Visitor Experience Associate - Part Time / Temporary

University of Minnesota; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 29,000 - 42,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Professional training

Health plans

HSA contributions

Disability insurance

Wellbeing program

Job summary

University of Minnesota is seeking a Visitor Experience Associate to support FOH and Events teams at the Weisman Art Museum. The role requires a hands-on, fast-paced approach, with a focus on welcoming visitors, guiding them through galleries, and supporting security and housekeeping tasks.

The position is contract-based, not sponsoring visas, with a 24 hours/week schedule onsite (Wed/Thu, 9am-6pm and Saturdays as needed).

Qualifications

• High School Diploma/GED required; coursework may substitute for some years of experience
• Must be able to work mornings, evenings & weekends
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds
• Must be able to use stairs daily
• Ability to understand and follow standard operating procedures
• Ability to read, understand, and complete written and verbal requests and work assignments in English
• Ability to stand for long periods of time—up to four hours at a time
• Dependability, flexibility, and adaptability in a dynamic event-driven environment
• Customer service experience

Responsibilities

• Support student gallery staff (50%)
• Perform maintenance duties (25%)
• Establish and work to continually improve museum visitor and staff experience (25%)

Skills

Customer service

Dependability

English proficiency

Education

High School Diploma/GED

Job description

About the Job

Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

This a contract position that expires May 17, 2027

Location: Weisman Art Museum

Hours: 24 hours/week onsite, Wednesdays & Thursdays, 9am-6pm, Saturdays pending on event needs

Bargaining unit consideration begins on 9/18/2026 and ends on 9/25/26

The Visitor Experience Associate is responsible for supporting Front of House (FOH) and Events teams, assisting with gallery-related tasks and visitor experience duties across departments, including custodial and building operations tasks as assigned.

They serve as an enthusiastic, welcoming, and approachable presence throughout the museum to support wayfinding, access to resources, promote public programs and events, provide general information about the collections and special exhibitions, help keep the art safe from damage, assist in ensuring the safety of museum visitors, and share information that provides the best possible experience at the museum for all audiences.

A successful candidate must have previous experience working in a hands‑on, task‑driven environment. We are looking for a confident and enthusiastic individual to work in a fast‑paced environment with competing demands.

Job Responsibilities:

Support student gallery staff (50%)

• Assist Visitor Experience Coordinator with student gallery attendant management
• Monitor gallery to ensure adequate guard coverage and proper security of the art
• Demonstrate high levels of customer service, remaining professional, personable, and engaging to all museum visitors
• Become knowledgeable on the collections, the facilities, our programming and events, and our place within the University of Minnesota community
• Act as a communications hub between visitors, gallery guards, staff and event guests by utilizing the phone, computer systems, and radios
• Protect the artwork by continuously observing visitors' behavior while circulating in specific areas or galleries, including monitoring for restricted items and touching of art
• Ensure that visitors follow museum policies regarding food or drink in the galleries, and photography of artwork
• Communicate visitor comments, compliments, and concerns through appropriate channels
• Follow opening and closing procedures to ensure building security and that AV components are functioning properly in the galleries
• Monitor scheduled student staff to facilitate breaks, rotations, and ensure proper coverage in gallery spaces
• Promptly respond and direct calls and emails received at the front desk
• Assist in regular departmental training sessions
• Demonstrate social sensitivity and best practices for student Gallery Attendants to model while on the gallery floor
• Additional duties as assigned

Perform maintenance duties (25%)

• Perform routine housekeeping and custodial duties in museum facilities
• Perform security walkthrough, open/close and disarm/arm the museum
• Follow and enforce WAM's policies and procedures to ensure the safety of museum collections, property, and visitors, engaging with security personnel as necessary
• Perform scheduled building maintenance tasks
• Track inventory in storage spaces to organize and replenish as needed
• Additional duties as assigned

Establish and work to continually improve museum visitor and staff experience (25%)

• Ensure appropriate security, supervision, coaching, and modeling of behaviors that are consistent with exceptional hospitality in the museum gallery level
• Demonstrate leadership in fostering an organizational culture that values innovation, promotes inclusion, and inspires excellence in the work environment
• Observe and synthesize recurring pain points in the visitor experience to communicate with the relevant department, and offer improvements
• Assist in cross-departmental projects as needed

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma/GED and five years related experience to include project management. Coursework in a related field may substitute for some years of experience
• Must be able to work mornings, evenings & weekends
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds
• Must be able to use stairs daily
• Ability to understand and follow standard operating procedures
• Ability to read, understand, and complete written and verbal requests and work assignments in English
• Ability to stand for long periods of time-up to four hours at a time
• Dependability, flexibility, and adaptability in a dynamic event-driven environment
• Customer service experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a museum environment

About the Department

Since its origin in 1934, Weisman Art Museum has been a campus museum for the University of Minnesota. Today, our mission as a university art museum is to create and advance inclusive arts experiences to broaden understanding of ourselves, our communities, and our world. The Weisman is located at 333 East River Road, Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Gallery admission is always free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.wam.umn.edu.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $25.78 per hour; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 60% Appointment

Position Type: Non-Faculty Labor Represented Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program