Protective Services Guard
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Worcester Art Museum
Worcester, MA, US
Summary
Protective Services Guards are responsible for ensuring the safety of museum visitors and the collection while providing a welcoming experience. They monitor gallery conditions, answer visitor questions, and communicate potential safety issues to supervisors.
Job Description
Description
The Worcester Art Museum is looking for part-time Protective Services Guards to help keep the Museum’s visitors and collection safe while creating a welcoming, positive experience for everyone who walks through our doors. This is a highly visible, people focused role that blends safety, hospitality, and attentiveness. Shifts include days, evenings, weekends, and holidays, so flexibility is important. If you enjoy working with the public and staying engaged on your feet, this could be a great fit.
Protective Services Guards work throughout the Museum in spaces like galleries, construction areas, and event venues. On a typical shift, you may open or close gallery spaces and keep an eye on visitor activity. You’ll answer questions, offer directions, and gently remind guests of museum guidelines when needed. Part of the role includes monitoring artwork and gallery conditions and watching for anything out of the ordinary. Guards are often the first people visitors interact with, and you play an important role in noticing potential safety issues. When something needs attention, you’ll communicate with supervisors or the control room to make sure it’s addressed. Most days are calm and routine, but being ready to respond when conditions change is an important part of the job.
We’re looking for people who are observant, approachable, and comfortable working independently while following clear protocols. You should be comfortable spending most of your shift walking or standing, staying aware in both quiet galleries and busy spaces, and interacting with a wide range of visitors. Clear communication, good judgment, and the ability to stay calm in unexpected situations are essential. This is an entry level role, and prior security experience isn’t required—many guards come from customer service, hospitality, retail, or other public facing backgrounds. We provide training, and we value reliability, professionalism, and a genuine interest in helping create a safe and welcoming environment.
Position Title: Protective Services Guard
Employment Type: Part-Time, Non-Exempt
Department: Protective Services
Division: Operations
Reports to: Security Operations Manager
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Salary Range: $15.50 - $17.00 hourly
Requirements
Key Requirements:
- Reliable and punctual, demonstrating strong responsibility and effective time management throughout each shift.
- Attentive and composed, able to stay observant while working independently in galleries, public areas, and event spaces, and respond professionally to changing conditions or unexpected situations.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, interacting respectfully with a diverse range of visitors by providing directions and information and reinforcing museum guidelines calmly and professionally.
- Safety-minded and procedural, able to identify potential safety or security concerns, follow established protocols, and communicate issues promptly to supervisors or the control room (by radio/phone).
- Comfortable using basic technology, including email, scheduling, and timekeeping/payroll systems.
- Must be 21 years of age or older
Physical Requirements
This role involves regular movement throughout the Museum. Candidates must be able to stand and walk for extended periods, navigate stairs and multiple levels of the building, and remain attentive while working on hard surfaces during assigned shifts, with or without reasonable accommodation.
About WAM
The Worcester Art Museum connects people, communities, and cultures through the experience of art. Our wide-ranging exhibitions tell global stories—from art made thousands of years ago to works being created today. The Museum’s collection of nearly 40,000 objects, assembled since its opening in 1898, provides a foundation to connect visitors of all ages with art, artists, and the ideas they spark. With strong ties to both our local community and the international art world, the Worcester Art Museum is an essential cultural venue for Central Massachusetts and beyond.
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility at WAM: At WAM we are committed to building a diverse environment, one where staff feel a sense of belonging, and are valued for their contributions and the perspectives they bring. Please visit our Mission, Vision, and Values page to learn more.
The Museum is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity.
The Worcester Art Museum creates transformative programs and exhibitions, drawing on its exceptional collection of art. Dating from 3,000 BC to the present, these works provide the foundation for a focus on audience engagement, connecting visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and demonstrating its enduring relevance to daily life. Creative initiatives— including pioneering collaborative programs with local schools, fresh approaches to exhibition design and in-gallery teaching, and a long history of studio class instruction—offer opportunities for diverse audiences to experience art and learn both from and with artists.
Since its founding in 1896, the Worcester Art Museum has assembled a collection of 38,000 objects: from the ancient Near East and Asia, to European and American paintings and sculptures, and continuing with works by contemporary artists from around the world. WAM has a history of making large scale acquisitions, such as its Medieval Chapter House, the Worcester Hunt Mosaic, its 15th-century Spanish ceiling, and the Flemish Last Judgment tapestry. In 2013, the Museum acquired the John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection comprising two thousand arms and armor objects. It continues to commission and present new works, such as 2017’s installation of the interactive Reusable Universes and Organic Concept works by Shi Chieh Huang.
Founded
1898
Company size
51-200 employees
Industry
Arts and Culture
Org type
Nonprofit
Headquarters
Worcester, MA
The Worcester Art Museum creates transformative programs and exhibitions, drawing on its exceptional collection of art. Dating from 3,000 BC to the present, these works provide the foundation for a focus on audience engagement, connecting visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and demonstrating its enduring relevance to daily life. Creative initiatives— including pioneering collaborative programs with local schools, fresh approaches to exhibition design and in-gallery teaching, and a long history of studio class instruction—offer opportunities for diverse audiences to experience art and learn both from and with artists.
Since its founding in 1896, the Worcester Art Museum has assembled a collection of 38,000 objects: from the ancient Near East and Asia, to European and American paintings and sculptures, and continuing with works by contemporary artists from around the world. WAM has a history of making large scale acquisitions, such as its Medieval Chapter House, the Worcester Hunt Mosaic, its 15th-century Spanish ceiling, and the Flemish Last Judgment tapestry. In 2013, the Museum acquired the John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection comprising two thousand arms and armor objects. It continues to commission and present new works, such as 2017’s installation of the interactive Reusable Universes and Organic Concept works by Shi Chieh Huang.
Founded
1898
Company size
51-200 employees
Industry
Arts and Culture
Org type
Nonprofit
Headquarters
Worcester, MA
