Apprentice Husbander

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About The Position

Provide for the care of cattle, sheep and poultry. Demonstrates and interprets all aspects of livestock husbandry with an emphasis on animal movement practices in the 18th Century Virginia.

Founded in 1986, CW’s Rare Breeds program helps promote genetic diversity in livestock that research shows thrived in 18th-century colonial British America. Horses, oxen, sheep, and fowl contribute to the living history museum in many of the same ways they would have contributed to the colonial capital: as workhorses and oxen pulling carts, wagons, and carriages; and providing wool, eggs, milk, and manure for trades throughout the city.

Essential Functions:

• Cares for the Livestock to insure their health and safety, including working with the Veterinary surgeon when necessary.
• Help with the breeding and birthing aspects of the livestock
• Gives interpretations on livestock husbandry in the 18th Century and the role of livestock in society. Demonstrates different skills involved such as milking cows, shearing sheep, sheep herding and ox driving throughout the Historic Area.
• Use oxen to move freight throughout the Historic Area, using both carts and wagons when needed. Use oxen for ticketed ox-cart rides, under Also assist other programs and shops with oxen, when required.
• Gives talks and tours concerning the Rare Breeds
• Assist with special programs; adapt interpretations to meet the needs of special
• Cares for and maintains equipment used with the livestock to include trucks and
• Helps co-ordinate with other departments and outside agencies as necessary for public programming or care of the livestock.
• Cares for and maintains buildings and pastures used in conjunction with
• Basic skills in care of horses, grooming, care of tack, carriages and stables, and driving
• Participate in internal and external training
• Participate as an active member of a team and model the organizations personal/professional
• Participate as an active member of the team engaging in interactive animal experiences, and animal movement.
• Work a flexible schedule including weekends, evenings and
• Be available to work on an emergency basis seven days a week, 24hrs per
• Perform other related duties as necessary.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• General Knowledge and practical skills in Livestock Husbandry, gained through at least 4 years working with cattle, sheep or poultry. Experience gained in any combination of experience that fulfills the responsibilities of the job.
• Ability to drive trucks and trailers. Apprentice Level 3 and higher must possess a valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver's license and have an acceptable driving record based on Colonial Williamsburg's criteria. Proven ability to work alone with livestock both safely and having initiative to handle unforeseen circumstances in dealing with livestock.
• Must possess good communication skills, and ability to work in a team.
• Ability to comprehend and follow oral and written instructions, generally gained through high school education
• High school diploma or G.E.D.
• Must display a willingness and ability to lift 50 lbs., to bend, stoop and kneel to perform work, to work in costume, and work in all weather conditions.
• Ability and willingness to work flexible schedule and on call response to emergencies when needed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; also to participate in special events as needed including nights, weekends and holidays.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

Ability to drive horses; ability to drive oxen, knowledge of cattle care; ability to herd sheep; knowledge of sheep care; knowledge of poultry care; knowledge of dairy operations; ability to operate heavy equipment (loader, tractor, forklift).