Reports to: Manager of Foodways & Village Life
Direct Reports: N/A
Hours/Schedule: Year-Round, full-time position. Generally, Wednesday-Sunday schedule with some evening and holiday hours for special events, workshops, and seasonal programming.
About Us:
Genesee Country Village & Museum is the largest living history museum in New York and the third largest in the country. The Museum opened in 1976 and includes 68 buildings in Historic Village, the Genesee Country Nature Center with 5 miles of trails, and the John L. Wehle Gallery collection of wildlife and sporting art (700 pieces) and 19th-century clothing (4,000 pieces).
Position Overview:
The Lead Interpreter, Foodways & Village Life, will engage, educate, and entertain visitors through interpretive programming in GCV&M’s historic foodways and fiber-related spaces, and will enhance this programming through academic research and program development.
This position will be a combination of desk-based work, workshop and historic dining support, and public-facing interpretation in various buildings of the Historic Village.
Responsibilities (including but not limited to):
Interpretation & Program Delivery (60%)
- Conduct interpretive programs for diverse audiences at GCV&M using various interpretive and teaching techniques.
- Conduct educational and field trip programs that appropriately engage students of all ages.
- Conduct historic foodways programming including cooking and baking in historic kitchens, supporting historic dining, and other food-related interpretive programming.
- Conduct fiber arts-focused workshops and interpretation, including but not limited to: spinning, dyeing, weaving, quilting, embroidery, flax processing, and knitting.
Interpretive Development & Program Support (40%)
- Assist in the daily operations of the Historic Village and its programs.
- Provide academically-sound research to develop and enhance interpretation in historic kitchens and buildings focused on 19th-century fiber arts.
- Study site-related material to enhance the delivery of the site’s interpretive program.
- Support the maintenance and protection of Village buildings, grounds, animals, collections, and clothing.
- Other duties as needed – GCV&M’s culture occasionally asks staff to assist cross-departmentally for the benefit of guest experience and shared workload. Examples include greeting buses for field trips or moving chairs between events to reset a space.
- Demonstrated ability to develop a working knowledge of site programs and educational content.
Minimum Qualifications:
- High School Diploma or equivalent
- 1-3 years of Interpretation experience
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrated ability to work as a team member.
- Demonstrated ability to multi-task and utilize basic cooking knowledge.
- Comfortable working around fire using both an open hearth and woodstove.
- Demonstrated ability and skill in various historically-appropriate fiber arts.
- Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse public audience in an enthusiastic, friendly, and open manner. Audiences include young and old, rural, urban, and suburban, and those from a range of racial, socio-economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds.
- Must have reliable transportation
Pay Range:
$16.50-$17.00 per hour
Working Conditions:
- Ability to stand for extended periods of time.
- Ability to walk up to 3 miles a day in all types of weather.
- Ability to perform physical work such as kneeling, reaching, bending, crouching, pulling, and pushing.
- Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
- When interpreting in the Historic Village, staff are required to dress in museum-issued historic clothing in all weather conditions.
- Staff will work near open fires, with sharp tools, around farm animals, and in a variety of outdoor conditions.
Benefits: We are proud to support the health and wellbeing of the people we employ. We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, NYS Disability, Supplemental Disability, Vacation, Personal time, Floating Holidays, accrued NYS Sick Leave and an employee assistance program. Every employee is provided with a yearly family level membership to GCV&M.
How to Apply: Interested applicants should visit to apply and include both a cover letter and resume.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Genesee Country Village & Museum is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity with respect to all employees, applicants, and interns for employment. We recruit, hire, train, and promote without discrimination due to race, color, sex, age, disability, religion, citizenship, national origin, military or veteran status, marital status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Commitment to Representation: Museums have a vital role to play as community anchors—spaces where history, culture, and identity are preserved, celebrated, and made accessible to all. To truly fulfill this mission, museums must build intentional, ongoing relationships with the communities they serve—especially those historically underrepresented.
Genesee Country Village & Museum is actively committed to expanding our interpretation and exhibits to include voices and perspectives frequently underrepresented in museum collections, the telling of history, and outdoor spaces. Guided by our mission, values, and inclusive culture of curiosity, we strive to ensure that all visitors, volunteers, and employees feel safe, welcomed, and celebrated throughout their museum experiences.
