Interpreter II, Alexander Ramsey & James J. Hill House at Minnesota Historical Society – St Paul, Minnesota

JOB TITLE: Interpreter II, Alexander Ramsey House & James J. Hill House

LOCATION: Alexander Ramsey House, 265 S Exchange St, St Paul, MN 55102

James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Ave, St Paul, MN 55102

COMPENSATION: Typical starting rate $20.22

STATUS & HOURS: This is a full-time, regular position of approximately 2,080 annual hours. A typical schedule is Wednesday through Sunday, year-round. Some evenings, weekends, or holidays may also be expected based on business needs.

BENEFITS: Eligible to participate in State Employee Group Insurance Program and a retirement program with employer contribution. Generous vacation and sick time accruals with additional paid holidays.

DESIGNATION: Bargaining Unit AFSCME Local 3173

POSTING DATE: March 17, 2026

DEADLINE DATE: March 31, 2026

TO APPLY: Interested applicants must apply online at the Minnesota Historical Society’s career center at www.mnhs.org/jobs and include a resume and cover letter by the application deadline date.

DESCRIPTION: This position exists at the James J. Hill House and Alexander Ramsey House to engage, educate and entertain visitors and to present historical information to school groups and the general public using a variety of interpretive and performance techniques and to assist in the operation of the Hill House and Ramsey House sites by providing front line customer service, processing admissions, sales, welcoming, and receiving visitors.

SUMMARY OF WORK: 1) Interpret, educate, and entertain visitors accurately the history of the Hill House site and Ramsey House site, which includes the family, household, neighborhood, St. Paul and Minnesota from 1872-1921, using a variety of interpretive techniques; 2) Perform admissions, gift shop sales, and reception services so all visitors are served, and accurately perform related clerical tasks; 3) Learn and study site manual and program-related materials provided by site program staff while contributing and operating within the larger interpreter team as assigned.; 4) Assist in the maintenance, organization and protection of the historic site, grounds, facility, and collections so that site is well maintained and secure; and 5) Perform limited cleaning and other duties as assigned in support of ongoing operations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School diploma or equivalent.

• Knowledge of state and local Minnesota History and Victorian era.

• Strong oral communication skills and some ability to perform theatrical interpretation.

• Demonstrated experience in museum interpretation, theatrical performance, storytelling.

• Demonstrated experience working with children in an educational environment.

• Experience working with diverse audiences of varying cultural backgrounds, ages, and abilities.

• Ability to work cooperatively within a team setting.

• Basic accounting and math skills.

• Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 20 pounds; 50 pounds with a team lift.

• Ability to stand for extended periods of time while giving tours and selling tickets or merchandise.

• Ability to bend, crouch, kneel to move furniture or merchandise and perform light cleaning duties.

• Weekend and occasional evening availability (work schedule is Wednesday through Sunday)

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated experience in a high-level customer service environment; and/or special event environment.

• Ability to perform some manual tasks.

• College coursework in history, theater, education, or related fields.

Should you have questions with the application process, email humanresources@mnhs.org or call MNHS Job Line at 651-259-3181.

At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.