What are the responsibilities and job description for the Museum Lead position at Modesto Children's Museum?
Description
Job Title: Museum Lead
Reports to: Manager of Exhibits & Facilities
Classification: Non-Exempt
Status: Seasonal Part-time
Date Updated: 11/30/2025
Salary Range: $20.00 per hour
Our Mission
The Modesto Children’s Museum enriches the lives of all children by nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and a love for lifelong learning.
Our Vision & Values
Our vision is to be a world-class and exploratory experience for all children that enriches, inspires, and unites our larger community. We believe that all children are welcome and deserve a safe, inclusive space where they can confidently explore who they are and imagine all that is possible. We know that learning engages the entire family, creating stronger connections through curiosity and discovery. We celebrate diversity at every level—through our staff, programs, and practices—ensuring every child and caregiver feels represented and valued. We invest deeply in our community, building partnerships that strengthen and unite our region. And we hold fast to the belief that play is an essential part of learning, sparking joy, creativity, and a lifelong love of discovery.
Position Summary
The Museum Lead will support MoChiMu’s mission and vision as a continuous point-of-contact for guests, and as the foundation of the museum’s daily operations and guest service strategies. This front-of-house role will be engaged with MoChiMu guests of all ages, serving as a “point person” responsible for the museum’s opening and closing procedures, cash counting, incident reporting, and management of the museum’s Front Desk and the related guest service policies and procedures. As elevated “specialists” of museum operations, Museum Leads will supervise the floor staff, ensuring that they follow the daily schedule, arrive at their Front Desk and exhibit rotations in a timely manner, take breaks as needed, and represent MoChiMu in a positive light to guests.
The Museum Lead should demonstrate excellent organization, procedural follow-through, and the ability to “code switch” between working with adults and children in a customer service-oriented, forward-facing work environment nested within the mission and vision of the museum. Museum Leads should be quick and critical thinkers, able to solve problems with guests, staff, facilities or exhibits in the moment while also formally following up with the appropriate parties.
Toward the capacity of working directly with children, the individual should demonstrate exemplary skills in public speaking, “classroom management,” and the ability to adopt the theories and practices of inquiry learning, child development, and museum education. The Museum Lead will work cross functionally between the museum’s Operations and Education teams, leading day-to-day operations to ensure that MoChiMu is a sustainable and enduring learning institution for years to come.
The Museum Lead role is anticipated to be scheduled 10-20 hours per week, but hours and days may fluctuate depending upon organizational needs.
Essential Functions, Duties, And Responsibilities
Education – A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
Experience – Experience working with a youth population and the public is strongly preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
ADA/FEHA: MoChiMu will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.
EEO: MoChiMu is an equal-opportunity employer. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.
Job Title: Museum Lead
Reports to: Manager of Exhibits & Facilities
Classification: Non-Exempt
Status: Seasonal Part-time
Date Updated: 11/30/2025
Salary Range: $20.00 per hour
Our Mission
The Modesto Children’s Museum enriches the lives of all children by nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and a love for lifelong learning.
Our Vision & Values
Our vision is to be a world-class and exploratory experience for all children that enriches, inspires, and unites our larger community. We believe that all children are welcome and deserve a safe, inclusive space where they can confidently explore who they are and imagine all that is possible. We know that learning engages the entire family, creating stronger connections through curiosity and discovery. We celebrate diversity at every level—through our staff, programs, and practices—ensuring every child and caregiver feels represented and valued. We invest deeply in our community, building partnerships that strengthen and unite our region. And we hold fast to the belief that play is an essential part of learning, sparking joy, creativity, and a lifelong love of discovery.
Position Summary
The Museum Lead will support MoChiMu’s mission and vision as a continuous point-of-contact for guests, and as the foundation of the museum’s daily operations and guest service strategies. This front-of-house role will be engaged with MoChiMu guests of all ages, serving as a “point person” responsible for the museum’s opening and closing procedures, cash counting, incident reporting, and management of the museum’s Front Desk and the related guest service policies and procedures. As elevated “specialists” of museum operations, Museum Leads will supervise the floor staff, ensuring that they follow the daily schedule, arrive at their Front Desk and exhibit rotations in a timely manner, take breaks as needed, and represent MoChiMu in a positive light to guests.
