Get Involved - Join the Specialty Coffee Expo team as a Volunteer

Thank you for your interest in getting involved at #CoffeeExpo2025

We are thrilled that you are interested in getting involved! Specialty Coffee Expo relies on over 500 volunteers and contractors filling thousands of hours of support each year to make the show happen. We invite you to join our team in Houston!

There are several ways to get involved at Expo:

  • Volunteer for 3-4 general shifts.

  • Apply to be a station instructor.

  • Apply for a contracted role.

  • Apply to judge the Best New Product competition or the Coffee Design Awards.

Getting involved as
a volunteer

Volunteering is more than just lending a hand. It's an opportunity to learn, grow and also give back to the community you feel most passionate about. Volunteering fosters relationships with people from around the world that share similar interests. It's the perfect opportunity to help the coffee industry flourish. And not to mention, you can earn a free 3-Day Expo Volunteer badge in exchange.

What does it take to earn a volunteer badge?

Attendees who commit to work the minimum number of hours can earn a complimentary badge.* Members of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) who register for the 3-Day Expo Volunteer badge must commit to a minimum of three (3) shifts.  Volunteers who are not members of SCA who register for the 3-Day Expo Volunteer badge must commit to a minimum of four (4) shifts. The average shift is four (4) hours long.

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

Begin by clicking on the REGISTER button below. You will select your shifts and then receive instructions to register for your free 3-day Expo badge. Volunteers are responsible for all travel and hotel accommodations. To be considered for a different role, please see below.

APPLY TO BE A VOLUNTEER STATION INSTRUCTOR

Those who station instruct for one class receive a 1-day Expo badge. Those who station instruct for two classes receive a 3-day Expo badge.

  • Workshops are hands-on interactive sessions that allow a deep dive into a variety of topics relevant to coffee professionals, approximately 3 hours in length, and instructed by subject matter experts, from a variety of backgrounds.

  • Workshops do not provide SCA Education program credit. Workshops are designed to complement the suite of SCA Education Programs (Coffee Skills Program, Coffee Sustainability Program, and Coffee Technicians Program).

  • SCA Authorized SCA Trainers (ASTs) can receive Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit for attending, leading, or station instructing workshops.

  • Station instructors are required to report for their workshop one hour prior to start time and be available up to 30 minutes after, as needed.

  • They are responsible for reviewing lesson plans and participating in a pre-workshop call. They will support the lead instructor by delivering workshop content in a small group setting, for example: demonstrating dialing-in espresso, facilitating a cupping, or prepping sensory references.

If you’re interested in being a station instructor, we invite you to apply by February 14, 2025.

EVENT WORKERS APPLICATION

Become part of the organizing team that is putting on EXPO in Chicago! The SCA is looking for people who would like to be contracted in event worker roles for EXPO. These positions require a greater time commitment but are perfect for specialty coffee professionals that are open for leadership and would like to be more involved with the behind-the-scenes support of the show.

Who can apply for event worker roles? 
Coffee professionals who are 18 and older are invited to apply for open contracted roles at the Specialty Coffee Expo. The shifts for event worker roles span from April 20-27, 2025. There are different event worker roles open on the application that require different skill sets and time commitments.  

Event Worker positions are available, for example, to help with Workshops, Coffee Service and Lectures.

Applications will open in mid-January 2025.

BEST NEW PRODUCT JUDGE APPLICATION

Get involved by judging the Best New Product Competition. Judges will receive a 3-day Expo badge in exchange for this time commitment, and will also be recognized on the website.

Who should apply?

  • People in the industry with at least 10 years of experience

  • People with no conflict of interest with entrants

  • People with availability to judge as outlined below

What am I judging?

You can choose to judge for products in the following categories:

  • Additives and Non-Coffee Beverages (tasting required) OR

  • Accessories, Commercial Coffee, Consumer Coffee, and Open Class

What is the time commitment?

  • Judges for Accessories, Commercial Coffee, Consumer Coffee, and Open Class will commit to judging the top entries in each category online before the show, as well as two 2-hour in-person judging sessions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26 onsite at Expo. 

  • Judges for Additives and Non-Coffee Beverages will commit to reviewing all submissions online prior to Expo and to one 5-hour in-person judging session from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 25, at Expo. 

DEADLINE TO APPLY: MARCH 1, 2025.

Volunteers at Specialty Coffee Expo proudly supported by