Visitor Assistant

LAUKOA; Middletown (CT); On-site; USD 31,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Paid vacation

Sick leave

Life insurance

AD&D insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible work environment

Voluntary benefits

Job summary

LAUKOA in New London, Connecticut seeks Visitor Assistants to provide a visible gallery presence, support artifact protection, ensure visitor safety, and offer informal education with excellent customer service. They observe, report, assist, and guide visitors using approved procedures.

Responsibilities include managing visitor flow, answering questions, leading brief discussions on Coast Guard history and exhibits, assisting education teams with programs, and supporting openings, closings, and

Qualifications

• One or more years in tourism, hospitality, retail, museums, visitor services, or another customer-facing environment.
• Ability to stand and walk for a four- to eight-hour gallery shift.
• Ability to learn and communicate approved historical narratives, exhibit highlights, Coast Guard missions, gallery rules, and accessibility information.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a professional physical presence in assigned galleries to help protect artifacts from accidental or intentional harm.
• Report exhibit malfunctions, spills, damage, environmental concerns, visitor complaints, security concerns, and safety hazards through established procedures.
• Manage visitor flow and gallery capacity to help prevent overcrowding in sensitive spaces.
• Provide wayfinding, answer visitor questions, and lead brief informal discussions about approved exhibit highlights, Coast Guard history, and museum missions.
• Assist volunteer and education teams with gallery-based programs, scavenger hunts, and visitor activities.
• Perform opening and closing sweeps and support the public during emergencies or building evacuations in accordance with approved procedures.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Physical stamina

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate or Bachelor’s degree preferred

Job description

Visitor Assistant

Openings: 2 full-time positions | Location: New London, Connecticut (on-site)

Position Summary

Visitor Assistants provide a visible gallery presence that supports artifact protection, visitor safety, informal education, and excellent customer service. They observe, report, assist, and direct visitors through established procedures; they do not perform law-enforcement or independent security functions.

Essential Responsibilities

• Maintain a professional physical presence in assigned galleries to help protect artifacts from accidental or intentional harm.
• Report exhibit malfunctions, spills, damage, environmental concerns, visitor complaints, security concerns, and safety hazards through established procedures.
• Manage visitor flow and gallery capacity to help prevent overcrowding in sensitive spaces.
• Provide wayfinding, answer visitor questions, and lead brief informal discussions about approved exhibit highlights, Coast Guard history, and museum missions.
• Assist volunteer and education teams with gallery-based programs, scavenger hunts, and visitor activities.
• Perform opening and closing sweeps and support the public during emergencies or building evacuations in accordance with approved procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; Associate or Bachelor degree preferred.
• One or more years in tourism, hospitality, retail, museums, visitor services, or another customer-facing environment.
• Ability to stand and walk for a four- to eight-hour gallery shift.
• Ability to learn and communicate approved historical narratives, exhibit highlights, Coast Guard missions, gallery rules, and accessibility information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Museum, cultural-institution, visitor-center, or public-attraction experience.
• Knowledge of Coast Guard history or maritime operations.
• Experience with de-escalation, accessibility support, crowd management, incident reporting, or emergency-evacuation procedures.

LAUKOA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/VEVRAA federal contractor. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

LAUKOA offers a best-in-class benefits program including medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) program with employer match; paid vacation and sick leave; employer-paid basic life and AD&D insurance; an Employee Assistance Program; and a flexible work environment. Additionally, employees can choose from several voluntary benefits including critical illness coverage; accident insurance; identity theft coverage; pet insurance, and more.

LAUKOA gives preference to internal candidates. If no internal candidate meets our qualifications, external candidates will be given consideration.