Join Us at the 2027 FIRST Championship

November 12, 2026

By Collin Fultz, Vice President, FIRST Robotics Competition & FIRST Tech Challenge

Calling all volunteers! We are looking for your talent, expertise, and passion to help support 336 FIRST^® Tech Challenge teams from around the globe competing at the 2027 FIRST^® Championship in Houston, Texas, April 28 through May 1, 2027. If you are interested in volunteering at the largest robotics event in the world, registration is open. Sign Up today!

We are looking for volunteers in all roles who are ready and willing to help make this an amazing event for all the students and teams. We hope to see lots of familiar faces and also look forward to making new friends from around the world! Some roles will require prior experience, but not all. Check out the Championship specific section of our role descriptions to learn more.

If you are interested in volunteering at the FIRST Championship, you should sign up before Tuesday, December 15, 2026 to have the best chance of being assigned. We intend to assign the majority of volunteer roles by February 13, 2027, based on our volunteer applicants who signed up before this date. We will save a smaller number of roles for late applicants and priority for those applicants will go to International and late Qualifying regions. The late application deadline is Tuesday, March 24, 2027.

Pro-tips to get assigned to a role at the 2027 FIRST Championship:

We love flexible and conscious leadership-minded volunteers. If your desired role has a “lead”/“head” role or a similar but less prestigious sibling role, we’re hoping you would be willing to do either role. We want to see more people rotate through leadership roles, which means people also have to be willing to take a step back and make space for others. Indicate your preference and willingness to help by signing up for both roles!
Tell us more about you! When you sign up, you can use the “Specific Availability Times / Details” box or Message the Volunteer Coordinator to provide us with more information. While we have access to your volunteer assignment history in VMS, that doesn’t always tell the whole story. If your volunteer history doesn’t match the roles you’ve done (common at events outside of the United States), please let us know your real volunteer history. For some roles we might contact you and ask for more information.
Pick roles that match your bandwidth! When you sign up, think realistically about your time, energy, and comfort level – especially at a large, multi-day event like FIRST Championship. Some roles are fast-paced and require being on your feet most of the day; others involve focused, steady work at a table or station. Consider how long you can be on-site, whether you prefer interacting with teams or working behind the scenes, and how much stamina you have for long days. There’s no “right” choice; what matters most is choosing a role that fits you so you can enjoy the event and contribute effectively.
Apply for what you want and stay flexible! If you’re not sure you’re ready to fill a role at FIRST Championship, but that’s still your dream job, it’s okay to apply and add a note to the volunteer coordinator that you know you might not be ready yet, but you want to work towards it. You can select up to 5 roles when you apply, so make sure you indicate other roles you’re interested in and ask the Volunteer Coordinator for help if you need it. Roles that don’t show up on the list of options to apply for are either filled or not available at the FIRST Championship.

