TITLE: Museum Associate
EMPLOYMENT PERIOD: May 14 – October 31, 2016
SUPERVISOR: Museum Director
POSITIONS AVAILABLE: One
POSITION SUMMARY
Do you love to make people feel welcome? Are you a discoverer and a story teller? Do both nature and the city move your soul? Then we may have the perfect job for you!
Friends of the Chicago River is looking for an energetic and enthusiastic museum associate who will help thousands of visitors discover the wonders of the Chicago River at our McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum. Uniquely located inside a historic five-story bridge tower on Michigan Avenue, the Bridgehouse Museum celebrates Chicago’s river and world-renowned movable bridges and helps inspire people to participate in the river’s recovery.
As part of a small team, you will welcome museum visitors, sell tickets and memberships, help visitors discover the historic and environmental significance of the Chicago River and its bridges, and lead small groups on educational tours. You will gain experience in guest services, exhibit interpretation, and many inner workings of a small museum.
This position is seasonal and requires working on weekends. The Bridgehouse Museum is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., between May 14 and October 31, 2016, and occasionally for special events during the evening or on Tuesdays/Wednesdays.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Staff the front desk at the entrance to the museum and greet visitors as they arrive
- Sell admission tickets, Friends memberships and merchandise
- Help interpret museum exhibits; welcome tour groups; lead walking tours
- Balance transactions at the end of the day
- Track basic visitor information and collect visitor surveys
- Respond to general queries regarding the museum, Friends of the Chicago River, other local attractions, directions, etc
- Other miscellaneous duties as needed
QUALIFICATIONS
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Enthusiasm for the environment and Chicago history a plus
- Excellent customer service and communication skills
- Experience in museum, entertainment, or hospitality environment preferred
- Experience in sales and cash transactions
- Proficient in use of computer
- Professional, courteous and friendly demeanor
- Ability to do multiple tasks simultaneously
- Must work weekends and holidays
Training is provided. Only one full-time position is currently available. If you are interested in this job please submit a cover letter and your resume to Joanne So Young Dill, Friends of the Chicago River, 411 S. Wells, Chicago, IL 60607 or e-mail to jdill@chicagoriver.org (please write Museum Associate in the subject line).
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Friends of the Chicago River has been working for nearly three decades to transform the Chicago River into a healthy, natural asset that people can enjoy and to which wildlife can return. Friends’ Bridgehouse Museum opened in 2006 to celebrate Chicago’s river and world-famous movable bridges and teach people about their role in the river’s renaissance.
