Guest Engagement Interpreter- Full Time
About The Position
The National Aquarium is seeking a Guest Engagement Interpreter to support all guest engagement programs and paid tours and experiences. This year-round position involves formal and informal interpretation at the Living Seashore touchpools, engaging guests with props or at carts, presenting formal talks at larger exhibits, presenting with live animals, and facilitating paid tours to ensure outstanding guest experiences. All programs aim to tell the story of the National Aquarium, its animals, its people, and to connect people with nature to inspire compassion and care for our ocean planet. In addition to regular daily/weekly tours and programs, interpreters may assist with program evaluation studies, daily maintenance of educational supplies, provide feedback for program improvement, and support custom guest experiences.
Requirements
- College course work or equivalent experience in science, education, hospitality, theater, or related field (Bachelor’s degree not required).
- Strong guest service skills.
- Outgoing and energetic personality.
- Comfortable handling various types of animals, including marine and terrestrial invertebrates.
- Job requires availability during peak attendance days (peak attendance for the aquarium is during weekends, summer, holidays, etc.).
- Must be able to clearly and enthusiastically communicate with all aquarium guests, staff, and aquarium partners.
- Must be comfortable speaking with diverse groups of guests, ranging from one-on-one conversations to large auditoriums filled with hundreds of guests.
- Must be able to interpret scientific information to guests of all ages and educational backgrounds.
- Must have good decision-making skills and be willing to work in a fast-paced environment with little supervision.
- Must show flexibility with last-minute schedule changes.
- Must be able to work with stressed and/or upset guests as well as high energy school groups.
- Work within a team of educators to present engaging, conservation focused messages.
- Will need to adapt the conversation to the guest.
- Should be comfortable in assisting a guest who has concerns or special needs.
- Daily contact with diverse guests and staff, including interns and high school and adult volunteers.
- Can communicate effectively with staff at all levels of the aquarium.
- Guest engagement interpreters will be sure they are following all aquarium and department policies and procedures, including following all current program scripts, sharing correct information and following suggested conservation messaging with our guests.
- They have positive and proactive energy, positively representing the aquarium and ensuring each guest has a positive and engaging experience.
- Help to create a collaborative and team-motivated work environment.
- Responsible for the safety of live animals and guests during demonstrations, as well as following safe animal handling protocols.
Nice To Haves
- Presentation and public speaking skills preferred
- Understanding of thematic interpretation preferred
- Knowledge of biology and conservation issues preferred
Responsibilities
- Inspires conservation by presenting/facilitating a variety of engaging programs to diverse audiences each day.
- Provides world-class guest service to all guests of the National Aquarium.
- Spends the majority of the day on the aquarium floor talking with guests, including staffing touch exhibits, roaming with educational props, staffing educational carts, leading paid tours, and speaking on microphones to crowds of up to 500 people.
- Assists in cleaning and maintaining educational props and carts as well as personal workspaces.
- Maintains a collaborative attitude with other departments, communicating with courtesy and respect.
- Follows all Aquarium safety rules and protocols and takes all required training courses.
- Occasionally may assist guest engagement managers and senior interpreters with program evaluation or custom tours/programming.
- Adheres to all organizational and departmental policies and procedures.
Benefits
- Hourly range ($17.00-19.75 Hourly) with hours worked over 40 in a week eligible for overtime
- Premium pay for National Aquarium recognized holidays
- Shift differential for overnight shifts
- Four weeks paid time off
- Six paid floating holidays
- Up to four weeks of paid family leave
- Conservation day leave
- Health care (single and family) after 30 days of full-time work
- 401(k) plan participation with employer match available
- Family membership package
- Aquarium tickets
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Associate degree
Number of Employees
101-250 employees
