HISTORIC SITE INTERPRETER
Historic Site Interpreter sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's local-government civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.
It asks for 1 year of relevant experience.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
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Historic Site Interpreter is a local service title. It is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, not by State departments. Those employers set pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule, which is why most local titles carry no salary range here.
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Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
As a costumed performer, interprets historic sites by demonstrating work, crafts, or occupations of a practical, technical, creative, or artistic nature in a manner appropriate to the time period of the particular site. Communicates historically accurate information to site visitors. Maintains and/or restores historic tools, buildings, grounds, and machinery; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Operates, maintains, repairs, and adjusts historic tools and equipment.
- Communicates historically accurate information to visitors relevant to site and tasks performed.
- Conducts tours of historic sites for visitors; explains the significance of the sites and materials displayed.
- Dresses in costume appropriate to time period and character role.
- Participates in living history or historic presentations including but not limited to *first person" skits, school tours, and hands-on-workshops.
- Ensures safety of visitors and self around equipment and animals.
- Researches historically correct methods, processes, equipment materials, plant varieties, or animal breeds.
- Repairs and operates various antique horse-drawn equipment and other historic artifacts.
- Works with draft animals.
- Demonstrates use of equipment and tools appropriate to historic industrial facilities such as mills or forges.
- Uses antique farm equipment such as horse-drawn plows and harrows to cultivate and fertilize the soil.
- Plants, transplants, cares for and harvests fruits, vegetables, and grain using historically appropriate methods and equipment.
- Feeds, waters, and cares for farm livestock and poultry.
- Prepares raw ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, meats, poultry, and fish for the cooking process by washing, peeling, slicing, and seasoning, and so forth using historically accurate techniques.
- Cooks vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, poultry, and soups using recipes and methods appropriate to the time period.
- Demonstrates fireplace and open stove cooking. Selects and prepares raw materials for use in craft or industrial activities.
- Demonstrates domestic skills such as spinning, weaving, candle making, quilting, or needlework following historically accurate methods.
- Uses various hand tools, both antique and modern, appropriate to the task.
- Participates in training sessions, staff meetings, and workshops.
- Maintains records.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Completion of thirty (30) semester hour credits in history, education, humanities, natural history, agriculture, anthropology, or a related area.
Experience
One (1) year of experience in work involving the interpretation of historic sites.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of methods to be used in researching historically accurate methods, processes, equipment, materials, plant varieties, or animal breeds.
- Knowledge of sources of information concerning historical methods, equipment, materials, plant varieties as applicable to period sites found in New Jersey.
- Knowledge of methods and techniques for demonstrating work, crafts, or occupations for educational purposes.
- Ability to communicate historically accurate information to persons of various age and education levels.
- Ability to portray historic characters.
- Ability to ensure the safety of visitors and self around equipment and animals.
- Ability to follow oral and written instructions. Ability to perform routine maintenance to equipment and grounds.
- Ability to work with draft or farm animals.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The definition and examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
An additional thirty (30) semester hour credits in the indicated fields may be substituted for the required experience.