Employment Opportunities
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The Kenosha Public Museums are currently accepting applications for the following positions:
Executive Director of the Kenosha Public Museums
Salary: $95,988.00 – $143,124.00 Annually
Job Type: Regular – Full Time
Closing Date: 7/21/24 11:59pm
Position Profile:
The Kenosha Public Museums Board of Trustees is seeking an experienced and visionary Executive Director for the Kenosha Public Museum, Dinosaur Discovery Museum and Civil War Museum. The Executive Director works collaboratively with a dedicated Board of Trustees, Kenosha Public Museums Foundation Board, Friends of the Museums Board and a highly motivated staff to steward a bold future for the organization. The Executive Director has overall responsibility for the leadership of and successful operation of three museums, manages a $3 million operating budget and supervises approximately fifty staff members. The Museums are a department of the City of Kenosha. The Museum Campus has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1974 and is a Smithsonian Affiliate. The three museums encompass 120,000 square feet and a diverse collection of 100,000 artifacts and specimens.
The Executive Director provides the strategic leadership, innovative management and vision necessary to advance the missions of the museums. They pursue an impactful and sustainable vision for the museums, achieving greater regional and national recognition. They are the primary ambassador, spokesperson and fundraiser for the organization. They articulate the Museums’ vision, values and contributions to the community, regional and national partners and media. The Executive Director ensures that the museums operate from strategic plans and meet the financial and programmatic goals of those plans.
Example of Duties & Responsibilities
The Executive Director reports to the Board of Trustees. They serve as President of the Kenosha Public Museums Foundation Board and the museum liaison to the Friends of the Kenosha Public Museums Board. The Executive Director is responsible for working with these boards, the City of Kenosha Administration and the City of Kenosha Common Council.
Under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Executive Director:
- Oversees the major functions of community engagement, education, collections management, exhibitions and programming, fundraising, budgeting, visitor experiences and mission delivery.
- Works closely and transparently with the Museums Board of Trustees, Kenosha Public Museums Foundation Board and Friends of the Museums Board and their committees, providing updates, soliciting feedback and engaging members in constructive dialogue.
- Serves as a City of Kenosha Department Head and represents the Museums to City Administration, other City Departments and the City of Kenosha Common Council.
- Protects the organization’s financial assets, practices sound financial management and ensures stability.
- Establishes and cultivates partner, donor and sponsor relationships.
- Plays a leading role in increasing financial support for the museums.
- Serves as the Museums’ public face and advocate, clearly articulating mission and activities.
- Fosters and maintains a collaborative working relationship with local, regional and national museums, cultural institutions and related agencies.
- Demonstrates a knowledge of standards and best practices for museums and nonprofit organizations.
- Participates in relevant regional and national professional organizations and related conferences.Requirements
Training and Experience:
- Bachelor’s Degree required.
- Master’s Degree strongly preferred in museum studies, humanities, social or natural sciences, business or a related field from an accredited college or university.
- Ten years of overall professional experience with a minimum of 5 years experience working in a museum.
- A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in management or development, including direct personnel supervision. Or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
- Strong and effective organizational leadership and administration experience. Ability to conceptualize, plan, implement, administer, evaluate, communicate and develop strategic plans and other resources.
- Strong business management experience and ability in developing, managing, and growing an annual operating budget.
- Successful record of fundraising and developing relationships with donors.
Attributes and Skills:
- Has strong, effective organizational leadership and administrative skills.
- Demonstrates outstanding communication skills and the ability to advocate for the Kenosha Public Museums.
- Exhibits intellectual curiosity, has an enterprising, entrepreneurial spirit and is politically astute.
- Thinks strategically and creatively using flexible problem-solving skills.
- Maintains a high level of integrity, tact, initiative, good judgment and confidentiality.
- Establishes collaborative relationships and outreach initiatives with diverse community groups.
- Demonstrates and fosters a strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, accessibility and equity.
- Adapts to a variable schedule, including working weekends and evenings when needed.
For a full list of additional physical, environmental, sensory, and other requirements as well as a list of job benefits, visit the City of Kenosha’s Job Opportunities page.
Museum Store/Visitor Services Associate
Salary:$15.86 Hourly
Job Type: Regular – Part Time
Closing Date: 9/4/24 11:59pm
Example of Duties & Responsibilities
- Greets visitors and provides customer service; provides specific information and assistance related to programs or services provided by assigned area.
- Handles cash and credit card transactions and balance cash drawers.
- Process workshop registrations and membership sales.
- Maintain store cleanliness and restock merchandise as necessary.
- Visual merchandising and general inventory duties.
- Knowledge of the Museums, telephone etiquette and excellent keyboard skills.
- Answers telephone and receives inquiries and/or complaints, providing information based on considerable knowledge of programs and activities, or referring callers to appropriate personnel, as necessary; routes messages for Department personnel, as necessary.
- Duties include a variety of retail and receptionist tasks and/or responsible public contact work.
