Seasonal Interpreter

Who We Are

Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is the nation’s premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do.

We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non‑profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households.

We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website,(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Salary/Hourly Rate: $16.50 - $18.50/hour

Hours per week: 14-21 hours per week, with flexibility

Job Classification:
Limited Term, Seasonal

Job Type: Onsite

Duration:
April - November

Location:

Castle Hill, Ipswich, MA

Your Impact: Do you love history, people, and theatre? Do you go to Renaissance Festivals in full costume? Would you travel back in time if you could? Do you have a fully realized D&D character? If any of these questions resonate, you might be just the person we are looking for!

At Castle Hill on the Crane Estate each of our tours is led by a trained, costumed interpreter who plays the role of one of the many servants in the Great House, the Crane family’s summer home. If you join the “staff” you’ll be greeting visitors who are also given characters, people who visited the Cranes on Castle Hill in the 1920s.

You can spend YOUR summer (and beyond) surrounded by the grandeur of one of the only intact country estates in Massachusetts, overlooking the ocean and Great Marsh. Be careful, this place is addictive!

The Cultural Site Interpreter leads up to 4 hour‑long tours a day. When not on tour, interpreters meet and interact with general visitors. They also have the opportunity to add interactive elements to tours they are not leading. Historical information is shared in a narrative style which engages the visitor, leaving them with the feeling that they can imagine what it was like to live this way.

Interpreters are trained to give at least 4 differently themed tours, each exploring a different aspect of life on Castle Hill. Specialty tours are also available which include the gardens and grounds. Costumes are supplied by the Trustees.

• Opening and closing of the museum rooms of the Great House
• Customer interaction throughout the day, whether on tour or casual
• Giving visitors the opportunity to become Trustees members
• Giving visitors advice and instructions for exploring the Castle Hill grounds

This is a limited‑term, nonexempt position working 14-21 hours/week reporting directly to the Cultural Programs Coordinator.

Skills and Experience:

• Verbal communication skills
• Storytelling skills
• Comfortable around people of all types
• Able to work indoors and outdoors. There is limited air conditioning in the Great House; it can get quite warm mid‑summer.
• Must be comfortable standing for a majority of working hours and comfortable with walking up and down multiple staircases.
• Interpreters must be able to carry a tray of "champagne" glasses.
• This is a part time seasonal job. Most interpreters work between 15-30 hours a week in season (between Memorial Day and the end of October). During the shoulder seasons we are only open at weekends, so there are fewer shifts available. The shift is 9:30AM-4:00PM. We are open 6 days a week in season (closed on Mondays).

• Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment.
• A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check.

Don’t quite have all the skills and experience listed above? We still want to hear from you! Research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every single requirement. We are committed to…