Role	Approximate Quantity	Days Required, Notes *All days listed are full days, unless otherwise noted
Volunteer Coordinator	3	Tuesday through Saturday The FIRST Championship Volunteer Coordinator role will be an on-site support role to the pre-event Volunteer Coordinators. This role will assist with things like volunteer check-in, hospitality and more. You will be successful in this role if you have a customer service background. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be over 18.
Judge Advisor	6	Wednesday through Saturday Our judges are qualified and experienced volunteers who will evaluate team presentations, interviews, and portfolios, ensuring fair and consistent assessments. Judges work closely with one another and with you, the Judge Advisor to provide thoughtful feedback, participate in all interviews and deliberations, and assist in the awards process. Judges and Judge Advisors are expected to apply the judging criteria consistently, communicate professionally with teams, and maintain confidentiality regarding evaluations. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be over 18.
Judge	120	Wednesday (half day PM) through Saturday Our judges are qualified and experienced volunteers who will evaluate team presentations, interviews, and portfolios, ensuring fair and consistent assessments. Judges work closely with one another and with the Judge Advisor to provide thoughtful feedback, participate in all interviews and deliberations, and assist in the awards process. Judges are expected to apply the judging criteria consistently, communicate professionally with teams, and maintain confidentiality regarding evaluations. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be over 18
Judge Advisor Assistant	6	Wednesday (half day PM) through Saturday Judge Advisor Assistants support the Judge Advisor in managing logistics, facilitating schedule flow, and preparing judging spaces. They help organize and distribute materials, type award scripts, track schedule updates, and assist in setting up and breaking down judging rooms. Judge Advisor Assistants may also support additional needs such as serving as a runner for judging rooms or helping ensure materials are properly compiled and returned at the conclusion of the event. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be over 18
Show Crew – Field Side (Announcing) Focus	18	Thursday through Saturday Present FIRST Championship to the audience, hosting divisional gameplay and/or awards. Archetypes within this role include Emcee, Game Announcer, and Ceremony Host. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be 18 or older and have a minimum of one BIOBUZZ^TM presented by RTX, and two career-total, events in a related regular season role (Emcee, Game Announcer, etc.). Volunteers who apply for both Field Side and Sports Desk Show Crew may be assigned in both settings.
Show Crew – Sports Desk Focus	12	Wednesday PM through Saturday preferred. Present FIRST Championship to the audience, helping broadcast the sports desk. Archetypes within this role include Correspondent, Analyst, Interviewer, Statistician, and A/V Tech. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be 18 or older. Experience in a field-side show role (Emcee, Game Announcer, etc.) during the BIOBUZZ regular season is preferred. Volunteers who apply for both Field Side and Sports Desk Show Crew may be assigned in both settings.
FTA and Field Supervisor	14	Monday (half day PM) through Saturday The FTA role is focused on leadership of field operations and related volunteers. You’ll be successful in this role if you can effectively empower other volunteers and balance team experience while ensuring the efficient flow of matches. The Field Supervisor will work with the FTA to keep the competition area running smoothly. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be over 18.
Scorekeeper	7	Wednesday through Saturday Scorekeepers are responsible for operating the official scoring software used during matches and ensuring that match results, rankings, and displays are accurate, timely, and consistent throughout the event. This role is critical to the integrity of competition and requires strong attention to detail, focus, and comfort working with computers and live event systems. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be over 18.
FTAA	12	Wednesday through Saturday At FIRST Championship, the FTAA role is focused on field operations and initial technical triage. FTAAs are often the first technical point of contact when a team experiences an issue at the field. They are expected to quickly assess problems, provide initial guidance, and determine next steps—while relying heavily on Control System Advisors (CSAs) for deeper or extended team support beyond that initial triage. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers over 18 years old preferred.
CSA	12	Wednesday through Saturday At FIRST Championship, CSAs are the primary resource for diagnosing and resolving common robot issues, including hardware, software, wiring, configuration, and communication challenges. This role requires deep technical knowledge, strong troubleshooting skills, and the ability to clearly explain solutions to students and mentors. CSAs largely manage their own time, responding to requests for assistance from teams, Robot Inspectors, FTAAs, FTAs, and other field staff. They may support teams in the pits, at the field after initial triage, or in coordination with inspectors to help teams resolve issues efficiently and safely. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers over 18 years old preferred.
Head Referee / Backup Head Referee	24	Wednesday (half day PM) through Saturday Volunteers must be available for the full event and prior experience as a Head Referee during BIOBUZZ is required.
