Exhibit Experience works collaboratively to support the daily implementation of innovative, highly interactive exhibit experiences in a high-traffic, high-touch setting. The Exhibit Experience Coordinator focuses on daily operations with an eye towards improvements to the visitor experience; to infuse Design, Make, Play throughout the museum. They support the institution’s revenue goals by coordinating an excellent experience on the museum floor. Exhibit Experience has a key role collaborating with the Exhibit Shop to make exhibitions and exhibition improvements a reality. The team relies on talking to, learning from and observing visitor behavior to develop exhibit experiences.

The Exhibit Experience team is part of REP, the Research, Exhibits, and Programs department, which includes researchers, STEM educators, exhibit designers, and program and curriculum developers. The group works in a variety of configurations to develop and implement creative, participatory learning experiences that awaken the curiosity of children, families, and teachers. NYSCI is fundamentally an institution that supports learning, and all of our work is a sustained investigation of how best to support our highly diverse audience as they explore science and engineering concepts and practices.

This role is focused on overseeing Design Lab and Makerspace and will work collaboratively with the rest of the Exhibits team to strategically improve and iterate Design Lab and Makerspace operations, offerings, and projects.

• Operationalizing Design Lab activities and Makerspace programming
• Being proactive about addressing issues, comments from visitors, and providing support/feedback to Explainers
• Collaboration with other departments on maker and design based programming
• Working with Exhibit Experience Coordinators on morning and afternoon setup of exhibitions

Oversee the operations and logistics of Design Lab and Makerspace

1. Iterate and develop systems for Explainers and staff to implement and run activities in Design Lab and Makerspace based on audience needs (running activities for GA and Groups, Explainer training, staff needs for materials and/or activities) with the support of the Exhibit Experience team

2. Design Lab and Makerspace organization, activity procedure implementation, and support Explainers learning and facilitation in these spaces

3. Weekly maintenance of Design Lab and Makerspace activity parts and pieces in collaboration with Shop staff

4. Activity and program prototyping, delivery, reflection, and debrief with Explainers and Exhibits team for future iterations and improvement

5. Documentation of Design Lab activities and Makerspace programming (digital/analog)

6. Assist in the coordination and participation of large scale and small-scale events

1. Ordering/sourcing materials, consumables, and parts for activities, workshops, and tools
2. Upkeep and maintain the tools, processes, and procedures in Makerspace with assistance from the Shop
3. Iterating on an inventory system that is applicable for both Makerspace and Design Lab Training
4. Develop with the Exhibits Team a training and safety protocol on the tools in Makerspace for staff
5. Train Exhibit Experience Coordinators on the tools in Makerspace
6. Train Explainers on Makerspace programming, activities, and tools
7. Learn the current operations systems in Design Lab in order to iterate and create a system that works for Design Lab and Makerspace operations and logistics
8. Collaborate on Design Lab training with Explainer Trainers

1. Collaborate with team on maintaining a digital presence, including as-needed tasks associated with developing and producing tutorial videos and social media posts

2. Lead on maintaining and creating Makerspace content

3. Collaborate with Marketing on social media when applicable for Design lab and Makerspace

Any other future tasks assigned.

• Explainers in Makerspace Workshops
• Coaching/supporting Explainers in Design Lab
• This position could potentially include supervision of Fellows (part-time, high school and college-aged NYSCI employees)
  

Education: BA degree.

Experience: 2-5 years of relevant experience in a museum or professional organization.

1. Commitment to the philosophy and mission of the New York Hall of Science.

2. Strong communications skills with the ability to express ideas clearly both in written and oral communications.

3. Strong understanding of how to operationalize tasks.

4. Ability to utilize systems thinking practices to develop operational procedures.

5. Strong commitment and understanding to design, engineering and/ or maker education.

6. Experience serving diverse audiences.

7. Ability to actively listen to what others are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, and ask questions as appropriate.

8. Ability to provide information to supervisors and co-workers to represent the organization to customers, the public and other external sources, in person, in writing or by telephone.

1. Ability to develop and advance new ideas within the context of larger project directions and constraints

2. Drawing on past experience developing innovative and novel content for informal learning settings to inform potential solutions to exhibit design challenges.

3. Flexibly integrate feedback from Exhibit team, Explainers, Science Career Ladder team and R&D and to change course when necessary.

4. Ability to actively listen to what colleagues, stakeholders, and learners are saying and translate that into strategies that make sense for documentation and student learning.

5. Ability to communicate with people outside the organization, representing the organization to participants, the public and other external sources through writing and verbally.

6. Experience considering the needs and interests of diverse audiences of children.

1. Fabrication skills: Wood, cardboard, plastics, some electronics. Hacker mindset required.

2. Skills in writing, simple graphic design, illustration.

3. Understanding of fabrication techniques to describe processes to others.

Commensurate with education, skills and experience; includes an excellent NYSCI benefits package. Anticipated Salary range is $45,000 - $50,000.

Full time - 35 hours per week, salaried. Must be available to work weekends as part of the weekly schedule and some holidays. This position is a two-year commitment.

Since its founding at the 1964 – 65 New York World’s Fair, the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) has inspired millions of people — children, teachers and families — by offering creative, participatory ways to learn and encouraging people to explore their curiosity and nurture their creativity. Located in Queens, the most ethnically diverse county in the country, NYSCI welcomes 500,000 visitors each year and serves thousands more through outreach in schools, teacher professional development programs, and participation in a variety of public events and research initiatives.

NYSCI is a leader in the science museum field, recognized for its highly regarded exhibitions, programs and products,
all of which are informed by strategies of engagement called Design, Make, Play. The defining characteristics of Design, Make, Play — open-ended exploration, imaginative learning, personal relevance, deep engagement and delight —
are the ingredients that inspire passionate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learners. NYSCI engages diverse communities of learners, particularly young people, in STEM, by fostering the excitement of self-directed exploration and by tapping into the joy of learning intrinsic in young people’s play. Our transformative model for STEM exploration invites broad participation and makes engagement and learning irresistible.

NYSCI has approximately 80 full time and over 60 part time staff.

Please send cover letter and resume to jobs@nysci.org. Please include job title in subject line. No phone calls.

The New York Hall of Science is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and innovative environment with the best employees. We provide employment opportunities without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, military service, marital status or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. We support a drug-free workplace.

If there are preparations we can make to help ensure you have a comfortable and positive interview experience, please let us know.