On-Call Gallery Technician
About The Position
The Gallery Technician is a member of the Exploratorium Exhibits Department and helps maintain a safe, compliant, clean, and engaging gallery environment for visitors. The role places exhibits according to prescribed plans, adjusts lighting, routes extension cords, responds to Jira tickets, and conducts daily museum walks to identify and address safety, egress, floorplan, and cleanliness issues. The Gallery Technician provides logistics and installation support for temporary exhibitions, art installations, rental events, and public programming, and supports Maintenance and Refurbishment through routine preventative maintenance, including exhibit cleaning and filter changes. The role safely transports exhibits between the shop, storage, and galleries to meet project and event deadlines. Bespoke maintenance and structural repairs are handled by specialized staff. The position reports to the Director of Exhibit Production.
Requirements
- Two years of experience in a museum, gallery, or similar environment.
- Basic skills in one or more of the following: electrical work, lighting, or exhibit care.
- Basic ability to read floorplans.
- Basic computer skills, including email, Google Workspace, and Jira for task management; Jira training is provided.
- Willingness to obtain and maintain OSHA-10 General Industry and First Aid & CPR certifications.
- Ability to be self-motivated and collaborate as part of an effective team.
- Ability to carefully follow oral and written instructions.
- Comfort taking direction and mentoring from multiple stakeholders and project leadership.
- Ability to move from place to place; twist, bend, stretch, kneel, reach, grasp, and climb a ladder.
- Ability to use a computer terminal and general office equipment and lift and carry up to 50 pounds short distances.
- Ability to work onsite in San Francisco according to department requirements.
Nice To Haves
- Shop experience.
- Some knowledge of fabrication.
Responsibilities
- Move exhibits and furniture for temporary exhibitions, daytime programming, evening events, and Maintenance and Refurbishment projects; pack, tag, and prepare exhibits and components; and guide staff during larger moves.
- Conduct daily inspections of public museum areas for safety concerns, floorplan compliance, exhibit lighting and tidiness, and cleanliness; document findings and remedy issues or create tickets for the appropriate teams.
- Provide first-level ownership of changes to exhibit lighting and power; hang, aim, and remove fixtures on existing tracks or in accessible areas.
- Inspect and perform basic maintenance on floor furniture and fixtures; deploy barricades; coordinate with the plant vendor and track plant locations; and install, move, and remove signage.
- Perform preventative exhibit maintenance, including filter changes and cleaning; inspect, clean, and make minor repairs to the Tactile Dome.
- Assist with emergent needs, such as bio spills, flooding, and building evacuations, and conduct additional walks on high-attendance days.
- Report and follow up on safety hazards; serve as a certified first-aid responder and emergency Tactile Dome backup; and respond to radio safety calls using radio protocol.
- Complete an assigned shop job, which may rotate or change over time.
- Record information accurately and promptly in timecards, Jira, and Filemaker tickets; contribute to the knowledge base; and attend required meetings and trainings.
- Work evening and weekend shifts and maintain a flexible schedule.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
