Job Details

IMPORTANT - If interested in the role, please be sure to apply at the full application link below.

The Safety Staff role is primarily responsible for:

• Welcoming and guiding patrons into and out of the venue
• Conductingsearches of people and their belongings
• Setting up and breaking down equipment in their assigned areas

Organizational Profile

Founded in 1938, Stern Grove Festival is an admission-free summer performing arts festival in San Francisco. Now entering its 89th season, the Festival draws over 100,000 people during its ten-week series of world class performances in the outdoor setting of Sigmund Stern Grove. Past seasons have included performing artists from around the world, including The Flaming Lips, Bob Moses, Chaka Khan, San Francisco Symphony, Kool & the Gang, Los Lobos, Smokey Robinson, Ziggy Marley, Carlos Santana, Allen Stone, Janelle Monae, and Diana Ross.

Position Description

Stern Grove Festival Safety Staff will assist all activities and services related to the safety and comfort of patrons, with a goal of creating a positive experience for all audience members. The primary location of their work is on the Perimeter at the Entrances of the venue. Safety Staff will assist on-site, operational needs including Walk-thru, Magnetometer and Bag searches, search area set-up and strike, crowd management and control, response to patron requests and concerns, Emergency Exit monitoring, emergency response protocols, and any additional duties that pertain to the smooth functioning of the venue. Safety Staff may be re-deployed to a new position on the Perimeter, Ticket, or House teams as and if needed.

2026 Working Arrangement and Hours:

• Must be available every Sunday: May 17, 2026 - August 16, 2026
• *except Memorial Day Weekend
• Must be available Saturday August 15th, 2026
• Employees will average 6-8 hours per week depending on area assignment

Stern Grove Festival encourages everyone to apply and hiring priority goes to qualified individuals who can work all or most of the required dates

Safety Staff can expect a schedule of between 6 and 8 hours each weekend, averaging eight hours per week over the course of the Season. There are additional hours available for pre-season build days and each Saturday toward equipment set-up (scheduling dependent on interest and availability).

Reporting Relationships

Safety Staff are part of the Operations Department on the Safety Team. Safety Staff report directly to their Safety Leader. In addition, Safety Staff work closely with the Safety Manager, Assistant Safety Manager, Operations, Perimeter, Ticket, and House Teams, Security and Medical teams, and other SGFA Staff.

General Duties

• Attend pre-season orientations and Concert Dry Run to learn about the organization's culture, understand the Operations Staff role in producing the Festival, get hands-on experience with equipment, and participate in venue safety drills.
• Assist in the set-up and breakdown of equipment, including fencing, barricades, Evolv, aisles, signage, tables and benches.
• Oversee patron ingress at venue entrances, search stations, permeate a positive and welcoming attitude and respond to issues that arise
• Search patrons bags and belongings respectfully and diligently to identity and prevent prohibited items from entering the venue
• Using magnetometers search patrons bodies respectfully and diligently to identify and prevent metal weapons from entering the venue.
• Help de-escalate situations that arise based on the first-come-first served and limited space nature of the event.
• Promote public safety and cultivate a positive patron experience within the assigned area by informing patrons of policy and procedure.
• Perform crowd control, including maintaining clear aisle ways and emergency exit paths. Help clear the Concert Meadow of patrons after the show.
• Ensure enforcement and compliance with all rules and regulations in the Grove, including enforcing the prohibited items and smoking rules
• Attend on-site staff meetings and execute tasks under direction of Safety Leaders.
• Adhere to SGFA approved policies, protocols, and procedures to ensure high standards are upheld in regards to staff professionalism and performance
• Articulate and embody the Festival's mission and be ambassadors to the public

Essential Functions/Assigned Roles

• Bag Search
• Magnetometer Search
• Perimeter Monitor
• Crowd Management
• End of Show Seating Area Sweep
• Egress Monitoring

Personal Characteristics

• Excellent communication skills and collaborative work ethic.
• Capability and comfort being in large crowds of people.
• Possess the capacity to handle stressful situations with diplomacy and tact.
• Able to work efficiently in an organized and detailed fashion.
• Ability to adhere to SGFA policies, protocols and procedures.
• Able to maintain self-assurance and control during the concert day.
• Understanding of your own personal limits and ability to articulate those limits to your supervisor.
• Have a great sense of humor and maintain dedication to SGFA missions.
• Experience is required and a good attitude and excellent work ethic is a must.
• Excellent communication skills and collaborative work ethic
• Experience providing exemplary customer service and ability to handle stressful situations with diplomacy and tact
• Working knowledge of security standards, crowd control practices, crisis intervention, emergency procedures, and first aid
• Ability to judge rapidly changing conditions and make quick decisions while adhering to SGFA guidelines
• Ability to maintain self-assurance and level-headedness and know when to turn to a supervisor if you cannot perform the job duties
• Have a great sense of humor and maintain dedication to SGFA mission

Physical Requirements

• Able to lift and carry 50lbs.
• Able to experience periods of extended standing, employees must be able to remain on their feet in a stationary position.
• Able to walk and climb considerable distances including on the hillside during the course of a work day.
• Grasp, lift, carry, push and pull heavy objects such as barricades, fencing, and carts.
• Stooping, crouching and kneeling is needed to place signage throughout the grove
• Listening and speaking ability is required. In a typical work day the employee will be interacting with large groups of people and they must have the ability to hear and clearly express their ideas with spoken words.

Work Environment / Physical Demands

The work environment characteristics and the physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while successfully performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Occasionally sound levels may exceed 100 db. All efforts will be made to protect employee's hearing.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the incumbent in this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills.

Locations

1. Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, San Francisco
2. Video conference for Orientation

Compensation

Starting at $22 and commensurate with experience.

How to apply:

Please fill out the application here -

EEO Statement:

SGFA provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, SGFA complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, leaves of absence, compensation and training. SGFA expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.