Work & Service Opportunities
The Oberlin Heritage Center is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applications Accepted on an Ongoing Basis Download Application
The Oberlin Heritage Center is a not-for-profit community organization whose mission is "to preserve and share Oberlin's unique heritage and to make our community a better place to live, learn, work, and visit." The organization offers tours of its museum complex and sponsors public programs throughout the year.
The organization seeks a part-time, six-hour per week Museum Housekeeper. A work schedule, to be set during the museum’s day-time open hours, will be determined by the employee in cooperation with the Executive Director and Collections Manager.
Position Summary:
The Museum Housekeeper works with other staff members and volunteers in cleaning and caring for the artifacts and interiors of the historic buildings at the Oberlin Heritage Center in accordance with accepted museum practices and standards for historic house museums.
Duties may include but are not limited to:
Weekly Cleaning: As we have two complete houses to maintain, each house is cleaned every other week. Standard cleaning methods and, in general, products are used on the bathrooms, the offices and the basement. Furnishings, floors, walls and woodwork in the interpreted museum rooms of both houses are cleaned using best museum practices and products and according to the schedule laid out in the Housekeeping Record Book. Training in museum cleaning best practices is provided. Regular cleaning includes dusting floors, vacuuming carpets, dusting all furnishings and artifacts, washing the bathrooms and kitchen thoroughly and emptying the wastebaskets as needed. The Monroe House basement is vacuumed every other week and dusted once a month.
Periodic Cleaning: As per the prescribed schedule, upholstered furnishings are vacuumed once a year and hanging light fixtures are dusted twice a year. Walls are dusted or vacuumed once a year and windows washed once a year. The schoolhouse is thoroughly cleaned twice a year.
Recordkeeping: The Housekeeping Record Book for each house is filled out each time cleaning is done, and changes of condition or problems noted for intervention by the appropriate staff member.
Supplies and Equipment Care: Filters in the two Filter Queen HEPA vacuum cleaners are replaced monthly and the Collections Manager is informed when filters are running low in sufficient time for them to be replaced. Archival dust cloths are supplied by the Collections Manager and are washed by the Museum Housekeeper as needed. The Museum Housekeeper also keeps track of standard cleaning supplies and bathroom paper products and is responsible for replenishing them as needed.
Other duties as assigned.
The position requires the candidate to:
- Work within stated mission boundaries.
- Work independently under the direction of the Collections Manager and Executive Director.
- Work well with other staff members, interns, and volunteers.
- Be eager to contribute to a team effort and be careful, flexible, patient, positive, and tactful.
- Be willing to learn and adhere to accepted museum practices and historic housekeeping techniques.
- Climb stairs frequently due to layout of historic building.
- Lift a 25 pound vacuum cleaner up and down stairs.
- Pay attention to detail.
Desired Knowledge, Skills, Training & Experience:
- Previous cleaning experience, particularly in a museum setting, is helpful.
- Interest in museums and history.
- Organizational skills and ability to be productive despite interruptions.
- Able to get along well with people of all ages and backgrounds.
- Positive, upbeat attitude in representing the organization to our community and visitors.
Compensation: Starting wage will be $13.50 per hour.
To apply, complete a job application and mail it to the address below or email to [email protected]. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Attn: Liz Schultz, Executive Director
Oberlin Heritage Center
P.O. Box 0455
Oberlin, Ohio 44074
Part-Time Special Projects & Tour Assistant
Position: Special Projects & Tour Assistant
The Oberlin Heritage Center (OHC) is a not-for-profit community organization whose mission is “to preserve and share Oberlin’s unique heritage and to make our community a better place to live, learn, work, and visit.” The organization offers tours of its museum complex and sponsors public programs throughout the year. More information about the organization is available at www.oberlinheritagecenter.org.
OHC seeks a part-time Special Projects & Tour Assistant to assist with long term research projects concerning Oberlin history, help with tours and visitor engagement, and occasionally help with administrative work for six hours on Saturdays.
Position Summary:
The Special Projects & Tour Assistant is responsible for helping the Oberlin Heritage Center meet its strategic project priorities on Saturdays, traditionally one of the museum’s busier public days. Assigned duties will include the following:
• Assisting with special events and projects, including research
• Giving tours of the Heritage Center
• Greeting the public, answering phones, and other clerical duties
• Other duties as assigned
The position requires the candidate to:
• Be positive, welcoming, and considerate to all guests, staff, and constituents.
• Interpret Oberlin histories in an engaging manner, with training and practice.
• Work effectively both with a team and independently as needed.
• Be careful, flexible, patient, positive, and tactful in all engagements with others.
• Be willing to learn and adhere to accepted museum practices and safety protocols.
• Climb stairs frequently due to layout of the historic buildings.
• Pay attention to detail and be organized.
• Communicate effectively and in a timely manner in written and oral communications.
Desired Knowledge, Skills, Training & Experience:
Previous customer service and tour experience is helpful.
Interest in museums, history, preservation, nonprofit work
Historical research, organizational skills, and ability to be productive despite interruptions
Compensation: Starting wage will be $13.00 per hour.
To apply, complete a brief letter of interest, resume, and two references and email them to [email protected] or mail materials to the address below. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Attn: Liz Schultz, Executive Director
Oberlin Heritage Center
P.O. Box 0455
Oberlin, Ohio 44074
Oberlin Heritage Center COVID-19 Policy
Please note that the Oberlin Heritage Center may have safety policies and requirements in effect in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic that impact paid employees, interns, and volunteers who regularly work indoors and interact with the public. For information about current policies, please contact the Executive Director, Liz Schultz, for details. [email protected]
Oberlin Heritage Center Non-Discrimination Statement
Approved by the Board of Trustees March 1, 2017
The Oberlin Heritage Center is committed to providing a museum experience and programs in which everyone feels welcome and safe to learn about Oberlin's nationally significant history and to access historical resources. The Oberlin Heritage Center does not and shall not discriminate - and will not tolerate - discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship status, military status, genetic information, medical condition or on account of any other basis prohibited by City, State, or Federal law.
The Oberlin Heritage Center is an equal opportunity employer. It is our strong belief that equal opportunity for all staff members is central to the continuing success of our organization. We cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork and respect among all staff members. We are firmly committed to maintaining a work atmosphere in which people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles may grow personally and professionally. We will not discriminate based on any of the factors listed above in hiring, promotion, demotion, training, benefits, transfers, layoffs, determinations, recommendations, rates of pay or other forms of compensation. Opportunity is provided to all staff members on the basis of qualifications and job requirements.
Other Opportunities
Consider volunteering or interning with us. Though sometimes unpaid, these positions will allow you to learn about museum work and history from the staff of a nationally-accredited small history museum.
Volunteer
Hundreds of people generously donate their time and skills to our organization every year. They give tours, serve on committees, balance the cash drawer, help us preserve buildings and artifacts, answer phones, prepare bulk mailings, do research, and perform many many other essential tasks.
Intern
Students from Oberlin College and other area colleges have worked for us in a variety of capacities: as volunteers, Bonner Scholars, work-study students, and summer interns. Students gain valuable skills and knowledge during their work here. Interns participate in a variety of tasks – they give tours, help staff our office, assist with research projects such as the Oberlin Historic Inventory and the Oberlin Oral History Project, catalogue and care for collections, help at special events, and maintain history resource databases. Students from all areas of study are encouraged to apply–you need not be a history major (although you certainly may be)!