Referee	30	Wednesday (half day PM) through Saturday Volunteers must be available for the full event and prior experience as a Referee during BIOBUZZ is required.
Official Scorer	30	Wednesday (half day PM) through Saturday Preference is given to volunteers that can be available for the full event. This is a great role for young alumni or parents/mentors who want to be by the field action and score match achievements! Prior experience as an Official Scorer is strongly recommended.
Field Reset	36	Wednesday (half day PM) through Saturday Student Volunteers Welcome! Field Reset volunteers support match turnaround by resetting game elements, clearing debris, and helping maintain a safe field environment for teams, robots, and field staff during match transitions. Working under the direction of the Field Supervisor, Field Reset volunteers help ensure each field is ready for the next round of competition and support safe and efficient match flow throughout the event. Preference is given to volunteers that can be available for full day shifts or across multiple days of the event. This is a great role for team members who don’t have a competition role or siblings who want to be near the field action! Students must be at least 15 years old with signed guardian consent.
Lead Robot Inspector	3	Wednesday through Saturday The Lead Robot Inspector (LRI) supervises the robot inspection process and leads the team of Robot Inspectors at the event. The LRI ensures all robots are inspected for compliance with current season rules and are safe prior to competition. The LRI serves as the final technical authority for inspection decisions. The LRI is responsible for rule interpretation, resolving inspection disputes, and making final determinations. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be over 18.
Robot Inspector	40	Wednesday Only Inspectors are volunteers who will verify that each team’s robot complies with the current season rules and safety requirements. They will measure, evaluate, and test robots, providing clear and consistent feedback to teams while ensuring a fair inspection process. This is a one-day volunteer opportunity, and we highly encourage coaches and adults traveling with their team to apply. There is some flexibility in this role to check on your team, but you should be able to be primarily focused on helping teams with inspection during this time. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the event day on Wednesday. Volunteers for this role must be over 18.
Lead Queuer	6	Wednesday (half day PM) through Saturday The Queuing Team plays a key role in keeping teams and matches moving smoothly by coordinating team flow to and from the field, communicating with field staff and Pit Admin, and helping maintain match timing and readiness. Lead Queuers help manage the flow of queuing for a specific division. This is a great role for adult volunteers with experience with event flow such as Program Delivery Partners, Event Directors, or Lead Queuers. Preference is given to volunteers who are available for the full event commitment. Volunteers for this role must be over 18.
Queuer	24	Wednesday (half day PM) through Saturday Student Volunteers Welcome! The Queuing Team plays a key role in keeping teams and matches moving smoothly by coordinating team flow to and from the field, communicating with field staff and Pit Admin, and helping maintain match timing and readiness. Queuers may act as greets welcome teams to the queuing area or as runners helping locate teams in their pits and bringing them to the queuing area. No prior experience required! Preference is given to volunteers that can be available for full day shifts or across multiple days of the event. This is a great role for team members who don’t have a competition role or siblings who want to be near the field action! Students must be at least 15 years old with signed guardian consent.
Practice Field Attendant	10	Wednesday through Saturday This is a great entry level role for adult volunteers. Help the practice field leadership team manage the flow of the practice field area. No prior experience required! Preference is given to volunteers that can be available for a full day shift or across multiple days of the event
Floating Support Volunteer	9	Wednesday through Saturday Student Volunteers Welcome! Assist with various entry level roles to help fill gaps as they arise throughout the event. Floaters may help with the practice fields, directing traffic, field reset, or other roles depending on what is needed. This is a great role for team members who don’t have a competition role or parents/siblings who want to get a volunteer shirt and get a sneak peek behind the scenes. No prior experience required! Preference is given to volunteers that can be available for a full day shift or across multiple days of the event. Students must be at least 15 years old with signed guardian consent.
Load-in/Load-Out	16	Wednesday and/or Saturday Assist with directing traffic and guiding teams to and from the FIRST Tech Challenge pit area. This role is great for parent/coach volunteers looking for an easy to navigate role with limited time commitment. This role is typically split into a morning and an afternoon shift each day.
Event Setup	45	Tuesday Only Role Coming in on Tuesday and looking for ways to help? Help us build fields, setup equipment, and more! No experience needed!
Event Breakdown	30	Saturday Only Role Looking for something to do on Saturday? We can always use more help breaking down practice and competition fields. No experience needed!

We’re hoping to recruit more than 375 volunteers! The FIRST Championship is an incredible experience, and we’re excited to share it with more teams and volunteers than ever before. Keep an eye on our blog for more FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Championship updates!

We’re excited to see you at the 2027 FIRST Championship!

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