Interpreter I - Museum of York County

York County is located in the Piedmont region, between the Broad River and the Catawba River. Its diverse landscape is home to family-friendly towns/cities, a progressive urban region and lakefront communities. We are excited you want to join our team and recognize that our employees are the foundation of our success.

The Culture and Heritage Commission (Commission) is York County’s appointed governing board for the Culture & Heritage Museums (CHM), the entity that operates York County-owned cultural resources. The Commission carries out its governance responsibilities through a Director, hired to manage the operations of CHM and its professional staff.  The Commission’s role is critical in providing oversight and guidance as we plan for the future, manage the present and honor the past. Our board is a York County Commission comprised of 7 Commissioners who are appointed by the County Council and who volunteer their time, expertise and energy to guide this organization.

1. Authenticity:  We ensure that the knowledge that we share is accurate and supported through credible documentation or eyewitness accounts.
2. Professionalism:  We adhere to best practices of the museum field in the care of resources under our stewardship.
3. Meaningful Visitor Experiences:  We strive to create memorable experiences enabling those we serve to walk away from our museums not only with new information but with inspiration that they will carry with them throughout their lives.
4. Respect for those we represent:  As a cultural museum we tell the story of people from various backgrounds and life experiences both past and present. We have an obligation to tell their stories in a fair and balanced manner that fosters greater understanding of their unique perspectives.
5. Respect for our Natural World:  As a natural history museum we have a responsibility to show respect for the natural world and to lead by example.
6. Transparency:  We ensure our organizational meetings, documents, and records beyond those that pertain to our legal requirements or breach the trust of our donors are available to the public.
7. Stewardship:  We recognize that all of our assets are held on behalf of the public good and that it is our responsibility to ensure that they are used wisely.
8. Donor Rights (Download PDF reader):  We believe all donors should be valued and informed. Promises should be delivered and expectations of confidentiality should be met to the fullest extent of the law.

Culture and Heritage Museum is excited to hire a part-time Interpreter I to join their team at Museum of York County. The purpose of this position is to deliver engaging and enlightening interpretive experiences at Museum of York County to a wide variety of museum visitors.  The Interpreter may specialize in one or more content areas including, but not limited to natural science, biology, environmental education, and astronomy.

Projected Hiring Range/Pay Grade 107: $16.78 per hour. Salary is determined based on experience and/or education. 
 
Work Schedule: 18 hour a week part-time position. The work schedule is Tuesday through Sunday with shifts varying weekly to accommodate programming needs. You must be available to work frequent weekends and occasional evenings as needed.
 
Our Total Compensation Package:

• Compensation – competitive market-rate pay, and negotiable based on qualifications.
• Deferred Compensation 401K Plans
• Public Loan Forgiveness Program (Student Loan Forgiveness Program)
• SC State Retirement Plan Pension
• Wellness Screenings 
• Employee Assistance Programs 
• Professional Development / Trainings / Conferences

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Delivers interpretive experiences and programs including, but not limited to, natural history presentations, school and public tours, programs, special educational events, and marketing/development events. 
• Applies best practices to program delivery and strives to discover and apply new strategies and techniques to keep interpretative experiences fresh and exciting. Interpretive experiences include, but are not limited to, environmental education/science, biology, and astronomy.
• Researches, plans, and implements interpretive projects including, but not limited to, tours, programs, natural history interpretation, and events. 
• Assists, coaches, supervises, and serves as a resource for volunteers to improve the overall effectiveness and impact of the interpretive programs.
• Maintains active content knowledge in natural history plus other applicable content areas, as well as knowledge of best practices and current concepts in interpretation and education.
• Frequent weekend and evening work required to coincide with peak audience visitation.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in biology, natural sciences, History, Museum Studies or related discipline.  Academic background in natural science, biology, astronomy, education, museum studies, or related discipline preferred.
• Four (4) year of experience analyzing, interpreting and presenting interpretive programming or related field or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Certifications and Licenses: 

• Preferred to possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license 
• Preferred Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) status or ability to obtain it after one year of employment for full-time positions.
• A teaching certificate is preferred if experience requirement is not met.  First Aid/CPR is preferred.

Applicants with equivalent experience and/or education may be considered.

Physical Demands: Physical demands refer to the requirements for physical exertion and coordination of limb and body movement.

• Performs medium work that involves walking, standing, stooping, jumping, lifting, digging, pushing and raising objects and also involves exerting between 20 and 50 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis and 50 to 100 pounds of force on an occasional basis.

Unavoidable Hazards (Work Environment):  Unavoidable hazards refer to the job conditions that may lead to injury or health hazards even though precautions have been taken.

• Involves routine and frequent exposure to:
  • Bright/dim light; Dusts and pollen.
  • Extreme heat and/or cold; Wet or humid conditions.
  • Extreme noise levels, Animals/wildlife.
  • Vibration; Fumes and/or noxious odors.
  • Traffic; Moving machinery.
  • Electrical shock; Heights.
  • Radiation; Disease/pathogens.

Americans With Disabilities Act Compliance:  York County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

Salary : $17 - $25