Visitor Assistant Supporting USCG Museum

Description

Ruchman and Associates, Inc. (RAI) is seeking a Visitor Assistant to support gallery operations at the National Coast Guard Museum. Positioned throughout the galleries, the Visitor Assistant will serve as a safety steward, informal educator, and customer service representative, helping protect museum collections while providing visitors with a welcoming, accessible, and engaging experience.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain an attentive physical presence in assigned galleries to help protect artifacts and exhibits from accidental or intentional damage.
• Monitor galleries and promptly report exhibit malfunctions, spills, property damage, environmental concerns, safety hazards, and other unusual conditions through established procedures.
• Regulate visitor volume and movement to prevent overcrowding in sensitive areas and support safe, orderly gallery operations.
• Provide wayfinding assistance using gallery maps and help visitors locate primary collections, exhibits, restrooms, exits, and accessible routes.
• Answer visitor questions using Government-approved information and lead brief, informal discussions that encourage deeper engagement with Coast Guard history, missions, and museum exhibits.
• Tactfully remind visitors of museum rules, including artifact-protection and no-touch requirements, using a friendly and constructive approach.
• Support school groups, families, and diverse crowds with patience, professionalism, and appropriate crowd-management techniques.
• Assist visitors with physical, visual, sensory, or other accessibility needs and direct them to available accommodations and services.
• Support Volunteer and Education teams with gallery-based activities, scavenger hunts, and approved interpretive programs.
• Direct and assist visitors during emergencies, medical incidents, evacuations, and other safety events in accordance with museum procedures.
• Perform opening and closing sweeps of assigned gallery spaces and document visitor complaints, unusual incidents, security concerns, and safety near misses.
• Provide approved information about museum programs, events, and authorized membership or support opportunities, and assist with special-event logistics as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A high school diploma or equivalent; an associate or bachelor’s degree is preferred.
• At least one year of experience in a customer-facing position in tourism, hospitality, retail, museums, visitor services, or a similar environment.
• Ability to stand and walk on gallery floors for the duration of a four- to eight-hour shift.
• Ability to quickly learn and clearly communicate historical narratives, exhibit highlights, and Coast Guard missions using approved information.
• Strong customer-service, public-speaking, wayfinding, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage school groups and diverse crowds with patience, professionalism, and sound judgment.
• Ability to complete required training in emergency evacuation, medical response, asset protection, incident reporting, and visitor safety.
• Ability to assist visitors with physical, visual, sensory, and other accessibility needs.
• Direct knowledge of Coast Guard history or maritime operations is highly desirable.
• Experience with soft-security techniques, de-escalation, incident observation, and facility-issue reporting is highly desirable.

RAI is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and will not discriminate against any application for employment based on age, race, color, gender, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, disability, or sex including pregnancy and childbirth or related medical condition or on any other basis prohibited by law. RAI participates in the E-Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all persons hired. This means that we will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. RAI. will not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants.