Museum Interpreter

Job Summary – Why you’ll love this position

We respect and embrace the experiences, knowledge and contributions of our team members. We strive for a culture of belonging and balance by upholding our values: Stewardship, Integrity, Collaboration, Respect and Innovation. We are passionate about Missouri, our role to preserve, protect and enhance our environment and we are committed to serving its’ citizens.  We believe our mission and vision serves a greater purpose and will be felt for generations to come.

This position will be located at the Missouri State Museum, 201 W. Capitol Ave. and the Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, 100 Jefferson Street, Jefferson City, Mo.

Work hours are typically 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a one hour lunch break.  The museum is open seven days per week, so work weeks may change between Monday-Friday, Tuesday-Saturday and Sunday-Thursday. Occasional work on weekends and evenings is required.

Staff of the Missouri State Museum and Jefferson Landing State Historic Site get to interact with thousands of people every year, helping to connect them to the history and resources of the state.  If you enjoy helping people, and working with a team of creative and dedicated individuals, the Missouri State Museum would be a great place for you.

Responsibilities – What you’ll do
Education and Outreach

• In collaboration with the Museum Director and Chief Museum Interpreter, create and execute a strategic vision for education and outreach at the museum and historic site.
• Create, execute, manage and evaluate educational programs and initiatives in house, outreach and on line that encourage new and diverse audiences.
• Expand and enrich relationships with homeschool groups, public and private schools to develop and market mission-based educational materials.
• Maintain a visible presence in the local and state professional community by representing the museum/site at educational conferences and workshops.
• Oversee the management of the education collection in the museum and Jefferson Landing State Historic Site.
• Oversee the development, implementation and evaluation of standards-based educational programs, both in person and online, related to the museum/historic site’s mission, exhibitions and collections.
  Lead or organize educational workshops and programs for educators in collaboration with Museum staff and partner organizations.
• Build new and maintain current traveling trunks, site curriculum and activities. Work with teachers and other patrons to reserve trunks and maintain trunk reservation calendar.
• Work with museum operations specialist to monitor and respond to e-mail inquiries through the museum’s general education e-mail.

Interpretation:

• In collaboration with the museum’s curators, play an active role in embedding learning theory into the development and implementation of exhibits so that a diverse audiences can understand and engage with exhibits.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of the natural and cultural resources as interpreted at the Missouri State Museum and Jefferson Landing, and the State of Missouri.
• Engage visitors through the presentation of interpretive and educational programs in the Museum and historic site, and at schools and community locations.
• Give interesting and engaging tours of the Missouri State Capitol.
• Research and develop natural and cultural resource interpretive programs including audio-visual programs, hands-on arts/crafts activities, and text for publications.
• Regularly seek out training opportunities to improve interpretation skills and acquire new ideas for museum programming through trainings, workshops and conferences.
• Works as team member to research, plan and develop special events at the museum or Jefferson landing.

Museum/Site Operations

• Manage operations and guest services at Museum/Capitol Tour information desk on days assigned to work in museum.
• Lead school programs or engage with visitors in Jefferson Landing museum spaces when assigned to work at Jefferson landing.
• Interact with visitors, staff of the Missouri State Capitol building and legislators to maintain good relationships in the building and good customer service.
• Assist with the cleaning and maintenance of exhibits in the museum and historic site on day assigned to work museum or Jefferson Landing.
• Use the point of sale system in the museum gift shops to sell items to visitors.
• Develop and maintain a working knowledge of the Missouri State Capitol building and works with building maintenance, Capitol Police, and facility managers to promote visitor safety and enjoyment of the capitol.
• Assists in monitoring and directing museum interns, when applicable.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications – All you need for success
To be successful in this position, a candidate will need the following skills:

• Interpretation (Resources). Ability to coordinate, manage and direct interpretive or educational programing related to natural or cultural resources in a way that conveys significance to visitors; connecting them to personal relevance, shared learning, meeting specific learning objectives (i.e. educator or community needs), informing public about compliance and safety, supporting management of natural or cultural resources representative of national heritage, and enhancing mutual understanding for individual and social benefit.
• Oral and Written Communication. Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, consider the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral and written presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience/Special Job Requirements

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

• Bachelor’s degree in history, education, art history, anthropology, museum services, natural resource management (wildlife, geology, forestry, etc.) or related fields. (Substitutions may be allowed.)
• Relevant experience includes but is not limited to:
  • Previous experience as a museum educator or park/site interpreter.
  • Experience researching and writing interpretive programs and/or exhibit text
• Maintain a Missouri driver’s license.
• Ability to lift and carry at least 25 pounds.
• Ability to walk distances on hard surfaces.
• Lack of post-secondary education will not be used as the sole basis denying consideration to any applicant.

Job Details – More reasons to love this position
Benefits & Work-life BalanceOur benefits package and flexible 40-hour work week promotes the mental and physical health of you and your family as you work towards achieving your professional goals. Benefits include paid vacation and sick leave, paid life insurance, medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance. Learn more here.

How we invest in you:

• Exceptional professional development: mentoring from experienced professionals, cross-media training, career advancement opportunities, paid trainings and continuing education tuition assistance.
• Support for professional registrations when required, through paid study materials, fees, study time, test time, exam fees and licensure renewal fees.

Contact Details – If you have questions about this position please contact:

Carrie Hammond, Chief Museum Interpreter, 573-522-9019, carrie.hammond@dnr.mo.gov

Julie Littrell (Human Resources), 573-526-0670 or dnr.recruiter@dnr.mo.gov