Getting Involved
“You’re not a drop in the ocean, you’re an ocean in a drop.”
-Rumi
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Use Your Passion for Science to Make a Difference
Are you ready to apply your skills and expertise to solve real-world humanitarian challenges? At Chemists Without Borders, our volunteers are the heart of our mission to improve the quality of life in communities most in need. By joining us, you become part of a global movement that leverages science for service, education, and innovation. Your contribution, big or small, can empower communities and create a lasting, positive impact.
As a volunteer, you will have the chance to collaborate with a dedicated international network of chemists, scientists, and other professionals. We offer a variety of opportunities that align with our strategic goals, from expanding educational programs and mentoring future scientists to building partnerships and developing innovative solutions for clean water, sanitation, and more.
We believe that every individual’s unique talent can contribute to our collective success and help us build a better world through science in service to humanity.
Learn more about our work
Volunteer Spotlight
“Many of my peers are struggling to find meaningful ways to contribute amidst global problems. Joining Chemists Without Borders helped me bridge my love for the humanities and science, driving technical solutions with a commitment to serving others. We don’t provide temporary aid; we forge empowered communities through mutual respect, making a lasting difference.”
“We have a vast, untapped opportunity: to take the immense talent of the global chemical community and focus it on real-world problems. By mobilizing even 1% of that network—through just an hour a month of shared effort—we can make headlines not for our science, but for our humanitarian spirit. That is the sustainable impact we were founded to create.”
“I have a passion for the chemistry of clean water, but I wasn’t truly fulfilled until I found a place where I could move beyond the bureaucracy. At Chemists Without Borders, we apply our deepest knowledge—not just to remove pollutants, but to train the teachers, connect the classroom to the field, and initiate real, tangible change.“
“It’s not about chemistry; it’s about people. Applying science for good – from ensuring medicine quality to sustainable access to clean water to advancing education – is our goal. Seeing that spark of wonder in a student’s eye and how science can improve their life directly is inspirational. This light motivates our humanitarian approach to impacting communities across the globe.”
Opportunities to Connect, Educate, and Innovate
Learn More About Our All-Volunteer Team
Chemists Without Borders is an all-volunteer team of professionals, scientists, educators, humanists, and students. We are energized by the power of our volunteers and our collective efforts to be in service to communities and humanity. We seek to connect with volunteers who can contribute their time and talent as we build our organization and tackle humanitarian challenges in the communities we serve.
Our approach and philosophy are centered on a holistic understanding of humanitarian problems through scientific, social, and cultural lenses, and empowering local communities with sustainable solutions.
Volunteering with Chemists Without Borders provides our volunteers the ability to leverage multiple disciplines and different ways of thinking to lead and develop holistic interventions, gain a network of like-minded colleagues, and the opportunity to lead and be accountable for the development and delivery of proposed initiatives.
Experts
We seek individuals whose desire to volunteer is expertise-based and whose specific expertise, knowledge, network, etc., can be readily applicable or expected to be helpful to an active project. Contact us for specific volunteer position opportunities.
Students & Recent Graduates
We seek individuals interested in humanitarian work who can commit the time to be of value at Chemists Without Borders. We seek students from all disciplines, including the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Our goal is to mentor students to develop a holistic understanding of the depth and breadth of humanitarian challenges, learn to turn ideas into executable plans, and lead proposed initiatives.
Local Leaders & Non-Profit Partners
We seek individuals who are currently or have recently served as leaders within their communities, whose ability to understand and champion ideas will positively impact the effectiveness of our work.
Retired or Life Changers with High Altruism
We seek individuals who are willing to bring significant capacity, have rich professional backgrounds and networks, and form the backbone of Chemists Without Borders. We want to engage with those willing to scale their Second Mountain*, primarily focused on the needs of others.
Ready to Get Involved?
The first step to joining our global team is to tell us a little about yourself. Please complete the volunteer interest form below to share your skills and what areas you are passionate about. We will then connect with you about how you can best contribute to our ongoing projects and initiatives. Join us today and help bring the power of chemistry to communities that need it most.
Any questions?
Email us to get the conversation started. raminsedehi@chemistswithoutborders.org
Volunteer Spotlight
“To make a lasting difference, we must first build trust with the community. Our mission is not to ‘give stuff,’ but to share opportunities and create empowered partners in development—working shoulder-to-shoulder with people driven toward self-improvement.”
Dr. Ralph House, Senior Advisor
Volunteer Spotlight
“Many of my peers are struggling to find meaningful ways to contribute amidst global problems. Joining Chemists Without Borders helped me bridge my love for the humanities and science, driving technical solutions with a commitment to serving others. We don’t provide temporary aid; we forge empowered communities through mutual respect, making a lasting difference.”
Kathryn Williams, Volunteer