Experience Specialist, Technology

DISCOVERY PLACE INC•Charlotte, NC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Science Content & Experience Specialist, Technology serves as Discovery Place’s subject-matter expert in emerging and applied technologies and their role in science, society, and everyday life. This position brings education, innovation, creativity, and technical expertise to Discovery Place by developing scientifically accurate, engaging, and participatory education experiences that help visitors understand, explore, and question the technologies shaping our world. The Specialist identifies emerging technologies and translates them into compelling educational content and curriculum, exhibits, programs, demonstrations, digital experiences, and hands-on activities across Discovery Place Science, Charlotte Museum of Nature, Discovery Place Kids, and Youth Development programming. Technology areas may include, but are not limited to, robotics, artificial intelligence, computer science, automation, data science, digital fabrication, electronics, sensors, immersive technologies, computational tools, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies. The Specialist is not expected to be an expert in every technology area but serves as a technology generalist who understands fundamental principles, identified meaningful applications, and can rapidly learn and collaborate with other experts as technologies evolve. The role goes beyond teaching visitors how to use technology. The Specialist helps visitors understand how technologies work, how they are used to solve problems and advance science, what they can and cannot do, and how they are changing the way we live and understand the world. As an educational institution committed to advancing its mission through exceptional learning experiences and meaningful guest engagement, Discovery Place values experiences that inspire curiosity, foster connection, and empower people to think critically and create confidently. The Specialist will collaborate within the Science and Nature Division and across Early Learning, Youth Development, Exhibits, Research and Evaluation and other teams to create meaningful technology experiences throughout the Discovery Place network.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a technology, STEM, engineering, science education, or related field; master’s degree preferred.
Demonstrated knowledge of one or more technology domains and the ability to learn and work across multiple technology areas.
Experience developing or delivering technology, STEM, maker, engineering, or informal learning experiences.
Demonstrated ability to explain complex technological concepts to nontechnical audiences.
Knowledge of coding platforms, digital tools, fabrication technologies, computing hardware, and safe operation of maker equipment.
Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and interpersonal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a science museum, technology museum, natural history museum, informal learning environment, or related setting.
Experience communicating science, technology engineering to public audiences.
Experience with platforms such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi, LEGO SPIKE, microcontrollers, sensors, electronics, 3D printing, digital fabrication, or comparable technologies.
North Carolina teaching certificate or equivalent.
Bilingual ability

Responsibilities

Serve as subject-matter expert and internal resource on emerging and applied technologies.
Research, synthesize, and translate current developments in technology for use in exhibits, programs, digital content, demonstrations, and public experiences for audiences from early learners to adults.
Identify technologies with strong potential for science learning, visitor engagement, and interdisciplinary exploration.
Develop content that helps visitors understand how technologies work, why they matter, and how they are changing science and society.
Incorporate authentic examples of technologies used in scientific research, medicine, environmental science, engineering, space science, biology, or other fields.
Help visitors understand both the capabilities and limitations of emerging technologies.
Create content that moves beyond passive demonstrations toward active exploration and discovery.
Develop experiences that allow visitors to act as inventors, engineers, scientists, designers, programmers, and/or technology innovators.
Develop and teach experiences for audiences from Pre-K through adult learners, including camps, classes, workshops, demonstrations, museum-floor experiences, special events, and fee-based programs.
Adapt teaching strategies for different ages, backgrounds, interests, and levels of technical expertise.
Support after-hours programs, adult learning, special events, and other public-facing opportunities, as needed.
Explore and prototype emerging technologies for potential applications in Discovery Place experiences.
Contribute technology expertise to the development, renovation, refresh, and evaluation of exhibits across Discovery Place by collaborating with designers and fabricators from Exhibits team.
Identify opportunities to replace static interpretation with experiences that allow visitors to interact with, experiment with, and questions technology.
Work closely with the Content and Experience, Early Learning, Exhibit, Research and Evaluation, Youth Development, and other teams toward shared goals.
Mentor colleagues and volunteers on safe, effective facilitation, tool use, and creative engagement strategies.
Collaborate with schools, community organizations, STEM partners, and technology educators to extend the reach and relevance of programming.
Support the creation of contracted projects, including curriculum or learning materials for schools, museums, and educational media partners.
Understand and communicate the connection between Discovery Place’s mission, visitor experience, and financial sustainability.
Develop programs and experiences that simultaneously advance learning, engagement, participation, and earned revenue goals.
Identify opportunities for innovative technology experiences that support Discovery Place’s long-term sustainability.
Contribute to a culture of innovation, experimentation, accountability, and operational excellence.
Serve as an internal resource and advocate for thoughtful incorporation of technology in storytelling, exhibit design, programming, and visitor experience.