Applications are open Pastimes tournament staff at Gen Con 2026!

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Event Information

Show Dates

Expectations 

Communication

All Staff must have internet access and commit to regularly reading our staff Discord. We use our Discord as our primary method of communication.

Pastimes Convention Discord https://www.pastimesevents.com/discord

Contracts and Taxes

All staff for this event are brought on as independent contractors and paid via Wise. You are required to fill out an Independent Contracting Agreement and a W9/W8-BEN directly with Pastimes Events.

Dress Code

Shirt
Pastimes will provide you with a T-shirt.
T-Shirts are Gildan G640 – Sizing Information
Bottoms
Comfortable and clean business casual bottoms that must be working/safety appropriate. Shorts are fine, skirts are fine, and any other bottoms that will not get you injured or arrested.
Shoes
Comfortable, safe working shoes. Must be closed-toed, close heel and a safe height.

Compensation

All staff members will receive a 4-Day Game Master badge for Gen Con 2026 in addition to:

• Setup / Teardown
  $225
• Customer Experience, Back of House, Prize Wall, Scorekeeper and Floor Judge (Magic or Lorcana)
  $225/day
• Lead
  $375/day

Travel Assistance

All travel assistance and hotel stipends will be added to your compensation payment at the end of the event.

Hotel Stipend

Travel Assistance
There are levels of travel assistance available for this event. This assistance is to facilitate the unique needs of this event and to help staff with difficult travel needs. Up to $1000 of individual travel assistance is available.

All travel needs and arrangements are at the expense of the staff member.

Shift Expectations

Shift Lengths

11 hours for most staff

Breaks

Minimum 2.5 hours for breaks scheduled to logistically fit the area you are working in.

Setup: Wednesday, July 29th 

We will need help on Wednesday preparing our area as well as prepping product for the weekend.

Anyone selected for Setup will receive $250 for the shift.

The shift starts at 9:00 AM and will continue until the area is fully setup. This typically takes between 10 to 12 hours. Our goal is to be completed by 8:00 PM; however, this shift can take longer if all tasks are not completed. Please be prepared for physical tasks if you select this option. 

Staff will be expected to stand, bend, squat, and lift at least 40 pounds and to wear appropriate working clothing for physical tasks (Closed-toed shoes, breathable clothing, etc.) This is a safety matter.

Teardown: Sunday, August 2nd

We will need help on Sunday preparing our stuff to head home to Chicago. Anyone selected for Teardown ONLY on Sunday will receive $250 for the shift.

The shift starts at 9:00 AM and will continue until the area is fully packed and on the truck. This typically takes between 6 to 8 hours.  Our goal is to be completed by 6:00 PM; however, this shift can take longer if tasks are not complete. Please be prepared for mostly physical tasks if you select this option. Staff selected will be expected to stand, bend, squat, and lift at least 40 pounds and to wear appropriate working clothing for physical tasks (Closed toed shoes, breathable clothing, etc).

This is a safety matter.

Standby

If you are selected for standby, you are not confirmed to work any day but agree to be available as necessary. 

Standby staff are not eligible for any travel sponsorship and will only receive a hotel stipend if activated.

Standby staff will receive the appreciation package and a full weekend 4-day badge to the event. 

You agree to physically be at the event, fit for duty and be available to be activated for the event within 8 hours of the shift you are activated for.

All standby staff must have internet access and commit to regularly reading our staff Discord. We use our Discord as our primary method of communication.

We may add standbys to staff before the event begins or even on-site. We will reach out at least 8 hours before you are expected on shift.

If you are not activated, we encourage you to come out and enjoy the event.

Roles 

You can apply for as many roles as you like. 

Lead Roles

Back of House Lead

Back of House Leads will maintain the behind-the-scenes logistics of the event.

• • Maintain the behind-the-scenes logistics of the event.

• • Work with leads to create and maintain break schedules for the staff in your areas of responsibility.

• • Ensure product is prepared for events.

• • First point of contact for product logistics issues such as abnormal product replacement.

• • First point of contact for logistics issues such as spills, table numbers, or tablecloths.

• • Work with the Prize Wall Leads to refresh products on the Prize Walls.

• • Manage Back of House staff to build, move, or break down banners and signage, and other show fixtures.

• • Maintain the backstage areas and staff rooms.

Everyone in this role will be expected to work all four days and be available for Setup.

