Open Staff Positions

Staff are the backbone of any active fan convention. They’re the hardworking volunteers that make all of the magic happen. TouhouFest is not possible without the dedicated and passionate service of the staff. On this page, all currently open positions will be listed, alongside a role description, qualifications, and preferences.

If you don’t see a position you’re interested in, start the application and explicitly mark “I want to be added to the ‘interest list’ for future openings" option when selecting what positions you want to apply for.

  • Basic Information

    Job Title: Access Control Staff

    Department: Convention Operations

    Reports To: Access Control Manager

    Level: General Staff (this role does not supervise others).

    Job Type: This is an unpaid volunteer role (TouhouFest is 100% volunteer run). TouhouFest staff roles require a regular / recurring commitment which may include completing work year-round or for parts of the year. 

    Location: Pre-show work may be completed virtually. This role requires being in-person at our TouhouFest event, including set-up day (June 13-15, 2025 in Torrance, CA, USA). Housing accommodations will be provided.

    Position Overview

    TouhouFest is seeking to recruit Access Control Staff to assist with various access control duties during our physical event. Tasks may include checking credentials (badges/tickets) before allowing access into the event or into restricted areas of the event (such as “staff only” areas) and enforcing our policies against prohibited items through the use of various methods such as bag checks, metal detectors (including handheld metal detector wands), etc. Access Control Staff may also be tasked with securing “no entry” areas and line / crowd control duties. Finally, as part of the Convention Operations (ConOps) Department, Access Control Staff are expected to look out for and report any suspicious, hazardous, or otherwise unusual activity and may be assigned to “patrol” within the event (or at the perimeter of the event) for this purpose.

    Staff Duties

    1. Will be assigned approximately 12 hours of work throughout our event (up to 4 hours consecutively in one post) but must be flexible to changes as needed.

    2. Control access into / out of the event (checking credentials, stopping prohibited items, enforcing other policies, etc.).

    3. Check cosplays and props for compliance (based on our policies).

    4. Constantly monitor for suspicious, hazardous, or otherwise unusual activity and immediately report such incidents to the correct authority.

    5. Act in full compliance with our policies, standards of professionalism, and within legal bounds at all times.

    6. Complete other tasks as assigned.

    Requirements

    1. Must be at least 18 years of age (this is required of all staff).

    2. Be willing and able to be assigned to posts where you are standing or sitting for up to 4 hours consecutively.

    3. Be able to quickly and thoroughly monitor and assess individuals that are entering / exiting our event.

    4. Must be willing and able to learn (and follow) our policies and procedures.

    Preferences

    1. Prior related experience with access control, security, or convention/event operations is a plus.

    2. Familiarity with Touhou Project and the Touhou community is a plus.

  • Basic Information

    Job Title: Event Videographer

    Department: Marketing

    Reports To: Director of Marketing

    Level: Specialized Staff (this is a non-management role that requires specialized skills).

    Job Type: This is an unpaid volunteer role (TouhouFest is 100% volunteer run). TouhouFest staff roles require a regular / recurring commitment which may include completing work year-round or for parts of the year. 

    Location: Pre-show work may be completed virtually. This role requires being in-person at our TouhouFest event, including set-up day (June 13-15, 2025 in Torrance, CA, USA). Housing accommodations will be provided.


    Position Overview

    TouhouFest is seeking to recruit an Event Videographer for the Marketing team. The Event Videographer is to shoot onsite video of the attendees, cosplayers, skits, panels, guests,

    concerts, and general event activities. The Videographer must bring their own equipment.


    Staff Duties

    1. Shooting video of TouhouFest events for promotional material

    2. Coordinate video shoots of events with the photographer and head editor

    3. Being available for any on-the-fly skits involving cosplayers and/or guests

    4. Transferring raw footage to head editor for postprod processing and storage for post-event promotion


    Requirements

    1. Possessing the proper camera and equipment.

    2. Professional attitude, good sense of responsibility, and excellent communication skills.

    3. Ability to work independently and as a team.

    4. Great at taking initiative / being proactive, able to prioritize effectively, effective time management skills, and ability to problem-solve.

    5. Being able to act quickly in a fast-paced environment.


    Preferences

    1. Having a DSLR camera is preferred.

    2. Prior related experience is a plus.

    3. Familiarity with Touhou Project and the Touhou community is a plus.

  • Basic Information

    Job Title: Guest Guide

    Department: Guest Relations

    Reports To: Director of Guest Relations

    Level: Specialized Staff (this is a non-management role that requires specialized skills).

