Be a part of St. Louis' biggest anime event!

Update 2/26/2026 - For AnimeSTL 2026, we mainly need new members to join the Panel Runners team under the Programming division.  Show Ops and Guest Relations have no openings at this time.  Also, due to budget we are unable to provide lodging for new staff members for this show year and can only reimburse for travel via car or other cost-effective means (sorry to the airlines).  Thank you!

Anime St. Louis is looking for motivated individuals to help contribute on-site at our event.  Have you ever considered working in either a event planning or hospitality career?  Would you like to gain additional experience?  Do you enjoy volunteering, but yet you still want to step up and go above and beyond for not only us, but for your fellow attendees?  Then we'd love for you to sign up and help out!

We are looking for people interested in either the equivalent of 'part-time' or 'full-time' positions.  All staff positions right now are for on-site work only and may only require a small amount of meeting attendance (amount depends on the committee you're applying for).  These staff positions are considered volunteer work and are not meant to be an employee position, but we offer reimbursements and provide what is needed to keep you energized and ready to work.

If you are interested in signing up for staffing, please first read through our FAQ, and then fill out and submit the form below:

How old do I have to be to join staff?
You must be 18 years of age or older to join staff.

Do I have to have any convention experience?
We prefer that if you are joining staff, you have some previous convention, event planning, or hospitality experience; for example being a volunteer at other events.  If this is your first-ever convention, you may wish to start off as a regular attendee or volunteer before leaping straight into the becoming a staff member. The more experience you have as an attendee or volunteer, the more understanding you’ll already have of how events like ours function.

If I’m on staff, can I still wear a costume during the con?
Generally, no.  During the convention, it is important for us to be easily identified as staff. Each staffer will be provided with uniform t-shirts identifying them as staff. This helps to make us easily identifiable for people with questions and concerns. Additionally, we do not wish for staff members to be worrying about the condition of their costumes or having their duties hindered by people wanting pictures. The exception to this rule is if you are running an event or panel for which a costume would be appropriate. These exceptions are usually handled on a case-by-case basis.

Cool, so I can run panels and stuff?
Due to the time and availability constraints that come with staffing, we limit staff members to running one (1) panel of their choice. Unless you are part of the Programming Committee (Events & Panels), you are not likely to have much time to run a panel or event. We do this in order to make sure staff members are able to focus on running the convention itself.

Will I get to attend parts of the convention or meet a guest personally?
Sadly, you may not be able to.  Since our focus is keeping the event running smoothly, we are sometimes unable to meet the guests we invite or attend parts of the convention we normally enjoy as attendees.  However, just let us know on your application or closer to event time what you're hoping to do, and we'll try to accommodate you as best as we can.

Can I list this experience on my resume?  Can I put down my supervisor as a reference?
If you would like, sure.  Just be sure to ask your at-con supervisor before you do it so they know why someone is asking about you.

Perk details for new Panel Runners for 2026:

As mentioned above, we have different time requirements and different perks with our staff positions.  Here's more details about them:

Staffing “Part-Time” – This style of shift will be a training style that will stick to the Volunteering model for compensation/reimbursement.  You won't be required to work with us all weekend and can instead try out panel running as a regular volunteer.  You'll be paired with another staffer who will show you the ropes and answer any questions you may have.

Staffing for the weekend, “Full-Time” – This type of shift works a minimum of 8 hours each day of the convention and can potentially be considered an ‘open to close’ style position.  Staff perks for this type of shift include:

• Complimentary weekend pass to AnimeSTL
• Food vouchers for all three days that can be used at participating venue concession stands
• $100 stipend
• Free AnimeSTL branded merchandise, when applicable

In addition to the above, staff members who work consecutive years receive additional complimentary weekend passes that can be given to friends and family.  First year staffers do not receive this perk.  First year staffers without previous volunteer experience with AnimeSTL may also be requested to purchase their weekend pass first and then be reimbursed for it after their shift as a trial run year.  Reimbursements may not be received for up to 2 weeks after the convention’s show dates due to accounting processing.

If you have any questions about the above, please feel free to contact us.  Thank you and we look forward to working with and alongside you on creating another wonderful show year!