•  

Prize Wall Lead

Prize Wall Leads will be responsible for the following:

• • Responsible for staff assigned to the Prize Wall.

• • Maintain break schedule for staff on Prize Wall

• • Be the first-line resource for staff on your team

• • Work with Back of House to maintain a record of Prize Wall inventory, including the opening and closing inventory.

• • Merchandise Prize Wall, maintaining a professional and enticing appearance at all times.

• • Send staff to areas where specific prizing is handled and coordinate those procedures.

Everyone in this role will be expected to work all four days and be available for both Setup and Teardown.

Scorekeeping Lead

Scorekeeping Lead will be responsible for all scorekeepers across the event.

• • Create and maintain a break schedule for the Scorekeeping staff.

• • Ensure Scorekeepers are filling and maintaining the Tournament Tracker document.

• • Ensure Scorekeepers are filling and maintaining the Log of Significant Issues.

• • Log of Significant Issues is in the Show Book

• • • This log is used to note deviations from standard procedure. This should be completed as soon after the situation as possible to maintain the memory of the situation.  

• • Be a first contact for scorekeeping issues and troubleshooting.

Judge Lead
Judge Leads are responsible for a team of floor judges assigned to an area of Pastimes tournament play. All of the events and staff of those areas are their responsibility.

• • Create and maintain break schedules for the staff in your areas of responsibility.
  • Work with Scorekeepers and other Leads to launch and run events smoothly.
  • Be a first contact for escalating customer service issues from tournaments within your area.
  • Maintain the events space they are responsible for and all event paperwork

There are Judge Lead positions available for:

• Magic – On-Demands
  • Maintain the ODE area to maximize the efficiency of launching and finishing out events.
  • Work with Kickstart and Scheduled leads for space allocation 
• Magic – Scheduled Events
  • Assign Head Judges to scheduled events
  • Work with Kickstart lead to launch events 
• Lorcana
  • Will be the Head Judge of all Lorcana events 
  • Responsible for all Lorcana judges
• Kickstart
  • Help launch all scheduled events
    • pass out product, collect lists, and so on
  • Assign starting table numbers to scheduled events

Customer Experience Lead

Customer Experience Leads will run the Registration and Information customer service areas at the event and are primarily responsible for the staff within their assigned team.

• • Maintain the established break schedule for staff within your area.

• • Be the first-line resource for staff on your team

• • Maintain your area (pick up trash, push in chairs, and so on)

Non-Lead Positions

Customer Experience 

If selected for a Customer Experience role, you may be asked to work in one or more of the following areas:

• • Registration

• • Customer Experience (Info Desk)

• • Line Management

Most folks in this role will be expected to work all four days, although a few may be scheduled for less than four days.

Back of House

Staff working back of house will help maintain the behind-the-scenes logistics of the event; you may be asked to do any of the following:

• • Prepare product for events and take it out to the Floor Judge staff

• • Lift and move at least 40lbs

• • Be on their feet and moving most of the day

• • Bring product refresh to Prize Wall

• • Build, move or break down banners and signage

• • Help maintain the back and staff rooms

This role will require more physical labor than other aspects of the event. Please keep this in mind while applying.

Floor Judge

If selected as a Floor Judge, you may be asked to assist in non-judge tasks at any time. 

You may also be asked to do any of the following:

• • Floor Judge Magic Tournaments

• • Floor Judge Lorcana Tournaments

• • Distribute product to players

• • Distribute Prize Tix

• • Be on your feet and moving most of the day

Prize Wall

Prize Wall staff will help maintain and run the Prize Walls at the event.

• • Lift and move at least 40lbs

• • Be on their feet and moving most of the day

• • Be prepared to interact with players and answer their questions

• • Exchange Prize Tickets for items off the wall

Most folks in this role will be expected to be available for Setup.

Scorekeeper

Scorekeepers will work with registration to enroll players in both scheduled and on-demand events, along with performing results entry/ troubleshooting.

• • This event will be run using EventLink or Melee.

• • Scorekeepers will be expected to familiarize themselves with EventLink and Melee before the event.

• • Fill and maintain the Events Tracking document.

• • Fill and maintain the Log of Significant Issues.

Most folks in this role will be expected to work all four days, although a few may be scheduled for less than four days.

Questions

If you have any questions about this application, please do not hesitate to reach out and contact the Staffing Manager.

Meg Baum, Staffing Manager – staffing@pastimesevents.com