Per Diem Museum Educator

Position Summary

Are you a great storyteller? Would you enjoy engaging with learners of all ages in an immersive outdoor museum setting? Do you have a passion for education but are looking for a position that can be adapted to your schedule? Plimoth Patuxet Museums is looking for charismatic per diem Museum Educators to introduce Plimoth Patuxet’s award-winning living history sites to a variety of public and private audiences from K12 schools to youth, family, and adult travel groups. Museum Educators are an integral part of the Education & Outreach team and part of a growing cultural heritage and tourism market at Plimoth Patuxet Museums. They inspire an appreciation of 17th-century New England’s importance to the development of modern America and are among the many faces of the Plimoth Patuxet brand who deliver guided tours and other educational programs with enthusiasm, historical and cultural knowledge, and hospitality for an unforgettable experience at one of the nation’s premier living history museums.

Museum Educators have a passion for conveying the multicultural history, politics, arts, culture and science of 17th-century America to diverse audiences and communities. They perform with attention to professionalism at all times and are personally accountable for ensuring the continued success of Plimoth Patuxet’s educational programs.

Hours for this position vary and are based on programming demand April - November with opportunities available seven days/week. Limited availability December - March. Successful incumbents will be expected to work at least two (2) tours or four (4) hours per month pending programming demand.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Draw on a variety of interpretive techniques to provide engaging hands-on learning experiences including guided walking tours, historic dining programs, and drop-in public programs.

  • Under the direction of the Director of Education & Outreach, develop a working knowledge of Plimoth Patuxet’s collections, stories, and themes relevant to guided tours.

  • Use provided historical research and tour outlines to develop personalized program outlines. Appropriately use the Museum’s recreated landscapes, historic structures, reproduction artifacts, archaeological material, and oral history and tradition to deliver thematic guided tours and facilitate thought-stirring conversations.

  • Collaborate with colleagues across the Museum to create experiences for learners that are welcoming and individualized to that group’s interest and abilities. Ensure an inclusive experience for all.

  • Prioritize guest and staff safety at all times. Work with departmental staff to maintain and safeguard department equipment and resources.

  • As needed, provide input in decision-making about departmental goals and objectives, the development of new programs, the improvement of existing programs based on user feedback, and special assignments for other departments.

This description focuses on the primary duties of the position. It is not designed nor intended to include all duties inherent in satisfactory performance of the position.

Education and Experience

Relevant experience in formal or informal education settings such as museums, afterschool programs, summer camps, or enrichment programs required. Bachelor's Degree in Primary or Secondary Education, Museum Education, Native American or Indigenous Studies, Anthropology, History preferred but not required.

Required Skills

  • Must be friendly, outgoing, curious and a good team player.

  • Interest in working with school-aged children is essential. Experience in museum education or with school-aged audiences preferred. Strong interest in museum education, early American history and Native American & Indigenous studies, and enthusiasm for ongoing learning in these areas required

  • Must participate in training as arranged by the Director of Education, including annual Spring Conference as well as site-specific training and specialty group training.

  • Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively with others, including staff, guests, and volunteers. Must be able to work independently or as part of a team to deliver quality educational programming.

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Must be able to craft a fact-based story with a clear beginning, middle and end and a clear narrative through-line that is engaging and adaptable to learners of all ages.

  • Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills are required.

  • Ability to create safe spaces for children and learners of all ages.

  • Must be able to work independently or as part of a team to deliver quality educational programming.

  • Flexibility in working hours, days and programs delivered is essential. Guided Tours are available daily between 9am - 5pm during the Museum season (April - November). Museum Educators are required to do at least 2 guided tours or (4) hours or programs every month during the season.

  • Familiarity with Google Suite (Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs) or a willingness to learn required.

Core Commitment

Whether part-time or full-time, year-round or seasonal, all staff and volunteers at Plimoth Patuxet advance the Museum’s educational mission and strategic goals; they uphold the museum’s core values and principles in their work and in all their interactions with the public and coworkers. This commitment helps to ensure that Plimoth Patuxet’s reputation for excellence is maintained and that we, as stewards of the Museum, are helping to create a relevant and sustainable future for Plimoth Patuxet. The core principles that guide us in our work are:

  • Safety and Comfort
  • Compassionate Customer Engagement
  • Professional Excellence
  • Personal Accountability
  • Create a Culture of Philanthropy
  • Teamwork

Physical Requirements

The physical demands outlined here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform successfully the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Work moving, sitting, or standing, sometimes for extended periods of time to deliver programs. Tours can be up to 1 mile across varied terrain.

  • Capable of lifting and moving objects up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

  • Work requires standing and/or moving for up to 2 hours on varied terrain. Most of the work involves addressing a group of learners in outdoor environments in the Museum’s historical exhibits where there are animals, dust, and smoke from hearth fires.

  • Less than 5% of the work is generally performed within an office environment with standard office equipment including computers and basic software such as Microsoft and Google Suite products.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting a PDF file of your resume, and cover letter to apply@plimoth.org, or by submitting them by US mail to the following address:

Plimoth Patuxet Museums
Attn: Human Resources
137 Warren Avenue
Plymouth, MA 02360