- Utilizes computerized data entry equipment and various word processing, spreadsheet and/or file maintenance programs to enter, store and/or retrieve information as requested or otherwise necessary; summarizes data in preparation of standardized reports.
- Performs other work as requested or assigned. Incumbent may have the opportunity to develop additional expertise in assigned areas.
Requirements
Training and Experience:
- High school diploma or GED.
- One (1) year of general retail and receptionist experience including cashiering, computer operations and public or customer service; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
- Must have keyboard skills and proficiency with a varied range of computer application programs.
- Must be able to type at a rate consistent with departmental needs.
For a full list of additional physical, environmental, sensory, and other requirements as well as a list of job benefits, visit the City of Kenosha’s Job Opportunities page.
Summer Education Intern
Compensation: $15 Hourly
Job Type: Seasonal – Part Time
Required Hours: Monday, 9:00am – 12:00pm, Tuesday through Thursday each week, 8:30am-12:30pm, 15 hours per week.
Start Date: 6/16/25
Applications Due: 3/07/25
This position is part of the Kenosha Public Museums system, a department of the City of Kenosha and is under the direction of the Curator of Natural Sciences and Education. Through hands-on activities and educational programs, interns help all visitors gain a better understanding and appreciation for the arts, world cultures, and the Earth and its resources through summer camp activities focusing on Museum exhibits and collections. The Summer Camp Education Intern leads Museum summer camp classes and designs and facilitates simple, theme-appropriate activities under the supervision of the Museum Educators. The camp program is split into three age groups (5-6 year-olds, 7-10 year-olds, 10-13 year-olds), and the Summer Camp Intern should be comfortable working primarily with 5-10 year-olds. Regularly scheduled hours are Monday-Thursday. Work is reviewed through conferences and reflection periods.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
- Manage the daily program needs of campers
- Prepare activities for camps, pull necessary supplies
- Design and implement theme-appropriate activities as part of the overall weekly lesson plan
- Assist with camper check-in and check-out
- Help facilitate camp program sessions
- Supervise program participants through different exhibits and facilitate projects, games, and activities
- Resolve minor problems associated with camps
- Provide feedback to Curator of Education on a regular basis
- Other related duties as assigned
- Additional projects based on intern availability
Position Requirements
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Knowledge of how to send and receive emails, and basic word-processing skills required
- Ability to work effectively on a team and also independently on projects assigned by the Curator of Education
- Must be a flexible and creative team player in order to accommodate changing camp and camper needs
- Strong organizational and communication skills required
- Ability to provide a safe, fun, and appropriate learning environment for school-aged children
- Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience, paid or unpaid, working with groups of children and/or educating the public in a formal or informal educational setting, such as camp, park district, special recreation association, daycare, student teaching, school, or cultural institution
- Experience working in an inclusive informal, education, or recreational programs a plus
- Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus
Physical/Environmental Considerations
- Task is active, with frequent walking, standing, bending, light to medium lifting, and other restricted physical activities
- Task may require infrequent exposure to adverse environmental conditions
Benefits
- Training in Reflecting on Practice, a nationally recognized informal education model funded by the National Science Foundation
- Working on a team in a professional setting at a Smithsonian Affiliated Institution
- Education, public speaking and museum studies experience
Please include a cover letter, resume, and 1-2 letters of recommendation.
Applications and accompanying materials due to Kenosha Public Museum by end of business day, March 7, 2025. Email application to Kelly Gaszak at [email protected] or Nick Wiersum at [email protected]
Or mail completed application to:
Kenosha Public Museum
Attn: Kelly Gaszak
5500 1st Ave
Kenosha, WI 53140
Museum Guard/Custodian
Salary:$15.47 Hourly
Job Type: Regular – Part Time
Closing Date: 12/4/23 11:59pm
Example of Duties & Responsibilities
- Prepare for daily business, lock, unlock and check security; act as security guard.
- Clean buildings including washrooms, stairs, exhibit halls, sales desk and outside as needed; dust furniture and shelves; clean walks and stairs; wash windows; refinish floors as needed – wax, polish, mop.
- Empty waste materials.
- Set up chairs, tables and equipment.
- Keep time records.
- Assist with grounds maintenance
- Run errands
- Assist in snow and ice removal.
- Staff special events and facility rentals occasionally
- Repair and maintain equipment.
- Perform other duties as needed.
Requirements
Training and Experience:
- Previous successful experience in janitorial /maintenance.
- Valid driver’s license with good driving record.
- Ability to relate and communicate with museum staff and the public.
- Knowledge of janitorial equipment and cleaning methods.
- Ability to perform routine physical tasks.
- Reading ability: effectively read and understand information contained in memoranda, reports and bulletins, etc. Working knowledge of English grammar & spelling.
- Able to work a variable part-time work schedule.
- Ability to operate a computer to check e-mail and calendar.
- Ability to handle reasonably necessary stress
For a full list of additional physical, environmental, sensory, and other requirements as well as a list of job benefits, visit the City of Kenosha’s Job Opportunities page.
