Adler Planetarium
Location
Chicago, IL | United States
Job description
Education Specialist
Part-Time
About the Adler Planetarium
The Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. Whether it is introducing a guest to the Ring Nebula, a neighborhood school to a community partner, a research team to a network of citizen scientists, or one staff member to another, Adler’s focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century.
Today, the museum hosts more than half a million visitors each year and reaches millions more through youth STEM programs, neighborhood skywatching events, online citizen science, and other outreach projects. With the Adler’s support, people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities gain the confidence to explore their universe together and return to their communities ready to think critically and creatively about any challenge that comes their way.
The Position
The Adler Planetarium is seeking Education Specialists to join our dynamic team located on Chicago's Museum Campus. Staff in this role will work as part of a team of museum educators responsible for delivering daily engaging informal learning experiences to museum visitors of all ages. Education Specialists serve as audience advocates and spend the majority of their time on the floor in museum galleries and educational spaces. They are experts in understanding and adapting to meet the needs and expectations of our target audiences: adults, families, and students.
These individuals will also be responsible for:
Implementing informal learning experiences and opportunities.
Facilitating core onsite activities for adults, families, and students. Having conversations with guests and supporting museum and gallery wayfinding.
Providing positive guest-facing interactions.
Collecting participation data, logging successes and challenges, and providing input regarding visitor feedback and experiences to the wider department.
Preparing for educational programs and maintaining organized learning spaces (e.g., set up/breakdown of activities, restocking spaces, reporting supply needs).
Ongoing participation in training and knowledge development.
Taking an active role in team discussions and training sessions to build and maintain facilitation skills and content knowledge.
Continually revisiting best practices and trends in museum interpretation and engagement. Participating in continual coaching and development of self, team, and educational offerings.
Acting as a peer mentor. Supporting team members with a positive and collaborative attitude.
Assisting in departmental initiatives.
Supporting the development, design, prototyping, evaluation, and launch of new and revised experiences, activities, and resources for adults, families, and students.
Work Schedule
Adler is open to the public from 4 pm to 10 pm on Wednesdays, 9 am to 4 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Work hours for this position vary seasonally from 10-14 hours a week. Expect to work Wednesdays (afternoon through evening) and one weekend day (Saturday or Sunday). Select holidays are required (MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day). During the school year, expect to work one Tuesday or Thursday. Hours and schedule are subject to change based on operational needs.
The planned start date for this position is June 3, 2024.
PT The Compensation & Benefits
Base Pay: range: $16.54-$18.42/hr
Work-Life Balance
3 Sick Days as of date of hire (can accrue up to 6.5 days per year)
Flexible work arrangements
Paid Family Bereavement Leave & Jury Duty
Retirement Savings Plan
403B plan with Adler match
Adler match is 100% vested immediately
Eligible to enroll as of the date of hire
Network of Support through our EAP programs
Resources to help address emotional, legal, and financial issues
Face-to-face, telephonic, and web-based services
Free subscription to the Calm Premium app
Discounted Onsite Parking Passes
Commuter flexible spending account
Free Entrance to Chicago area museums and cultural institutions
The Person
Education Specialists are excellent communicators with an enthusiasm for sharing knowledge, connecting with others, and supporting learners at various levels. They are creative, proactive problem-solvers with the ability to adapt and meet the needs of different audiences. Education Specialists bring their experience facilitating, supporting, or designing educational activities or experiences to deliver high-quality audience-centered experiences to all visitors at the museum. They have the ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks, make well-reasoned independent decisions, and work well with others. Staff in this role work a flexible schedule including weekends and select holidays (MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day) in order to best serve our audiences on peak attendance days.
Required Qualifications:
Associate’s Degree or three or more years of professional work experience.
Two or more years of experience working in informal or formal learning environments or nonprofit direct service.
A confident public speaker with storytelling skills.
Strong interpersonal skills, high levels of emotional intelligence, and professional maturity.
Demonstrated cultural competency and ability to provide service to, and work with a diverse array of people.
Self-directed learner with the ability to master content and concepts quickly.
Excellent communicator with an enthusiasm for sharing knowledge, connecting with others, and supporting learners at various levels.
A high degree of adaptability. A creative, proactive problem-solver.
Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree with a specialization in museums, education, or STEAM.
Previous public-facing experience at a cultural institution such as a museum, science center, zoo, or theater.
Two or more years as a museum educator or interpreter.
An audience-centered approach to working with the public.
Prior knowledge or willingness to learn basic astronomy and space science concepts.
Fluency in two or more languages common to the Chicagoland area is a plus.
The Adler Planetarium is dedicated to complying with its obligations as an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact Jenean Featherson by email at [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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