Evening Programs Interpreter, Attendant/Cresset (Part Time)

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation•Williamsburg, VA

19d•$14 - $22

About The Position

Building and cresset attendants support Evening Programs and Special Events by preparing buildings, setting up lighting, greeting guests, checking tickets, and providing guest service and hospitality. They provide illumination using lanterns, candles, and cresset baskets; prepare and restore historic buildings and their furnishings and artifacts for programs; maintain lighting equipment; and follow fire-safety protocols. They also greet and escort ticketed guests, answer general questions, orient visitors, and provide general conservation comments. Attendants work collaboratively, model the organization’s personal and professional expectations, and perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Competencies usually acquired through completion of four years of college or 2–4 years of experience in storytelling, historical interpretation, theater, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience that fulfills the job responsibilities.
Completion of established Foundation, Division, and Department training requirements.
Ability to gain general knowledge of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation policies and procedures and familiarity with the Historic Area’s physical layout and exhibition-building interiors.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weeknights, holidays, and weekends, with annual availability of at least two evenings per week regularly and up to four evenings per week during peak demand.
Ability to navigate rough terrain and steep stairs in low-light conditions.
Good overall attendance, work ethic, and attitude, and ability to work as part of a team.
Exceptional problem-solving skills, including the ability to act proactively in reactive situations.
Ability and willingness to work in all types of weather, including rain, snow, wind, heat, humidity, and storms, and to come into contact with allergens such as pollen, dust, and wood smoke.
Ability to move 50 pounds unassisted and 100 pounds assisted.
Ability and willingness to wear provided 18th-century clothing according to guidelines.

Responsibilities

Chop and split wood and ensure an adequate supply is available for each cresset.
Build bonfires and fires in cresset baskets and tend fires to ensure adequate illumination.
Arrange historic buildings for evening programs, including furnishings, artifacts, candles, lanterns, and other lighting devices, and restore items to their correct positions afterward.
Maintain lanterns, globes, and cresset baskets; move burning cressets as needed; and extinguish cressets and candles after programming in accordance with fire-safety protocols.
Monitor audiences and crowds to ensure compliance with fire-safety protocols.
Greet and escort ticketed guests into buildings, answer general questions, and provide general conservation comments.
Orient visitors and respond to guest questions.
Maintain a caring attitude guided by integrity, truthfulness, fairness, courtesy, and respect for the individual.
Model the organization’s personal and professional expectations and participate as an active team member.
Perform other duties as assigned.