Museum Educator
Salary: $49,680.00 – $63,876.00 Annually
Job Type: Regular – Full Time
Closing Date: 11/13/23 11:59pm
The Educator develops, implements, and evaluates workshops, public programs, school and adult group programs, and outreach programs. The Educator serves in the capacity of Museums Staff in Charge as assigned; and participates in and supports Museum strategic planning and interdepartmental work teams. Regularly scheduled hours are Monday-Friday but must be available to work some weekends and evenings. Work is reviewed through conferences and written reports for adherence to established policies and procedures and through observation of results obtained. Performs other work as requested or assigned.
Example of Duties & Responsibilities
- Manages, develops, implements, teaches and evaluates PreK-12th grade group programs and experiences (on-site, outreach and digital.)
- Manages, develops, implements and evaluates adult group programs and experiences (on-site, outreach and digital.)
- Develops, oversees and implements public programs, special events and family programs for all ages and abilities.
- Develops, oversees and implements programs designed for special audiences.
- Supports, develops and maintains contacts and collaborations with minority groups including social justice education initiatives.
- Trains, coordinates, and supervises volunteers working in education areas.
- Purchases program supplies and materials.
- Maintains records related to educational program attendance; builds and improves research and resource files; prepares reports.
- Performs Staff in Charge responsibilities as required.
- Participates in and supports Museums strategic planning and interdepartmental work teams.
- Works in collaboration with the Exhibits and Collections Department to develop innovative exhibits and integrate new learning strategies.
- Interacts with Kenosha Unified School District and other school districts’ teachers and administrators to build and maintain a working relationship including development of teacher professional development opportunities and teacher advisory committees.
- Stays current on trends in education and the museum field.
- Serves as an educational advocate.
- Performs other duties as assigned or requested.
Requirements
Training and Experience:
- Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university with formal or informal education in Anthropology, American History, Natural Science, Art, Education, Museology, or related field.
- Two to three years of classroom teaching or museum education experience preferred.
- An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may also be considered.
- Spanish language skills desired.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of museum mission, organization, procedures and services.
- General knowledge of history, science, or art.
- Knowledge of current trends in learning, learning styles, and education methodology.
- Knowledge of education standards and benchmarks.
- Ability to develop and present in-person, digital and outreach programs for all ages and abilities, especially teaching K-8.
- Ability to teach sometimes difficult subject matter.
- Ability to keep records and prepare reports.
- Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
- Knowledge of databases, word processing, electronic/digital media and other relevant computer programs, especially Altru and Google Suite.
- Ability to plan and supervise the work of others
- Ability to work well with others and maintain a professional manner using tact, initiative, good judgment and confidentiality.
- Ability to handle reasonably necessary stress.
For a full list of additional physical, environmental, sensory, and other requirements as well as a list of job benefits, visit the City of Kenosha’s Job Opportunities page.
Registrar and Collections Care Specialist
Salary: $50,028.00 Annually
Job Type: Regular – Full Time
Closing Date: 11/19/23
Under the general direction of the Museum Director or the Curator of Collections, this position is responsible for maintaining registration activities for the Kenosha Public Museums. The position supports the museum’s custodial responsibilities in acquiring, preserving and exhibiting its collections. Regularly scheduled work hours are Monday – Friday but must be available to work some weekends and evenings.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Shares responsibility for the registration, care, handling, records management, and storage of artifacts in the collection and on loan.
- Processes collection forms and relevant documents.
- Conducts periodic inventories.
- Assists with packing, shipping and insurance for collections.
- Works with collections by creating and maintaining collections database records.
- Performs collections cataloging and research.
- Implements approved collections policies and procedures for the management of the collections and related records.
- Communicates and works with internal staff, collaborating institutions, donors and lenders.
- May assist other curators.
- May assist in the planning and installation of temporary exhibitions and the rotation of the collections.
- Train and oversee the work of interns and volunteers.
- Performs Staff in Charge responsibilities and serves on interdepartmental teams.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Requirements
Training and Experience:
- Bachelors degree in Museum Studies, Art History, History, Cultural Studies, Collections Management, Archives Management or a related field.
- 2-4 years of experience in a museum collections department.
- Knowledge of Past Perfect software, digital photography and use of scanners is required.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of museum practices and procedures, including collections management, artifact handling, condition reporting, conservation issues, and database.
- Knowledge of condition reporting protocols.
- Knowledge of shipping and receiving
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing.
- Ability to organize and be detail oriented.
- Ability to independently and with minimal supervision.
- Ability to work in a team environment.
- Ability to work with a variety of objects and materials.
- Ability to multi-task.
- Ability to collaborate with staff, volunteers.
For a full list of additional physical, environmental, sensory, and other requirements as well as a list of job benefits, visit the City of Kenosha’s Job Opportunities page.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted through the City of Kenosha’s Online Application System. The City accepts only online applications.
If no positions are currently listed, please fill out a job notification card to learn about opportunities as soon as they become available.
