Education Specialist

Adler Planetarium • Chicago, IL

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Adler Planetarium is seeking a Part-Time Education Specialist to join our dynamic team on Chicago's Museum Campus. Staff in this role will work as part of a team of museum educators, delivering engaging, informal learning experiences to museum visitors of all ages daily. Educators engage Adler audiences on the floor, in museum galleries, and in educational spaces. They are experts in understanding and adapting to meet the needs and expectations of target audiences: adults, families, and students. Part-time 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 science-rich educational activities to deliver high-quality, audience-centered experiences for all museum visitors. They can prioritize and manage multiple tasks, make well-reasoned, independent decisions, and work well with others. This is a union position with the Adler Planetarium Workers United, AFSCME Council 31.

Requirements

• Associate's Degree or 3+ years professional work experience
• Two or more years of experience working in informal or formal learning environments, or experience facilitating, supporting, or teaching science-rich activities to the public
• A confident public speaker with storytelling skills.
• Demonstrates professional maturity and high levels of emotional intelligence and cultural competency.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to provide service to, and work with, a diverse array of people.
• Excellent communicator with an enthusiasm for sharing knowledge, connecting with others, and supporting learners at various levels.
• Ability to adapt to meet the needs of different audiences.
• Self-directed learner with the ability to master content and concepts quickly.
• High degree of adaptability.
• A creative, proactive problem-solver.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s Degree or 5+ years of professional work experience.
• Specializations: STEM, education, museums
• Previous public-facing experience at a cultural institution such as a planetarium, museum, science center, zoo, or theater.
• Two or more years as a museum educator or interpreter.
• Interest in or experience with astronomy
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Facilitating onsite activities for adults, families, and students
• 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 participating in training sessions to build and maintain facilitation skills and expand content knowledge
• Participating in ongoing professional learning and training on existing and new Adler activities and engagement strategies.
• Participating in activity testing, visitor testing/observations, and supporting iterative program development.

Benefits

• 10 to 16-hour workweek
• Eligible to accrue up to 6 vacation days per year
• 3 sick days as of date of hire (can accrue up to 6.5 days per year)
• Eligible to earn time and a half for working on any of the 7 Adler-observed holidays
• Paid Family Bereavement Leave & Jury Duty
• Paid Parental Leave
• Commuter flexible spending account
• 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
• Employee Loan Program
• Discounted Onsite Parking Program
• Free Entrance to Chicago area museums and cultural institutions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree