The role ensures smooth operation of our front-of-house (visitor) services, including conducting a wide range of excellent quality tours and interpretation for the public. Heritage interpreters are also responsible for relief and occasional visitor services responsibilities, including visitor check-in, cash handling, shop restocking, public information and booking tours. All duties must be performed in compliance with the Atlas’ occupational health & safety policies.
Responsibilities:
- Learn the history of coal mining in the Drumheller Valley, including the work and home life of the miners, the technical operation of the Atlas, and the social context in which the mines operated.
- Learn tours and public interpretation methods, using Atlas Coal Mine program outlines and interpretation standards. Training and tour development will be supported by the curator and line managers.
- Present at least 4.5 hours of high-quality public programing per day, as outlined in daily schedules. This programming will include processing plant tours, train tours, mine portal hikes, specialty tours, industry familiarity (‘FAM’) tours as well as privately booked group tours. All tours and public interpretation will be performed in strict compliance with our health and safety protocols. Heritage Interpreters will be responsible for ensuring public compliance with our health and safety protocols with their tour groups while performing more generalized interpretation duties.
- Perform check-in desk and gift shop duties as needed. This includes cash handling (cash-in/cash-out/transactions), restocking, booking tours, answering phone inquiries, and giving tour/site information.
- Assist the maintenance team to perform cleaning duties as needed to a high standard. This includes cleaning bathrooms, historic buildings, and general site cleaning (emptying garbages, etc.) in compliance with our sanitation protocols.
- As we are a small team at the Atlas, assisting management with other tasks may be required throughout the job term.
Qualifications, Experience, and Competencies:
We are seeking candidates that have a strong aptitude for storytelling, good public speaking skills, and a love of history. Some post secondary education (preferably in history, archaeology, anthropology, education, geology or performing arts) would be useful, but we also encourage applicants who have developed public speaking and storytelling skills via other life experiences to apply. Candidates will need to work well independently and have good problem-solving skills. Basic first-aid certification is required prior to the first day of work. CSA approved steel-toed footwear is required. A valid driver’s license is required. A positive, flexible, caring attitude is a must, and we expect all Atlas employees to take care of themselves, their teammates, and our visitors throughout their work term.
We thrive in a diverse work environment and encourage all qualified applicants to apply. We warmly encourage applicants from equity groups (such as Indigenous youth, youth with disabilities, visible minorities, members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and new Canadians).
This position is funding dependent, and all successful applicants must be eligible for the Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations program. Eligibility requirements are available here: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadianheritage/services/funding/young-canada-works/students-graduates/heritage-organizations-students.html
Work Environment and Compensation:
The Atlas is an outdoor historic industrial site in a rural location. All site buildings are designated historic resources. Work conditions can be challenging at times, due to the nature of the site and the Drumheller environment (extreme heat during the summer, difficult local terrain, historic buildings). Interpreters guide at least 4.5 hours of tours outside in all weather conditions each day over varied and sometimes difficult terrain. A love for hiking and the outdoors is a must!
Heritage interpreters will work a rotating schedule, including weekends. Full-time heritage interpreters will work 37.5 hours a week. In all cases hours per week will not normally exceed 44.
The rate of pay is $21.20/hour. The post term is June 25 through Sept 1, 2025, with possibility of extension to Oct 6, 2025.
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Jay Russell (Curator): recruitment@atlascoalmine.ab.ca. Deadline is: March 23, 2025.
