Volunteer

Our volunteers take time out of their busy schedules, giving their spare hours to make sure the convention runs successfully. Without them, Furnal Equinox simply wouldn’t happen. As our convention grows, we try to offer more to our attendees, and that requires us to constantly grow our volunteer team.

Volunteers often work just a few hours here and there while attending the con.

Click here to apply!

Staff

Staffing is a larger time investment, and usually involves duties before the convention as well as during. Our core team of Staff, Department Heads, and Directors work closely together to make sure the inner workings and fine details of our events go as smoothly as possible.

Staff are also Volunteers, but they are the core members of our team. They commit more time to working the convention than Volunteers, but they also receive more perks and rewards, and are assigned to a designated department under which they work. Some staff positions are very involved, while others are less so, and some positions get most of their work done in the months before the con even begins. See below to find positions that best fit you here at Furnal Equinox! 

Click here to apply!

Open Staff Positions

Convention Leadership Positions

Second-in-Command, Con Store & Merchandising

You’ll work closely with the Department Head to run the Convention Store prior to and during the convention weekend. You’ll also assist with sourcing, inventory, and selling quality products that interest people and promote the convention.

The Con Store will work closely with the Dealers Den, and all staff members in both departments are cross-trained on the basic duties and processes of the other department. 

Required Skills & Qualifications:

  • Sales and/or retail experience
  • Communication skills
  • Familiarity with platforms such as Slack, Google Suite and Office 365
  • Time Management skills and ability to meet deadlines
  • Cash handling experience
  • Basic math skills
  • Criminal background check

Bonus skills & Qualifications:

  • Merchandising Experience
  • Team Management and the ability to train others
Assistant Treasurer

The Assistant Treasurer is accountable for maintaining a culture of financial stewardship within Furnal Equinox by establishing and maintaining annual budgets, supporting accurate record-keeping, timely financial reporting, and assisting with purchasing where required.

The Assistant Treasurer has a dual reporting responsibility to the following individuals:

  • Treasurer (Anthropomorphic Events of Ontario / AEO Board)
  • Director of Infrastructure (Furnal Equinox)

The Assistant Treasurer’s duties include:

  • Administers the convention’s budget process and collaborates with the Convention Chair, Directors, and Department Leads on submissions and resource allocation;
  • Maintains all books and records related to Furnal Equinox, and ensures the accurate and timely recording of financial transactions;
  • Prepares and provides regular reporting regarding the convention’s financial position and adherence to budget to the Furnal Equinox Directors and to the AEO Treasurer, and advises on the financial impact of significant operational decisions;
  • Administers the convention’s purchasing process of items approved in the budget, and supports with small purchases as previously approved;
  • Performs all other duties as the position may require.

Specific Requirements

  • Commitment and enthusiasm for AEO’s mission to grow and sustain the local furry community;
  • Previous experience in an accounting or bookkeeping position as an employee or volunteer, or similar formal education/training;
  • Knowledge of Quickbooks Online software;
  • Strong written and verbal interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and with limited direction;
  • Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people throughout the organization;
  • Positive attitude with a commitment to ethics and integrity.

Application process

  • Apply by contacting us using the form on the Furnal Equinox website.
  • We will follow up directly with candidates who meet the requirements for the role for an interview process and additional screening as required.
  • Candidates must be prepared to obtain a police record check prior to formally accepting the role.

Hotel Team Positions

Our Hotel Team helps Furnal Equinox communicate with our hotel and other business partners before, during, and after the convention. None of our room booking is handled through this communication, but there is still a lot of vital discussion on everything from banquets and catering to panel room planning and needs at con, and much more.

Hotel Team Lead

Our Hotel Team Lead acts as a point of contact between the convention, our venue, and businesses that work with the event, and will work to build a small but skilled Hotel Team to assist with this. You’ll have opportunities to research potential new vendors, in addition to maintaining our existing relationships. As such, the ideal Hotel Team Lead is local to the Toronto area to facilitate easy communication with our hotel and other businesses, and has at some professional experience with business outreach. This position reports to the Director Team, and will delegates tasks to the Hotel Team.

