Director of Exhibits

New York Hall of Science • New York, NY

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Exhibits provides strategic and operational leadership of NYSCI’s exhibition program. Working with an internal exhibits team and a network of external partners, the Director leads the planning, development, fabrication, iteration, and delivery of exhibitions and exhibit experiences across NYSCI’s campus.

This position is an opportunity for an experienced exhibit developer and strong project manager to have a significant impact on the future of a leading science center. It requires a passion for human-centered design, a strong point of view on exhibition design, and expertise in creating science and engineering exhibits that support open-ended visitor agency, exploration, curiosity, and collaboration. The role requires a strong understanding of how audiences of all ages engage with both physical and digital informal learning environments, and how facilitation practices and educational programs can deepen the relevance and impact of exhibitions. The Director will also be an experienced project manager, able to oversee a small, dedicated exhibits team, collaborate effectively with departments across the institution, and collaborate with external partners across a range of projects within the institution, on our grounds, and across the city.

The Director will report to the Chief Research and Impact Officer and will lead a small, dedicated exhibit team. The Director will work closely with colleagues across teams including Visitor Experience, Research and Evaluation, Education, and Operations to expand NYSCI’s reach and impact across the campus and the city through our exhibition program, expanding NYSCI’s leadership in the development of exhibitions that support inclusive, creative STEM learning.

Requirements

• Five years of experience developing interactive exhibitions for museums or other informal learning environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading exhibition development processes with both internal and external partners.
• MA, MS, or MFA in a relevant field such as museum studies, science communication, industrial design, learning, or psychology.
• Proven record of developing and executing systems that support creative design work.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, support, and develop a creative, human-centered, mission- and visitor-focused exhibits program.
• Working knowledge of ADA requirements.
• Readiness to lead exhibit development processes for a highly interactive science museum serving large and diverse audiences.
• Experience creating, facilitating, or supporting accessible, inclusive learning in out-of-school environments.
• Mastery of exhibition development processes, combined with an understanding of design and visual presentation methods, interaction design, and general museum exhibition concepts, standards, applications, procedures, and terminology.
• Demonstrated experience developing exhibitions that take into consideration the talents and perspectives of learners of diverse ages, backgrounds, and interests.
• Readiness to provide leadership through supervision and collaboration with a wide range of colleagues
• Strong conceptual and creative abilities, along with a solid technical background, to support content development and the conceptual framing of exhibition experiences.
• Strong written, graphic, and verbal communication skills with the ability to express ideas, opportunities, and plans to colleagues and peers with a diverse range of professional skills.
• Ability to actively listen to others, ask questions as appropriate, and be a responsive, reflective participant in complex discussions.
• Ability to communicate effectively with persons outside the organization, and to represent the organization to customers, the public, and other external audiences.
• Ability to manage processes and projects to support institutional goals
• Ability to analyze bids and contracts, create contracts, and track budgets.
• Ability to recruit, manage, and develop staff.
• Experience with Creative Suite, VectorWorks, SketchUp, or CAD
• Proficient computer skills including project management/scheduling software, spreadsheets, and email
• Ability to travel periodically (not more than 10% time)
• Evenings/weekends: Ability and willingness to participate in events outside the workday schedule, including on evenings and weekends.

Nice To Haves

• Flexibility to kneel, bend, or crawl through tight access points or smaller openings within interactive exhibit structures as needed (preferred/non-essential).
• Ability to speak, read, or write languages other than English is desirable but not required. All exhibitions at NYSCI are presented in both English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Lead a program of exhibition design/development, fabrication, iteration, and remediation that executes on existing institutional strategies and plans, meets the highest standards of visual design and interaction design, and ensures that NYSCI audiences have robust, creative, and engaging opportunities to discover their own curiosity, agency, and competency as scientific thinkers and problem-solvers.
• Manage exhibit development processes, ensuring that new exhibitions align with NYSCI's mission and pedagogical approaches, meet all project requirements, and tap into a range of sources of input including internal staff, visitors, community members, and external experts.
• Ensure exhibits staff have access to the partners, resources, and professional learning opportunities they need to deliver a high-quality exhibit experience in high-touch, high-traffic environments.
• Lead and/or contribute to exhibit content development as appropriate, depending on project scope, partners, and timeline.
• Lead prototyping processes as needed, in collaboration with other exhibit team members and NYSCI research staff.
• Identify and collaborate with external partners as needed to achieve project goals within given timelines and budget constraints.
• Ensure cross-departmental needs are addressed in exhibit offerings and iterations by involving necessary teams in the design process and keeping them in the loop as design phases progress.
• Stay abreast of trends in museum design, including learning research, technical advances, new methodologies, and products, and share this knowledge with peers and partners across the museum as needed.
• Lead, with support from other NYSCI departments and external partners, all dimensions of project management for exhibit projects, including scoping, documentation, staff management, and monitoring budgets, contracts, and timelines.
• Lead internal design and fabrication processes to remediate and improve existing exhibits.
• Represent exhibit experience perspective in planning for and supporting all aspects of visitor experience; maintain cross-departmental relationships to inform exhibit planning and production.
• Establish and maintain communication, documentation, and archival systems that provide a strong foundation for an excellent exhibitions program and support the long-term maintenance of exhibitions.
• Monitor project budgets, schedules, and requirements, with support from internal and external partners in finance and project management.
• Source and manage external partners in exhibit design, development, and fabrication as projects require.
• Work with peers to scope yearly budgets and projects and to set and deliver on monthly exhibit goals.
• Oversee and support the exhibits team, providing clear direction, priorities, coaching, and opportunities for professional growth.
• Cultivate a network of internal and external collaborators and experts, develop lasting professional relationships, and establish the communication and documentation systems that provide a strong foundation for an excellent exhibitions program.
• Contribute to NYSCI’s long-term planning for expanding the scope and scale of our exhibition program, in partnership with internal and external partners.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance options
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare, dependent care, and commuter benefits
• Pension plan and 401k plan
• Free life insurance coverage
• Paid vacation and sick leave
• 13 paid holidays off
• Flexible work schedules
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free onsite parking

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director