    Job Type: This is an unpaid volunteer role (TouhouFest is 100% volunteer run). TouhouFest staff roles require a regular / recurring commitment which may include completing work year-round or for parts of the year. 

    Location: This role requires being in-person at our TouhouFest event (June 14-15, 2025 in Torrance, CA, USA). Housing accommodations will be provided.


    Position Overview

    TouhouFest is seeking to recruit Guest Handlers that are responsible for tending to guests of honor (special guests). As a requirement, Guest Handlers must have at least conversational fluency in Japanese and be able to perform simple tasks at the request of guests.


    Staff Duties

    1. Provide interpretation (between English and Japanese), primarily in an in-person spoken/verbal format, for guests of honor (special guests).

    2. Tend to the needs of guests that are assigned to you including, but not limited to:

      1. Providing food/water (supplies will be provided)

      2. Assisting with loading/unloading equipment

      3. Provide guidance around the event venue

      4. Provide access control (prevent unauthorized entry) for “guest-only” areas

      5. Fulfill other general requests from guests or TouhouFest leadership as needed

    Requirements

    1. This role requires verbal proficiency in both Japanese and English at a level at (or exceeding) ILR Level 3 (for “interpretation”). See below for a description of ILR interpretation Level 3.

    2. Professional attitude, good sense of responsibility, and excellent communication skills.

    3. Ability to maintain professionalism and proper decorum when interacting with guests of honor (special guests).


    Preferences

    1. Previous experience staffing / volunteering at conventions, particularly in a “guest guide” or equivalent role.

    2. Ability to translate (written) between English and Japanese. Clarification: The ability to provide interpretation (verbal) is required while translation (written) is preferred.

    3. Familiarity with Touhou Project and the Touhou community (including the ability to interpret related niche/specialized terminology).


    ILR Level 3 Description

    Interpretation Level 3:

    Able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations in practical, social and professional topics. Nevertheless, the individual's limitations generally restrict the professional contexts of language use to matters of shared knowledge and/or international convention. Discourse is cohesive. The individual uses the language acceptably, but with some noticeable imperfections; yet, errors virtually never interfere with understanding and rarely disturb the native speaker. The individual can effectively combine structure and vocabulary to convey his/her meaning accurately. The individual speaks readily and fills pauses suitably. In face-to-face conversation with natives speaking the standard dialect at a normal rate of speech, comprehension is quite complete. Although cultural references, proverbs and the implications of nuances and idiom may not be fully understood, the individual can easily repair the conversation. Pronunciation may be obviously foreign. Individual sounds are accurate: but stress, intonation and pitch control may be faulty. Examples: Can typically discuss particular interests and special fields of competence with reasonable ease. Can use the language as part of normal professional duties such as answering objections, clarifying points, justifying decisions, understanding the essence of challenges, stating and defending policy, conducting meetings, delivering briefings, or other extended and elaborate informative monologues. Can reliably elicit information and informed opinion from native speakers. Structural inaccuracy is rarely the major cause of misunderstanding. Use of structural devices is flexible and elaborate. Without searching for words or phrases, the individual uses the language clearly and relatively naturally to elaborate concepts freely and make ideas easily understandable to native speakers. Errors occur in low-frequency and highly complex structures.

  • Basic Information

    Job Title: Marketing Copywriter

    Department: Marketing

    Reports To: Director of Marketing

    Level: Specialized Staff (this is a non-management role that requires specialized skills).

    Job Type: This is an unpaid volunteer role (TouhouFest is 100% volunteer run). TouhouFest staff roles require a regular / recurring commitment which may include completing work year-round or for parts of the year. 

    Location: Tasks can be completed virtually. Attendance at TouhouFest is optional but highly encouraged (June 13-15, 2025 in Torrance, CA, USA). Housing accommodations will be provided with attendance.

    Position Overview

    TouhouFest is seeking to recruit a Copywriter for the Marketing team, who can create, proofread, and revise text for multiple avenues, including the TouhouFest website, our socials, and our Tengu Newsletter. The Copywriter will be working closely with the Social Media Coordinator and Newsletter writer.

    Staff Duties

    1. Working with the website team to proofread any text that may need correction or updating

    2. Reviewing and proofreading the Tengu Newsletter with the Newsletter Writer

    3. Proofreading and fact-checking social media posts with the Social Media Coordinator before uploading them to our socials

    Requirements

    1. Professional attitude, good sense of responsibility, and excellent communications skills.

    2. Ability to work with others in a team.

    3. Experience in proofreading and revision.

    Preferences

    1. Familiarity with the Touhou Project is a plus.

  • Basic Information

    Job Title: Newsletter Writer

    Department: Marketing

    Reports To: Director of Marketing

    Level: Specialized Staff (this is a non-management role that requires specialized skills).