 

Required:

  • 1-2+ years experience in sales, marketing, or other business outreach
  • Background check
  • Task delegation/management skills
  • Excellent communication skills and responsiveness while on-the-job
  • Experience working in a team environment
  • Availability before and during the convention
  • 1-2 years of experience in management, preferably with a convention, in a Department Head or higher-level role

Preferred:

  • Local to Toronto or GTA
    Hotel Team Member

    Our Hotel Team supports the Hotel Team Lead with much of the communication between the convention, our venue, and our business partners. You’ll have opportunities to research potential new vendors in addition to maintaining our existing relationships as well. Hotel Team Members don’t need to live closely to Toronto, but must be able to either support the at-con team in communicating with the hotel, or in advance of the con by articulating Furnal Equinox’s needs to the hotel via email. The main goal of this team is to simplify communication and discussions with our hotel and other businesses, and may do so in email, as well as in group chats with Hotel staff, as well as occasionally over the phone and, when at the convention, in person. This position reports to the Hotel Team Lead.

    Required:

    • Some experience in sales, marketing, or customer service
    • Background check
    • Friendly, approachable, and responsive in all forms of communication
    • Experience working in a team environment
    • Availability before and during the convention

    Bonus (not a requirement):

    • Availability before and during the convention
    • Local to Toronto or GTA

      Nightingales Positions

      The Nightingales are our safety & security team. They respond to concerns about attendee safety, and require a background check.

      Safety & Security Team Member

      The Security Team is a customer service department, focusing on assisting attendees in a general capacity as well as providing a source of safety at event.

      Core Responsibilities

      • Answering general attendee questions and directing them to locations where they can get further information (Convention Operations, Information Desk)
      • Monitoring the Convention space and serving as a representative of the Staff Team to identify issues of various types and to assist with resolution
      • Assist in managing the lines for large events.

      General Positions

      Art Show Specialist, Dealers

      Job description: As the Art Show Specialist with our Dealers team, you will have a role both pre-con and at-con. Pre-con, you’ll handle art show applications and lead the selection of artists for this event. On-site, you’ll prep the art show area, arrange art show pieces with proper labeling, and maintain the art show area.

      Required Skills

      • Good organizational and design layout skills
      • Above average record keeping
      • Ability to lift ~50 pounds
      • Above average communication skills and knowledge of platforms such as Slack, Google Suite and Office 365
      • Good Time Management and the ability to meet deadlines

      Preferred Skills

      • Knowledge of various furry art and artists
      • Basic OSINT skills
        Sponsor Liaison

        Our sponsors are a big part of our convention and are invaluable in providing support that allows our convention to continue each year. We are looking for a creative, organized person to help support our sponsors, supersponsors, and other support levels.

        Your tasks will include:

        • Proposing promotional items to be given to sponsors

        • Planning special events exclusive to the sponsor+ levels

        • Acting as a liaison at the convention to ensure all events are delivered at a quality that reflects the value of our sponsor+ supporters

        • Coordinating with other departments to ensure the delivery of a great sponsor experience

        • Soliciting feedback from sponsors to influence planning for future years

        • As the department grows, guiding the department and the staff within it

        Skills Required:

        • 18+ age
        • Attention to detail
        • Communication skills

        Beneficial Skills (not required):

        • Some customer service experience
        • Working in a team environment

        Training:

        • Con Merch Dept Training 

        Previous convention or event planning experience is an asset, but not required. If you are interested in applying for the position, please submit a form below.

        GoH Liaison

        The GoH Liaison acts as a point of contact for Guests of Honor, preparing for and managing each GoH’s appearance at Furnal Equinox. The liaison is responsible for arranging travel and coordinating preparations for all guest panels/events and space inside the Dealers Den prior to the convention. During the convention, the GoH liaison facilitates an enjoyable at-con experience for the GoH and manages arrangements made prior to the convention for the GoH.

         

        Requirements

        • Strong organizational skills
        • Good communication skills
        • Experience with customer service
        • High attention to detail

        Nice to Haves

        • Experience with any of the departments you’ll need to interact with (A/V, Programming, etc.)
        • Experience with GSuite/O365
            HUB Team Member

            HUB is a new and evolving department Primarily focused on welfare checks on staff throughout the con and maintaining harmonious relations within the staff.

            We are searching for a person local to the GTA to assist in the planning and implementation of social events for both our virtual and in-person staff both during and outside of the convention. They will also work closely with the Department Head and Second-in-Command (2IC) of HUB in monitoring staff morale both pre-event and during the Convention as well as assisting with the composition and production of the monthly staff newsletter.

            Required skills

            • Strong communication skills
            • Multitasking 

             

              Community Manager

              Department: VFE Operations

               

              Supervisor: VFE Director

               

              Job Description: 

              Community Manager is the person assigned responsibility for the Furnal Equinox Community Discord Management. This person will have different responsibilities related to the creation, maintenance, management of the convention Discord. This is a year round position. 