The Museum Lead should demonstrate excellent organization, procedural follow-through, and the ability to “code switch” between working with adults and children in a customer service-oriented, forward-facing work environment nested within the mission and vision of the museum. Museum Leads should be quick and critical thinkers, able to solve problems with guests, staff, facilities or exhibits in the moment while also formally following up with the appropriate parties.
Toward the capacity of working directly with children, the individual should demonstrate exemplary skills in public speaking, “classroom management,” and the ability to adopt the theories and practices of inquiry learning, child development, and museum education. The Museum Lead will work cross functionally between the museum’s Operations and Education teams, leading day-to-day operations to ensure that MoChiMu is a sustainable and enduring learning institution for years to come.
The Museum Lead role is anticipated to be scheduled 10-20 hours per week, but hours and days may fluctuate depending upon organizational needs.
Essential Functions, Duties, And Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day operations of Modesto Children's Museum, including guest services, safety, building and exhibit maintenance, cash handling, and opening & closing procedures.
- Ensure MoChiMu is clean and safe for all guests, including monitoring the facility for potential hazards, responding to incidents and providing first aid, as needed.
- Support the management of the Front Desk ticketing and member services, ensuring that all guests are greeted warmly and receive excellent customer service.
- Monitor guest feedback and respond to complaints in a timely and effective manner.
- Manage floor activities and educational programming.
- Train, supervise, and evaluate the performance of front-of-house staff.
- Contribute to MoChiMu’s mission by understanding educational best practices and engaging with guests on the museum floor.
- Maintain a high level of knowledge about museum exhibits, programs, and events to answer guest questions and provide recommendations.
- Support MoChiMu in upholding its desired diversity and inclusion outcomes in customer-facing language and processes.
- Provide excellent financial stewardship for all MoChiMu resources and maintain the transparency necessary for a community-based non-profit.
- Be a positive MoChiMu representative and assure the organization and its mission and programs are consistently presented in strong, positive ways to the internal team, partners, relevant stakeholders, the public, and media.
- Comply with MoChiMu policies and procedures, including but not limited to workplace safety, reporting work-related injuries, Infection Control, and preventing potential safety risks for staff, patrons, and others.
- Punctual and regular attendance is an essential responsibility of each employee at MoChiMu. Employees are expected to report to work as scheduled, on time, and prepared to start working. Employees also are expected to remain at work for their entire work schedule. Late arrival, early departure, or other absences from scheduled hours are disruptive and must be avoided.
- Maintain a willingness to support MoChiMu and the team in other collaborative projects, museum needs, and roles outside the assigned job description.
- Work weekends, evenings, and holidays as scheduled.
- The Museum Lead role is anticipated to be scheduled 10 - 20 hours per week, but hours may fluctuate depending upon organizational needs.
Education – A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
Experience – Experience working with a youth population and the public is strongly preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Bilingualism is highly preferred.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English is required.
- Ability to handle conflicts and challenges professionally and constructively.
- Ability to analyze processes and data and identify necessary improvements.
- Requires a high level of accuracy and attention.
- Passion for the organization's mission and values.
- Well-spoken and polished demeanor.
- Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work with diverse people groups.
- Proficiency with Google Suite (Gmail/Sheets/Docs/Drive).
- Forward-thinking, creative, and community-focused leader.
- Embodies MoChiMu’s mission with energy, enthusiasm, and inclusivity.
- Exhibits honesty, integrity, and empathy, fostering a culture of trust and collaboration.
- Approaches challenges with curiosity and a growth mindset, continuously seeking new knowledge and creative solutions to increase the museum’s impact.
- Thrives in a dynamic, evolving organization by embracing change, modeling flexibility, and inspiring others to experiment, learn, and adapt alongside them.
- Indoors in an active, loud, busy museum environment approximately ninety-five percent (95%) of the time.
- Routine use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.
- Frequently work at a fast pace with unscheduled interruptions.
- May occasionally move (walk or drive) from one work location to another.
- Ability to ascend, descend, and navigate tight corners within two-story rope climbing structure.
- Ability to use one or two hands to grasp, move, handle, control, feel, and assemble objects, tools, or controls.
- Ability to use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble small objects.
- Ability to walk, sit, stand, stoop, crouch, and climb stairs.
- Ability to move and lift up to 20 pounds.
- Ability to see the differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
- Ability to see (far/near).
- Ability to talk and hear.
- Regular and consistent attendance.
ADA/FEHA: MoChiMu will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.
EEO: MoChiMu is an equal-opportunity employer. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.
Salary : $20