Student, Teacher/Interpreter (Museums)

Duties/Responsibilities

• Facilitates visitors’ experience and enjoyment by interpreting the Region of Waterloo Museums exhibits and artifacts and answering visitors’ inquiries. Museum/sites include Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, Doon Heritage Village, Schneider Haus, and McDougall Cottage. 
• Assists in the preparation of materials for programs.
• Wears historical costume and/or uniform.
• Presents/delivers a variety of programs and related activities to the public, including school children, summer camps, special interest groups, seniors, and pre-school aged children.
• Leads demonstrations, activities, crafts, and curriculum-related education programs to museum audiences, including historical craft, trade, agriculture, and domestic activities associated with museum exhibits.
• Provides basic housekeeping, gardening, security and conservation duties (e.g., dusting furniture, cleaning artifacts, planting, weeding, harvesting).  
• Based on assignment/location, performs work in a museum gallery or historic site, including outdoors. Takes steps to mitigate risks associated with site/assignment, including working in/around weather, temperature variations in historic buildings, heat/smoke when working around a stove/open hearth, and noise if working in the blacksmith shop. Lifts carries supplies weighing up to 25 lbs. 
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must be currently enrolled in a university or college program.
• Knowledge and experience in delivering public programs, educational programs, demonstrations and special events to varied audiences (ages, interests).
• Ability and willingness to learn local history and early historic crafts skills.
• Communication and presentation skills to interact with the public; deliver programs and demonstrations; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to read resources, training/ education manuals and other reference material.
• Ability to work weekends, some statutory holidays, and occasional evenings.
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region. 
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.
   

Additional Information

To be considered for employment as a student, a person must be: registered as a full-time secondary or post-secondary student in an accredited institution, or currently recognized as having full-time status by the academic institution but applying for a school vacation, practicum or work term, or returning to full-time studies in the next academic term.  Students who are in their final year of academic study and who are not intending to return to full-time studies are eligible for student employment up until the time they convocate.  Students participating in education and retraining programs at the post- secondary level, though not full-time students, are eligible for related student employment opportunities, where appropriate.