CRC members must be involved in one of our other volunteer activities. Applicants are asked to indicate whether they would like to participate in this committee. We may also reach out to a small number of ARDC volunteers selected on another committee for 2026 and ask for them to serve jointly on the CRC.

Eligibility

An amateur radio license OR a technical degree OR experience in digital communications is required to serve in any volunteer role.

Additionally, certain groups may benefit from the following skill sets:

• GAC, GET, and GCT: experience in K-12 education, university academics, research and development, and/or with nonprofits.
• GCT: writing experience is preferred, especially in scientific communications.
• TAC and 44Net Ticket Handlers: experience using 44Net, as well as networking, development, and/or related technologies. Individuals that have experience with writing and online communities are also encouraged to apply.

We are always interested in volunteers who are located outside of the United States! Please note that a good command of the English language is important, and while we do work across a broad range of time zones, please don’t let that deter you. Our team is flexible and committed to working together to find a workflow that accommodates everyone. ARDC staff reside in the Pacific (UTC-7), Mountain (UTC-6), Central (UTC-5), and Eastern (UTC-4) time zones.

Current and prospective grantees are also encouraged to apply. If a situation arises where you are involved in or could have a conflict of interest with a grant under discussion, you can simply recuse yourself from that particular vote or conversation. This approach allows you to contribute your time and expertise while ensuring our process remains fair and transparent.

How To Apply

Applications are open Sept. 16 through October 31. If you’d like to apply, we encourage you to do so using this application form. Alternatively, please send your resume and a brief cover letter to hr@ardc.net.

We plan to make our final decisions by the end of November, and meetings are slated to begin mid-January.

Additional Information

If you have any questions, please reach out to hr@ardc.net. We look forward to receiving your application! And thank you for considering the offering of your time to support ARDC’s mission and vision.