Caretaker

The Buffalo & Erie Co. Historical Society; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

The Buffalo History Museum is seeking a dependable Caretaker to help keep the space safe, welcoming, and ready for visitors, programs, and events. This is a hands-on role for someone who takes pride in their work and can be trusted to work independently.

Responsibilities include opening and closing the museum, monitoring the buildings and grounds, cleaning, restocking, and assisting with events. You will communicate with the team about needs and be prepared for unexpected situations; training is

Qualifications

• Prior experience in cleaning, maintenance, or event set-up is helpful, but training will be provided.
• We are seeking someone with a great work ethic, good judgment, and a willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

• Open and close the museum at the start and end of shifts.
• Monitor buildings and grounds and respond to issues as they arise.
• Keep the museum clean and ready for events.
• Assist with event setup and attendee needs.
• Communicate with the team about maintenance or safety concerns.

Skills

Trustworthy and dependable

Self-starter

Strong communicator

Hardworking and adaptable

Team player

Welcoming to guests

Job description

About the Role

As a Caretaker, you'll play an important role in keeping The Buffalo History Museum safe, welcoming, and ready for visitors, programs, and events. This is a hands‑on position for someone who is dependable, takes pride in their work, and can be trusted to work independently.

Caretakers have an important level of responsibility, including opening and closing the Museum, monitoring the buildings and grounds, keeping the Museum clean and ready for events, responding to unexpected situations, and communicating with the team about anything that needs attention. No specialized maintenance experience is required-we're looking for someone with a great work ethic, good judgment, and a willingness to learn.

What We're Looking For

We're less concerned about specific technical skills and more interested in how you work. The ideal candidate is:

• Trustworthy and dependable – others can count on you to follow through.
• A self-starter – you notice what needs to be done and take initiative.
• A strong communicator – you keep coworkers informed and speak up when something needs attention.
• Hardworking and adaptable – you can juggle priorities and adjust when plans change.
• A team player – you contribute positively and work well with others.
• Welcoming to guests – you can be friendly and helpful while going about your work.

Prior experience in cleaning, maintenance, or event set-up is helpful, but we're willing to train the right person.

A Typical Shift

No two shifts are exactly alike. You might start by walking the Museum and making sure everything is ready before visitors arrive, then move on to cleaning and restocking, preparing a room for an event, helping with a maintenance project, or responding to an unexpected issue.

Throughout your shift, you'll be trusted to keep an eye on the Museum, identify what needs attention, and communicate with the team. Whether you're preparing a space for 100 guests, greeting a visitor while cleaning, or making sure the building is secure at the end of the night, your work helps keep the Museum running smoothly.

Schedule

Part‑time (25-30 hours per week); schedule may include days, evenings, weekends, and occasional nights based on the Museum's program and rental schedule.

If you're dependable, hardworking, resourceful, and take pride in a job well done, we'd love to hear from you.