Appalachian Forest Museum Assistant

Position Summary
The Seasonal Appalachian Forest Museum Assistant plays a key role in providing high-quality visitor services at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary. This position supports daily museum operations, assists with educational programs and special events, and helps manage the Appalachian Forest Museum Gift Shop. The role requires strong communication and organizational skills, attention to detail, technological proficiency, and a welcoming, service-oriented approach to working with the public.

Primary ResponsibilitiesVisitor Services & Public Information

• Serve as a primary point of contact for visitors at the Appalachian Forest Museum and other Arc sites as assigned;
• Provide guest orientation, lodging reservations, and safety information;
• Respond to visitor inquiries by phone, email, and in-person;
• Ensure adherence to Arc rules and guidelines for visitor safety and property preservation
• Issue visitation permits for non-public preserves and relay visitor feedback to relevant staff;
• Maintain daily attendance records and enter data as needed;
• Maintain thorough and up-to-date knowledge of Arc preserves and hiking trails to assist guests effectively;
• Support ongoing upkeep of the museum, including routine cleaning and minor maintenance tasks, as needed throughout the season;
• Assist with routine trail checks, which includes but not limited to hiking museum trails, leaf blowing, and trimming of the trail;
• Assist with managing gift shop, which includes but not limited to inventory, display, ordering and design, etc;
• Handling daily museum gift shop deposits, balancing the register and intake of donations;
• Other duties as assigned.

Education Programs & Special Events

• Support educational programming during special Museum events and assist with welcoming and orienting visiting groups;
• Assist in set-up, clean-up, and other duties as needed.

Special Projects

• Support the Executive Director and other Arc leadership staff with special assignments as assigned.

Qualifications

• Excellent written & verbal communication skills, with a genuine interest in working with people.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively while managing multiple tasks.
• Interest in conservation, land preservation, and nature education.
• Ability to assess and effectively use a variety of computer applications.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Google applications (Gmail, Drive, Calendar).

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Arc of Appalachia is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity. We prohibit discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age, race, sex, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, ancestry, citizenship, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other applicable status protected by state or local law. The Arc of Appalachia provides reasonable workplace accommodations whenever possible.

Please review the job description below. If you are interested, submit a resume and cover letter to kayla.arcofappalachia@gmail.com. 

As of today, the Appalachian Forest Museum Assistant position is vacant, and the posting will remain open until the position is filled. We encourage qualified candidates to apply as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact our main office at 937-365-1935 or email us at the address above.