Museum-Domestic Farm Interpreter

About the role

The L.W. Paul Living History Farm is seeking a Domestic Interpreter to ensure the successful operation of daily domestic interpretive programs.

Responsibilities

• Provides excellent customer service to museum visitors, especially children.
• Manages, demonstrates, and interprets the daily domestic interpretive program at the Farm for museum visitors.
• Develops and conducts demonstrations, hands-on activities, and special events for museum guests, during both the general season and for special programs, in the areas of foodways, gardening, textiles, livestock, family and social culture, and household material culture.
• Learns and becomes trained to safely handle Farm livestock, including leading cattle and sheep and milking cows.
• Maintains and monitors strict safety guidelines for equipment, activities, and programs, ensuring safe practices by all site interpreters.
• Maintains and monitors proper daily care of gardens, farm yard, and house interior spaces.
• Trains and monitors domestic skills of staff and volunteers.
• Plans daily historic foodways and other domestic activities.
• Becomes cross-trained for basic program competency in Farm Agricultural interpretation.
• Maintains approved food and materials handling keeping safety records and program plans.
• Purchases approved supplies and materials for demonstrations, activities, and classes within the parameters of the site/program budget.
• Conducts routine site upkeep and maintenance including household interiors and equipment, gardening, livestock care, and site cleaning, according to museum guidelines.
• Alerts the Curator when further repairs beyond site staff skill/equipment usage abilities are needed.
• Becomes comfortable performing routine agricultural site tasks and livestock chores, including working with poultry, pigs, mules, and cattle, including completion of written daily chore report sheets.
• Trains to safely operate kitchen and maintenance equipment, including but not limited to pressure canners, grist mill, wet/dry vacuums, small tractors.
• Plans and executes research and behind-the-scenes preparations for domestic foodways and household project plans including daily foodways, house-keeping, textile, garden programs as well as specialty Foodways programs, and Member Activities.
• Maintains supply areas and stock for these programs.
• Trains volunteers and staff in proper foodways, domestic skills, and small livestock handling.
• Maintains and evaluates domestic skill levels in staff and volunteers.
• Collaborates with other team members to ensure Domestic/Agricultural programs, including livestock care and garden plantings, are conducted under museum best practices, budget parameters, and museum's agriculture master plan.

Requirements

• College degree in history, education, Museum Science, American studies, or related field OR equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
• Previous living history museum experience preferred, with 2-3 years’ experience in domestic programming, preferred.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required; along with strong supervisory, management, and program planning skills.
• Experience working with volunteers, preferred.
• Must be able to master historical information and techniques with ability to train others.
• Must possess enthusiasm for working with the general public (especially children), including superior customer service skills.
• Must excel in working with groups of children.
• Able to perform physical tasks needed to authentically re-create the activities of a working farm required.
• Work environment requires standing for long periods of time, working in heat, and contact with livestock.
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including weekend days.
• Ability to pass the required pre-employment physical and background check, must possess valid driver’s license.

Qualifications

Retirement: Participate in the South Carolina State Retirement System with strong employer contributions (SCRS or PORS).

Health & Insurance: Employer-funded health and dental insurance, plus employer-funded Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Basic Life Insurance coverage. Vision coverage and additional insurance options available for employees and dependents.

Wellness: Prioritize your well-being with total access to our Wellness Center, free gym, wellness incentives, and employee-family counseling via EAP.

Paid Leave & Holidays: Benefit from generous paid leave accruals that grow over time, plus 13 paid holidays.