Explainers Program Assistant, IS-1016-05

Smithsonian Institution•Chantilly, VA

13d•$46,610 - $252,824•Onsite

About The Position

This position exists in the Explainers program within the Education Department of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) for the purpose of furthering the program’s mission in the area of public education and outreach to diverse local and national audiences. The incumbent is part of a team of Education staff, Explainers, Volunteers and Docents who work with museum visitors at both the Chantilly, VA Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and the National Mall Building in Washington, DC, as well as participants in NASM’s virtual learning programs. The Smithsonian Institution, Undersecretary of Science and Research, National Air and Space Museum (NASM), collects, preserves, studies, and exhibits artifacts, archival materials and works of art related to the history, culture and science of aviation and spaceflight and the study of the universe. Its research and outreach activities serve all audiences, within and beyond its walls. The Museum commemorates the past and is committed to educating and inspiring people to foster appreciation for the importance of flight to humanity. NASM is administered as one Museum with multiple locations: The National Mall building, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia and the Garber Facility in Suitland Maryland. NASM provides access to the nation’s aviation and space flight history to an average of 7-9 million on-site visitors from around the world each year, making it one of the most visited museums in the world. In addition, NASM draws tens of millions of virtual visitors to its website and broadcast, digital applications, and webcast educational programming.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university and/or 1-3 years of related experience.
Skill in working with a variety of personalities, learning styles, and age groups for extended time during the day.
Skill in oral communication sufficient to establish rapport, comfortably address visitors of all ages and abilities, and to teach in an informal setting.
Ability to talk with general audiences (up to 30 persons) about select topics in air and space history and science in an informal setting.
Ability to receive instruction and training in particular topics and presentation styles.
Ability to provide first-level response to unsafe situations/incidents.
Must be able to understand scientific principles, engineering specifications, mechanical components, and other relatable information, sufficient enough to support facilitated discussions with individuals seeking insight and understanding of collection items.
Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

Nice To Haves

Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status.

Responsibilities

Works cooperatively with the Explainers Program and Education staff & volunteers to ensure a positive visitor experience by greeting visitors; engaging visitors through conversation, inquiry and experimentation; helping to present facilitated experiences and offering assistance and encouragement at self-directed activities.
Ensures that each visitor has a safe experience, follows safety rules, and uses materials and supplies appropriately.
Works cooperatively with the Explainers Program and Education staff & volunteers to open, operate, and close Explainers programming, according to operating procedures.
Performs routine maintenance of materials and interactives, including inspecting for damaged or missing materials, replenishing supplies, keeping equipment cleaned and organized, and reporting problems or deficiencies to the Explainers Program staff.
Assists in the evaluation of programs by collaborating with Explainers Program and Education staff to develop, produce and implement effective informal and formal evaluation techniques for activities and programs, and making recommendations to staff.
Performs routine maintenance of materials and interactives, including inspecting for damaged or missing materials, replenishing supplies, keeping equipment cleaned and organized, and reporting problems or deficiencies to the Explainers Program staff.
Facilitates drop-in education programming and supports and trains the Explainers & volunteers to open, operate, and close Explainers programming, according to operating procedures.
Receives instruction and training in particular topics and presentation styles to deliver various educational resources.
Provides customer services ensuring that each visitor has a safe experience, follows safety rules, and uses materials and supplies appropriately.
Responds to incidents impacting visitors due to their presence throughout the institution providing support and guidance within the scope of their official job function.
Supports the Explainers Program and Education staff & volunteers to ensure a positive visitor experience by greeting visitors; engaging visitors through conversation, inquiry and experimentation; helping to present facilitated experiences and offering assistance and encouragement at self-directed activities.
Works with a variety of personalities, learning styles, and age groups for extended time during the day, sufficient to communicate, establish rapport, and comfortably address visitors of all ages and abilities to teach in an informal setting.
Engages and interacts with multiple visitors (up to 30 persons) about select topics within the institution in an informal setting.
Develops a practical understanding of NASM visitor spaces and exhibits and interacts with various groups of individuals to provide informal STEM education relating to the museum’s exhibits & collection.
Provides presentations regarding institutional exhibits and displays to detail their historical significance and importance within the museum’s collection.
Supports the management, preparation, and dissemination of informational resources directly related to institutional collections.
Presents collections items; providing guidance to public regarding its functionality; and overseeing interactions with collection items used by museum attendees.
Researches and analyzes items held in the collection and must be able to understand scientific principles, engineering specifications, mechanical components, and other relatable information, sufficient enough to support facilitated discussions with individuals seeking insight and understanding of collection items.