Interpreter I, Oliver Kelley Farm at Minnesota Historical Society – Elk River, Minnesota

JOB TITLE: Interpreter I, Oliver Kelley Farm

LOCATION: Oliver H. Kelley Farm 15788 Kelley Farm Road, Elk River, MN 55330

COMPENSATION: Typical starting rate $19.67 hourly

STATUS & HOURS: This is a regular position of approximately 1,300 annual hours, working full-time during the busy season. A typical schedule is 7:30am - 4:00pm Tuesday through Saturday, April through mid-November. Some evenings or holidays may also be expected based on business need.

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

DESIGNATION: Bargaining Unit AFSCME Local 3173

POSTING DATE: January 29, 2026

DEADLINE DATE: Updated: March 16, 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 to engage, educate, and entertain visitors through interpretive programming, to provide customer service, and to assist in the daily operations of the Oliver Kelley Farm. This position will interpret 19th-century farm life in costume on the Historic Farmstead and interpret 20th and 21st-century agriculture in service clothing at the Farm Lab, including cultivating crops, gardening, caring for livestock, and other related activities. The position provides the opportunity to work primarily outdoors throughout the site.

SUMMARY OF WORK: 1) Conduct interpretive programs for diverse audiences at the site using a variety of interpretive and teaching techniques; 2) Receive, welcome, and orient visitors; 3) Assist in the daily operations of the farm site and its programs; 4) Study site-related materials to enhance the delivery of the site’s interpretive program; 5) Utilize skill sets to effectively engage visitors and complete activities; and 6) Assist with the maintenance and protection of the site buildings, grounds, animals, collections, and clothing.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse public in an enthusiastic, friendly, and open manner.

• Demonstrated ability to provide consistent, quality customer service.

• Demonstrated ability to work as a team member.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate with the public and be responsive to inquiries and comments.

• Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse audience of varying cultural backgrounds, ages, and abilities.

• Demonstrated ability to develop a working knowledge of site programs and educational content.

• Flexibility to adjust to schedule changes and assignments.

• Ability and flexibility to work a varied schedule of three to five consecutive days/week, including weekdays, weekends (Saturday/Sunday), and holidays. Primarily Thursdays through Sundays.

• Ability to stand for extended periods of time and walk up to 5 miles a day in all types of weather.

• Ability to perform physical work in the garden or care for animals, such as kneeling, reaching, bending, crouching, pulling, and pushing.

• Ability to lift and carry and lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds; partner lift with anything more than 50 pounds; team lift with anything 100 pounds or more.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or equivalent.

• Experience working with children and/or adults in an educational environment.

• Willingness to perform heavy manual tasks related to gardening, agriculture, and horticulture in outdoor programming areas in all types of weather conditions.

• Interest in and experience with agriculture.

• Interest in and experience with vegetable gardening.

• Interest in and experience with farm animals such as hogs, cattle, and sheep.

• Interest in natural history.

• Experience with retail sales, phone, and receptionist work.

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.