Founded in 1976, the New York Transit Museum is dedicated to telling and preserving the stories of mass transportation – extraordinary engineering feats, workers who labored in the tunnels over 100 years ago, communities that were drastically transformed, and the ever- evolving technology, design, and ridership of a system that runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The New York Transit Museum explores the development of the greater New York metropolitan region through the presentation of exhibitions, tours, educational programs, and workshops dealing with the cultural, social, and technological history of public transportation. Since its inception over 40 years ago, the Museum, housed in an historic 1936 subway station in Downtown Brooklyn, has grown in scope and popularity. The museum also maintains a gallery annex at Grand Central Terminal, an archive, and an off-site 14,000 square foot collections storage facility. As custodian and interpreter of the region's extensive public transportation networks, the Museum strives to share, through its public programs, this rich and vibrant history with local, regional, and international audiences.

OVERVIEW

Visitor Experience Facilitators (Facilitators) provide exceptional customer service in the Museum when it is open to the public by staffing exhibitions, assisting with wayfinding, keeping an eye to safety, answering visitor inquiries, and checking and selling tickets.

Facilitators have demonstrated experience engaging with the public and providing excellent customer service. Facilitators are enthusiastic ambassadors for the Museum, and show an interest in, and willingness to continue to learn about, museum engagement, transit and New York City history, and related content. As the first point of contact for visitors and program attendees, Facilitators help create a welcoming, safe, and engaging environment.

WORK SCHEDULE:

Part-time as needed – approximately 16-22 hours a week, primarily Thursday – Sunday.

Salary: $20/hour

HOLIDAY AVAILABILITY

• This position requires availability around major holidays and NYC DOE break times. Incoming staff are expected to work the week of Midwinter Recess, Spring Break, the weekend after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, inclusive of both weekends.
• The Museum is closed on: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• As part of a front-line team, contribute to a welcoming experience by greeting and orienting Museum visitors and ensuring a safe environment.
• Check and sell tickets.
• Provide information and wayfinding throughout the Museum.
• Assist with providing a safe environment by informing visitors of our policies in a friendly but clear manner.
• Facilitate distribution of self-guided activities to visitors using age-appropriate strategies.
• As in-person birthday parties return, staff, assist and/or lead birthday parties for multigenerational groups of children and adults.
• Attend meetings and trainings on policies and best practices.
• Become knowledgeable about the mission of the Transit Museum and its exhibits, content, and collections, and engage visitors of all ages.
• During certain times of the year, provide staffing assistance for onsite and offsite public programs, events, and festivals, such as walking tours or community events.
• Operate the Museum’s accessible lifts.
• Provide Operations Department support such as setting up chairs and tables for events and programs, packing materials for offsite events, helping maintain common spaces, and staffing film and photo shoots.
• Support the Museum’s DEAI initiatives through ongoing trainings and work.

DESIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• First and foremost, a positive attitude, and a genuine enthusiasm and aptitude for engaging with the public.
• Ability to communicate with visitors clearly and directly while maintaining a warm and friendly demeanor. Must be comfortable speaking to visitors to enforce Museum rules.
• Experience working with all ages, including young children, especially in a museum or similar educational setting. Enthusiasm for providing team-oriented customer service.
• Ability to assist visitors and groups of all ages in a fast-paced environment during our peak hours and remain present and focused during quieter times in the Museum.
• Ability to be physically active in Museum spaces for long periods of time and willingness to occasionally work outdoors as needed for line management and checking tickets.
• Willingness to work in an environment that is only partially climate controlled.
• General curiosity about Museum content as well as visitor engagement strategies.
• High School Diploma

Please submit a cover letter and resume. Due to high volume of applicants, only those who qualify for an interview will be contacted.

The New York Transit Museum is fully committed to equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, predisposing genetic characteristic, gender identity and expression, pregnancy, veteran or military status, marital/familial/partnership/caregiver status, status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and/or sex offenses, or any legally protected basis. The Museum welcomes and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

The position is employed by the Museum’s non-profit affiliate, Friends of the New York Transit Museum.

No third parties and/or phone calls!

COVID-19 VACCINE REQUIREMENT:

In accordance with NYC law and in order to protect our employees and continue to provide safe and reliable service to our communities, we are requiring all new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to their start date. We will consider exceptions for religious and medical reasons, where appropriate. “Fully vaccinated” means you must have both doses of a 2-dose vaccine and two weeks have elapsed since the second dose or have received 1 dose of a 1-dose vaccine and two weeks have elapsed since the dose. Proof of your vaccination status in the form of a CDC vaccine card must be submitted prior to your start date.