    Job Type: This is an unpaid volunteer role (TouhouFest is 100% volunteer run). TouhouFest staff roles require a regular / recurring commitment which may include completing work year-round or for parts of the year. 

    Location: Tasks can be completed virtually. Attendance at TouhouFest is optional but highly encouraged (June 13-15, 2025 in Torrance, CA, USA). Housing accommodations will be provided with attendance.


    Position Overview

    TouhouFest is seeking to recruit a Newsletter Writer for the Marketing team. The Writer is to continue the Tengu Newsletter, a monthly publication giving out regular updates on TouhouFest and related Touhou Project news. This Writer will be working alongside the Social Media Coordinator and Marketing Copywriter for peer revisions and spreading word of the Newsletter.

    Staff Duties

    1. Writing about monthly highlights in both the Touhou Project community and TouhouFest updates (new guests, new/returning panels, interviews with staff and/or guests, etc.)

    2. Creating a striking visual brand for the Tengu Newsletter

    3. Keep up with TouhouFest updates (programming updates, performer/guest updates, policy updates, etc.) as well as Touhou community news (updates from ZUN, new fan content, new big memes, etc.)

    4. Brainstorming new ideas/sections to keep the newsletter fresh

    Requirements

    1. Experience in balancing between fun and professional writing styles.

    2. Being in tune with Touhou fandom, current trends, and TouhouFest information.

    Preferences

    1. Prior experience with newsletter writing is a plus.

    2. Knowledge and experience with Audienceful (our current platform for the newsletter) is a plus.

  • Basic Information

    Job Title: Social Media Coordinator

    Department: Marketing

    Reports To: Director of Marketing

    Level:  General Staff (this role does not supervise others).

    Job Type: This is an unpaid volunteer role (TouhouFest is 100% volunteer run). TouhouFest staff roles require a regular / recurring commitment which may include completing work year-round or for parts of the year. 

    Location: Tasks can be completed virtually. Attendance at TouhouFest is optional (June 13-15, 2025 in Torrance, CA, USA).

    Position Overview

    TouhouFest is seeking someone who can assist in managing our social media  platforms with announcements, campaigns, and spreading the word of TouhouFest to both inside and outside our current audience. Our platforms currently include Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook, Tumblr, and Reddit; however, platform usage is subject to change.

    Staff Duties

    1. Curating posts and advertisements for our social media accounts, either individually or simultaneously

    2. Working and communicating with the art team for any art or graphics requests on social media posts

    Requirements

    1. Knowledge of advertising on the aforementioned platforms.

    2. Differentiating when a post should be made in either a silly or professional manner.

    3. Understanding Touhou Project, its community, and current trends in the fandom is necessary for this position.

    Preferences

    1. Prior related experience is a plus.

  • Basic Information

    Job Title: Staff Resources Coordinator

    Department: Staff Resources

    Reports To: Director of Staff Resources

    Level: General Staff (this role does not supervise others).

    Job Type: This is an unpaid volunteer role (TouhouFest is 100% volunteer run). TouhouFest staff roles require a regular / recurring commitment which may include completing work year-round or for parts of the year. 

    Location: Pre-show work may be completed virtually. This role requires being in-person at our TouhouFest event, including set-up day (June 13-15, 2025 in Torrance, CA, USA). Housing accommodations will be provided.


    Position Overview

    TouhouFest is seeking to recruit a Staff Resources Coordinator to assist with a variety of tasks across the full spectrum of the Staff Resources department's responsibilities. This role may involve supporting recruitment, onboarding, housing and food logistics for staff, handling staff-related complaints and grievances, and assisting with staff investigations. While the Coordinator will primarily complete tasks as assigned, they may also take the lead on small to medium-scale projects as appropriate.


    Staff Duties

    1. Assist with tasks as assigned, which may include:

      1. Recruitment and screening of staff applicants.

      2. On-boarding new staff members / off-boarding staff members that are exiting the organization.

      3. Coordinate housing and food arrangements for staff.

      4. Assist with staff check-in/out during event days (and set-up days).

      5. Assist with managing/resolving staff complaints, grievances, and conducting investigations as needed.

    2. Provide general administrative support to the Staff Resources department as required.

    3. Complete other tasks as assigned.

    Requirements

    1. Professional attitude, good sense of responsibility, and excellent communication skills.

    2. Ability to work independently and as a team.

    3. Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive situations with discretion.

    Preferences

    1. Prior related experience is a plus.

    2. Familiarity with Touhou Project and the Touhou community is a plus.