               

              Job Elements:

              • As to hire Discord moderators
              • Knows how to set up a Discord server satisfying the current convention needs
              • As to communicate with the Community Department lead and 2IC
              • Knows how to diagnose issues and communicate them to the team
              • As to communicate different integration problematics that might occur to the Community Department lead and 2IC

               

              Required:

              • 18+ age
              • Background check

                 

                  Programming Positions

                  Programming Team Member

                  Programming Staff handles pre-con and at-con correspondence between panelists and the convention. They will help review submitted panels/workshops/performance and aid in the scheduling of panels and events for the con.  During the convention, programming staff ensure things remain on schedule and provide panelists with the necessary resource.  

                  Programming Staff also will communicate any deviations from the set schedule to the affected parties so that these changes may be communicated to attendees in an expedient manner.

                  Required Skills:

                  • Customer service experience
                  • Multitasking
                  • Able to take direction, but also self starter
                  • Work to deadlines issued by head/assistant head of department
                  Audio/Video Coordinator (Panel Rooms)

                  Department: A/V

                  Supervisor: A/V Lead

                   

                  Job Description: FE is looking for someone to help manage our panel room A/V operations! For this position, you will primarily oversee managing our team of panel room technicians who assist our panelists in connecting to projectors, speaker systems, and microphones. You will be ensuring there’s always someone there to help get each panelist plugged in, and for making sure technical issues are resolved. 

                   

                  While you will be expected to be on-call for a large portion of each day until another team member takes over, the at-con time expectation is relatively low. It is spread across the whole day, in short bursts of activity.

                   

                  Job Elements: 

                  • Delegating troubleshooting duties to team members
                  • Scheduling of team members and any A/V volunteers as needed
                  • Communicating with team via radio and in-person at the convention
                  • Troubleshooting mic, mixer, and projector issues in panel rooms

                   

                  Skills Required:

                  • Basic A/V tech knowledge: Connections for projectors for Macs and PCs, as well as for mixers, microphones, and speakers
                  • Some experience leading a team, in a work, volunteer, or other environment
                  • Task delegation
                  • Time management skills & punctuality
                  • Some customer service skills when communicating with panelists

                   

                  Special Considerations: This is a role that is fairly mobile around the con space, so it is ideal for someone comfortable being on their feet and moving for much of the day.

                    Panel Audio/Video Team Member

                    Department: A/V

                    Supervisor: Panel A/V Lead

                     

                    Job Description: FE is looking for someone to help out with our panelists’ A/V needs! For this position, you will join our team of technicians who assist panelists in connecting to projectors, speaker systems, and microphones. You will be ensuring there’s always someone there to help get each panelist plugged in, and for making sure technical issues are resolved. 

                     

                    While you will be expected to be on-call for a few hours at a time. However, the at-con time expectation is relatively low and spread across the whole day, in short bursts of activity.

                     

                    Job Elements: 

                    • Troubleshooting mic, mixer, and projector issues in panel rooms
                    • Communicating with team members and panelists
                    • Working with volunteers at the convention, who may be assigned to assist you in your duties

                     

                    Skills Required:

                    • Basic A/V tech knowledge: Connections for projectors for Macs and PCs, as well as for mixers, microphones, and speakers
                    • Time management skills & punctuality
                    • Teamwork skills
                    • Some customer service skills when communicating with panelists

                    Special Considerations: This is a role that is fairly mobile around the con space, so it is ideal for someone comfortable being on their feet and moving for much of the day.

                      Logistics Team Positions

                      Our Logistics team is the backbone of the convention, working mostly behind the scenes to provide a seamless experience to our attendees. Most positions work both on-site and off, and much of their work happens right around convention time, but can vary by position. All Logistics Staff positions require: candidates 18 years or older; a background check; and many positions have physical work demands, along with some special training that our team will provide as needed.

                      Logistics Coordinator

                      Department: Logistics

                      Supervisor: Head of Logistics

                      Job Description: The Logistics Coordinator is the person assigned responsibility for designated areas within the event space during Logistics tasks. They coordinate with logistics staff and other departments to ensure that event setup and teardowns go smoothly. This is a year round position.

