Assistant Director of Interpretive Resources, Stuhr Museum, Grand Island, NE
Organization
Stuhr Museum mission: To share the collective human experience of community building along the Platte River Valley.
Stuhr Museum has a 200-acres complex with a Living History 1890's Town.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Works alongside the Director of Interpretive Resources to develop, review, and deliver Historical Interpreter training, and planning.
2. Assists the Director of Interpretive Resources with the daily management of Historical Interpretive Resources staff and their functions within the Living History portion of the museum, Railroad Town.
3. Assists the Director of Interpretive Resources with interviews, recommendations for hire, orientation, training, and scheduling. Assists in recruiting volunteers for programs and provides training and supervision for them.
4. Collaborates with the Education Department to develop educational resource materials for all programs. Evaluates materials for: accuracy and authenticity.
5. Assists the Director of Interpretive Resources with the Living History Apprentice program to include supervision of Living History Apprentices, including training, scheduling, development of new opportunities for these volunteers, ensuring safety of the staff, LHAs, adult volunteers, and visitors.
6. Collaborates with the Curatorial Department to ensure that all secondary collection artifacts used in Railroad Town and outlying interpretive sites are maintained to exacting standards of restoration and functionality.
7. Responsible, under the management of Director of Interpretive Resources, to develop, implement, and execute reproduction objects plan for all historical interpretation sites on campus as well as a record and replacement plan with the curatorial department for all reproduction objects in use in interpretive programming.
8. Assists the Director of Interpretive Resources in establishing departmental goals and objectives and helps to design and implement plans to meet agreed-upon goals and objectives.
9. Researches the history of Nebraska and the Platte River Valley with special emphasis on the history of Hall County and Central Nebraska for use in developing, implementing, evaluating, and updating interpretive programs.
10. Plans and implements assigned special events, including Back to School and serves as liaison for all special events and activities involving assigned sites. Designs and arranges for distribution of programs, educational flyers and brochures for these events and educational programs in coordination with the Director of Marketing.
11. Oversees acquisitions of appropriate supplies (reproduction and antiques items, food, raw materials, etc.) needed to support all programs; supervise their use; periodically inventories the location and condition of such materials. Restores and cleans artifacts used in all programs; constructs various teaching or interpretive aids.
12. Through the Interpretive Resource Manual, Site Books, and other support materials maintains and disseminates information on the sites, classes and programs including information regarding current research, material culture, interpretive techniques, policies, and procedures.
13. Advise the Director of Interpretive Resources regarding workplace problems, procedures, needs, etc.; suggest improvements; consults with appropriate staff in related areas.
14. Updates knowledge of current trends and developments in the field by reading appropriate journals, books, and other literature and attending related seminars and conferences.
15. Participates in the development of departmental policies and performance guidelines including safety, security, and quality of interpretation. Assists the Director of Interpretive Resources and the Executive Director by implementing and monitoring the policies.
16. May serve as a member of the Safety Committee.
17. Works with the Mercantile Manager to review and acquire items for resale and reproductions for interpretive use that support the museum’s mission. Coordinates daily transfer of the operating funds used at sale site in the interpretive areas. Fills in as needed for the Manager of the Mercantile.
18. Presents special programs and workshops as scheduled.
19. Assists with care and management of livestock used within Railroad town including poultry and goats.
Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
1. In-depth knowledge of 19th- and early 20th-century American history, especially as it pertains to central Nebraska and the Platte River Valley.
2. Maintain a strong knowledge of interpretive educational and living history techniques at a level normally acquired through completion of a bachelor’s degree in American History, education, museum studies, or related field or through comparable work experience to be able to do historical research and design interpretive programs.
3. Three years of work experience required to be knowledgeable of effective interpretive techniques, including both first and third-person interpretation; knowledge of how to meet the needs of visitors of varying ages and interests; the operation of living history sites and programs such as those in Railroad Town; other interpretive sites; supervision of museum policies and procedures.
4. Analytical skills necessary to do accurate historical research, to design and evaluate living historians, educators as well as educational and interpretive programs, to schedule needed staff at assigned sites.
5. Advanced communication skills required to design and teach interpretive and educational training classes and to be able to provide interpretations, answer questions, deal with unruly visitors, in all cases while maintaining period behavior.
6. Advanced communication skills required to research, write, and present interpretive programs, to research Nebraska and American history.
7. Ability to pay close attention to detail for up to 85% of the work time when researching and writing pertinent reports, scheduling interpreters and their daily activities.
8. Requires standing, walking and climbing stairs for up to 70% of work time when doing interpretations, evaluating interpretations, supervising interpretive activities at assigned sites.
Compensation $34.320--36,000 annually, depending on experience.
To apply, click here.
