Visitor Experience Staff

Visitor Experience Staff

Desert of Maine
Freeport, ME
Full Time or Part-time, Hourly, May - October (option for rolling start date)

With Weekend and Holiday shifts throughout the season

The Desert of Maine is an iconic destination located in Freeport, Maine, known for its unusual geology, quirky local history, and unique ecology. In recent years, we've opened a new mini golf course, upgraded our gift shop and snack bar, added new educational hands-on exhibits across the property, and streamlined our operations to improve the visitor experience. We strive to reacquaint local visitors with this historical attraction and give first-time visitors a memorable experience they’ll talk about for years to come.

You would become a core member of our small, close-knit team passionate about impeccable customer service and sharing the beauty of a place whose stories are more important than ever. We hope you will be drawn to the magic of this place and help us create a (not-so-hidden) gem on Maine’s coast for tourists and locals alike!

The Role

Reporting to the Manager of Operations, our Visitor Experience staff position is a dynamic role focused on our core goal of helping visitors with all aspects of their visit. Staff in this position cross-train on many of the visitor-focused duties at the Desert of Maine, including welcoming visitors at our Welcome Center, operating our gift shop, snack bar, and mini golf course, and orienting visitors and answering questions throughout the property. The role also includes the opportunity to drive our 1800s-style electric train and facilitate our Sand Art activity, though scheduling for those two roles are subject to staff meeting certain requirements and training.

Admissions and Retail

• Sell admission tickets and annual passes, and answer questions about the history, science, and exhibits. Direct visitors to additional resources when needed.
• Execute opening and closing to keep the Welcome Center operating smoothly
• Assist personnel with gift shop inventory

Snack Bar

• Prepare and serve items from our small menu, including scooped ice cream, grilled sausage, kettle corn, fresh-made lemonade, and more.
• Maintain a clean and organized foodservice environment. Prepare the snack bar for opening or closing and ensure all cleaning protocols have been followed.
• As of 2025, serve canned beer and wine in the evenings, follow proper procedures for handling alcoholic beverages and performing ID checks, if authorized.

Mini Golf

• Greet visitors, sell tickets, and interact with them after their round of mini golf
• Manage the inventory of putters, balls, and other supplies; ensure all features of the course are operating correctly

Train Driver (for interested staff with valid drivers license and 1 year driving experience)

• Greet and welcome visitors, answer questions, and assist visitors in getting on and off the train as needed
• Safely transport visitors from one stop to the next while being mindful of surroundings

Sand Art Facilitation

• Independently setup and break down supplies for regular Sand Art activity
• Facilitate Sand Art for all ages, assist visitors in creating a take-home bottle

Qualifications

• Interest or experience in retail, hospitality, tourism, food service, or cultural institutions
• Experience with and enthusiasm for working in a team environment
• Willingness to learn off-the-charts customer service, communications, and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with diverse audiences
• Willingness to learn POS (Square) systems, computers, and phones
• Excellent problem-solving skills and follow-through
• Attention to detail and consistent personal growth throughout your school and work history.
• A desire to make an impact at a mission-driven organization. The job may alternate between being exhilarating and a little overwhelming, but the right candidate will relish the challenge.

Other Information

This position will start part-time in May and move to full-time in June through October, with weekend and holiday shifts throughout the season. Access to reliable transportation is required. As part of the role, we need someone who can lift boxes (up to 30lbs), operate a small golf cart EV, walk across loose sand, climb our various exhibits, perform tasks that include fine motor skills such as applying barcode labels and preparing and serving food, and operate a laptop computer and Point of Sale device. This work will involve some repeated lifting and bending.

The Desert of Maine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace that supports, inspires, and respects all individuals and in which personnel processes and hiring practices are inclusive, fair, and merit-based. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.