                      Job Elements: 

                      • Assist with Logistics tasks and paperwork
                      • Developing yearly operational plans for designated areas
                      • Review and maintain training materials and spearhead training sessions
                      • Coordinate setup/teardown operations in designated areas
                      • Coordinate volunteers for Logistics tasks in designated areas
                      • Coordinate with Logistics drivers, other coordinators and staff
                      • Coordinate with other departments as required
                      • Assist with asset and inventory audit initiatives
                      • Coordinate with hotel liaison and hotel staff as required
                      • Be available for Logistics tasks year round

                      Required:

                      • 18+ age
                      • Background check
                      • Must be physically mobile within designated areas
                          Logistics Inventory Coordinator

                          Department: Logistics
                          Supervisor:Logistics Department Lead

                          Job Description:The Inventory Coordinator is responsible for maintaining assets and inventory for the organization. They will primarily support the organization storage locker by maintaining the business relationship with the storage company, receiving assets, and overseeing asset and inventory audits. They will coordinate with other departments regarding their respective assets and inventories, as well as with Logistics staff for audits and transportation plans. This is a year round position.

                          Job Elements: 

                          • Assist with pre/post convention Logistics tasks and paperwork
                          • Coordinate access to storage locker as required by convention department staff
                          • Developing yearly operational plans for designated areas
                          • Review and maintain training materials and spearhead training sessions
                          • Receive assets and inventory at storage locker
                          • Coordinate with Purchasing teams
                          • Maintain asset and inventory control systems ie. AssetTiger
                          • Oversee asset and inventory audit initiatives
                          • Coordinate with drivers, other coordinators and Logistics staff
                          • Lead asset and inventory audit initiatives
                          • Coordinate with other departments
                          • Be available for Logistics tasks year round

                          Required:

                          • 18+ age
                          • Volunteer background check

                          Training:

                          • Project Management
                          • Asset and Inventory Management
                          • People Management
                          • Workplace Safety Course
                          • Train the Trainer
                            Logistics Inventory Staff

                            Department: Logistics
                            Supervisor:Logistics Coordinator

                            Job Description: The Inventory Staff is responsible for assisting in the maintainance of organization assets and inventory. They primarily support the organization storage locker; maintaining the business relationship with the storage company, receiving and overseeing asset and inventory audits. They will coordinate with Logistics staff for audits and transportation plans. This is a year round position.

                            Job Elements: 

                            • Assist Inventory Coordinator as required
                            • Assist with pre/post convention Logistics tasks and paperwork
                            • Coordinate access to storage locker as required by convention department staff
                            • Assist with receiving assets and inventory at storage locker
                            • Maintain asset and inventory control systems i.e. AssetTiger
                            • Coordinate with drivers, other coordinators and Logistics staff
                            • Assist with asset and inventory audit initiatives

                            Required:

                            • 18+ age
                            • Volunteer background check for keyholder to storage locker
                            • Must be able to work in a physically demanding role

                            Training:

                            • Workplace Safety Course
                            • Asset and Inventory Management

                            Publicity and PR Positions

                            The following positions act as a voice on behalf of the convention, often communicating with third parties or social media followers directly. The Publicity team coordinates on many of the following projects. As such, teamwork and professionalism in both internal and external communication is a must, and some experience working in a communications role in the past (e.g. sending newsletter, customer service/support, etc.) is preferred.

                            Discord Chat Moderators

                            We need several moderators for various rooms who will work with the Lounge team to be sure
                            that chat participants follow our rules and Code of Conduct. The spaces needing
                            moderation at this time are:

                            • Discord

                             

                            Social Media Team Member

                            Social Media Team Members work with the Publicity team to write content for our website and social media.

                            Skills that we are looking for with this position:

                            • Must have good written Canadian English skills
                            • Previous writing experience would be preferable
                            • Good communication skills

                            ​Core Responsibilities

                            • Communicating with other departments 
                            • Meeting deadlines 

                            Artist Positions

                            Designers & Artists

                            Designers and Artists will work with the Art Department Lead to put together the conbook, the scheduling booklet, posters and website assets. 


                            Skills that we are looking for:

                            • Base knowledge of InDesign and/or Illustrator (or any other relevant apps. Licence can be provided by us)
                            • Able to work with others and accept feedback
                            • Good communication skills

                            ​Core Responsibilities

                            • Communicating with other departments for their specific requests
                            • Meet deadlines 
                            • Design of assets (conbook, schedule booklet, posters, banners, etc…)

                             

                            Please submit a link to your portfolio when applying for this position!

                            3D Artist

                            As we’re building up the virtual convention, we’re looking for 3D artists who will help design and texture virtual environments. We’ll consider those with experience with any one of the following:

                            • Texturing
                            • Lighting
                            • Unity experience

                            Note that artists can use any program desired, so long as files are exported in the .fbx format.