Part-Time Playworker

At the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota, we believe our team is part of something extraordinary. Our Museum is community-built and community-sustained, with a mission to ignite the natural curiosity of every child through the power of play in a dynamic, awe-inspiring environment.

Join our team! Playworkers act as the floor staff in the Museum’s gallery and exhibit space, interacting with and engaging children and families at the Museum. Working as part of a team, Playworkers ensure that the Museum’s exhibits are reset and that the environment is clean, safe, and welcoming. You will report to the Interim Director of Museum Education and be a contributing member of the Museum Experiences and Environments team. This position is a non-exempt, part‐time position. This position is eligible for our matching SIMPLE IRA plan. Key attributes include enjoying engaging with children, dependability, self‐motivation and flexibility, and the ability to maintain a positive attitude while dealing with the unexpected. This position is engaged in cross-departmental work. Further, as the Museum is a growing, inclusive organization, any candidate should be open to performing a variety of tasks and look forward to working with friendly and collaborative people.

Take the next step! Please submit your application to Kathleen Burns, Director of Museum Experience at kathleen.burns@cmsouthernmn.org

Primary Duties:

· Greeting visitors and answering questions

· Preparing the Museum to open to the public in the morning

· Shutting down exhibits and preparing the building for closing

· Providing excellent customer service and representing the Museum with the highest level of professionalism

· Being knowledgeable about Museum exhibits and daily activities

· Engaging Museum visitors in exhibits and activities

· Handle guest accidents in a professional and efficient manner

· Setting up and maintaining exhibits and activities during business hours and at special events

· Ensuring a clean and well maintained Museum space

· Helping direct and guide volunteers in their Playworker role

· Conducting observations and surveys and recording visitor data as needed

· Facilitating or supporting program delivery as needed

· Responsibility for Museum front desk and café operations, including basic data entry and cash register tasks, such as processing admission, membership, and merchandise sales, when assigned

· Performing physical and mental demands in the work environment required for this position

· Communicating and interacting effectively and respectfully with visitors, co-workers, supervisors, and individuals from other organizations

· Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

· Enthusiasm and support for the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota

· Experience working with children and families is preferred

· Interest in working with children and families, and as a member of a team

· Ability to provide excellent customer service to Museum visitors

· Self-motivation and flexibility

· Basic computer skills preferred

· Flexible availability, including Wednesday afternoons, Fridays, and alternating weekends.

Work Conditions:

· Job requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects

· Job requires the ability to stand and walk most of the time in public indoor and outdoor galleries

· Job requires stooping, kneeling, crouching, and bending

· Flexibility and availability are required during the week, including evenings, weekends, and holidays

· Job requires a high degree of interaction and engagement with others, including children and families

About Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota

The vision for the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is to be a catalyst for building a stronger, more vibrant community around play so that all children in our region share in a bright future of opportunity and well-being. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, the Museum welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors and maintains over 2,100 memberships annually, and continues to be a resource for the region, providing the opportunity to experience the joy of learning through the power of play to all children and families.

The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $14.00 per hour

Work Location: In person