Smithsonian Visitor Information Specialist

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Visitor Information Specialist

The Smithsonian is looking for friendly, outgoing individuals to serve at our information desks!

Visitor Information Specialists provide a warm welcome and useful information to visitors from the Information Desks at Smithsonian museums, galleries, and buildings. Volunteers will engage with visitors and help them plan memorable and exciting experiences so that they can discover all that the Smithsonian has to offer.

LOCATION:

Locations vary, depending on availability and vacancies within the program. The Office of Visitor Services is now recruiting volunteers at the following Smithsonian locations:

• African Art Museum
• American History Museum
• American Indian Museum
• Freer|Sackler Galleries
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
• Postal Museum
• American Art Museum & Portrait Gallery
• Smithsonian Visitor Center (The Castle)

REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES:

This position requires individuals to have strong customer service skills, an approachable and outgoing demeanor, enjoy working with diverse people from around the world, and basic computer skills. Foreign language skills are a plus, but not required.

All applicants must be cleared in a federal background check.

SCHEDULING REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be able to volunteer for a minimum of one year, once a week or once every other Saturday/Sunday. Regular shift times are 4 hours in length depending on placement location. The scheduling of shift times will take place on a case-by-case basis pending acceptance into the program.

TRAINING:

The training program consists of at-home reading assignments, one-day orientation to the Smithsonian and the position, and additional on-the-job training specific to the museum where the individual will serve.

AGE REQUIREMENTS:

Available to individual applicants, 18 years or older and be cleared in a federal background check.

TO APPLY:

Instructions to become a Visitor Information Specialist volunteer are outlined below. For further questions please contact the Office of Visitor Services at 202.633.5260 or contact Abbey Earich at earicha@si.edu.

1. Apply: Visit http://si.edu/Volunteer/Museum-Information-Desk to complete an online volunteer application.
2. Interview: We will review your application and contact you for an interview if your skills and availability match our needs.
3. Placement: Individuals who match our needs will be tentatively placed, pending a background investigation clearance and completion of position-specific training.