Met Museum Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

POSITION SUMMARY

Bay Area Discovery Museum is seeking a Lead Educator (Bilingual) to join our School and Community Programs team! This dynamic role catalyzes play-based learning programs, experiences, and environments, both onsite at the museum and in school and community settings. Lead Educators play a leadership role in guiding and igniting playful learning across the museum, with a focus on school and community programs. On a limited basis, this role will also support exhibits and festivals, camps and general visitor experiences at the museum.

Lead Educators bring a commitment to inspiring and guiding playful learning that supports young children and their families to grow and thrive. They provide an exceptional and memorable experience for all children, teachers, and caregivers who visit the museum or participate in our programs in school and community settings. The position requires a passion for, and experience in, children’s education, a highly motivated and outgoing attitude, and exceptional interpersonal communication and customer service skills.

This is a full-time position, working onsite at our gorgeous 7.5-acre campus in Sausalito, CA. 80%+ of the work time is spent in a public-facing capacity, with opportunities to occasionally work remotely. This position pays a rate of $28.24/hour, working a Monday – Friday schedule.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Facilitating Playful Learning and Engagement

1. Leads the facilitation of onsite and offsite school and community programs including motivating and guiding playful learning; ensuring learning outcomes are met; activating teacher and parent engagement in program, as appropriate; coordinating and collaborating with teachers and other group leaders; modeling best practices in early childhood playful learning; adapting program plans to meet specific needs and contexts; directing other educators supporting facilitation; and participating in program evaluation and documentation

1. Assists with the activation of exhibits to create memorable and meaningful learning experiences for families with young children when supporting the Museum experience team. Leads the facilitation of special drop-in onsite programs such as festivals, as necessary.

1. Participates in the development of, and delivers, special seasonal and year-round programs, such as summer camp workshops.

1. Facilitates programs in Spanish, including translation of materials and communication

Customer Service

1. Ensures every visitor and program participant has an enjoyable experience, and feels welcome and taken care of, by providing exceptional customer service and communications centered in empathy, inclusion, and flexibility.

1. Adheres to, communicates, and enforces museum policies and protocols around visitor safety and behavior.

Program Support and Administration

1. Supports programs with setup, cleanup/breakdown, and classroom materials management.

1. Participates in program ideation, prototyping, planning and evaluation, as required.

1. Participates in regular training sessions and conducts program training for other educator staff through shadowing, co-teaching, and other means.

1. Supports program administration and documentation with tasks such as tracking passes, data collection and entry, distribution of museum collateral, and organization of program supplies.

1. Anticipates and problem solves day-of scheduling and other challenges, as appropriate.

1. Drives the Try it Truck vehicles, the museum’s mobile engineering labs.

1. Works in partnership with other educators and the Facilities team, ensures that indoor and outdoor spaces are set up and maintained to be appealing, clean, and safe for all participants; the museum is closed and opened in a complete and timely manner; identifies and communicates material needs and exhibit/equipment repairs. Additional duties as assigned.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• 3+ years of experience working with children ages 0-8 years in formal or informal educational settings. Experience in education, arts education, early childhood education, museum studies, or relevant field preferred.
• Understanding of early childhood development, pedagogy, and developmentally appropriate practice is preferred.
• Bilingual (English & Spanish) required.
• Professional commitment to Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion; thoughtful and open about the role of a workplace and a cultural institution in creating a sense of welcome and belonging for staff and visitors.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and troubleshoot in a fast-paced work environment.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, dependability, flexibility, and an outgoing and friendly personality.
• Comfort speaking in front of large and small groups.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license, have and maintain a clear Motor Vehicle Record, carry current personal automobile insurance, and have reliable access to a vehicle, as local travel is required for this position.

WHAT WE OFFER

BENEFITS 

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision for employee only premiums 
• Life and long-term disability insurance 
• Paid time off starting at 3 weeks, on an accrual basis.  
• 10 days of sick leave (Five frontloaded, and the other five accrued throughout the year) 
• Eight (8) paid holidays and three (3) floating holidays. 
• Paid parental leave  
• Discounts at museum café and store, and on museum programs 
• All staff celebrations 
• Reciprocal admission benefits at other museums 
• Professional development training 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• Ability to perform physical activities such as bending, kneeling, walking, and picking up items for 2-3 hours at a time.  
• Ability to stand for up to 8 hours and carry up to 50 lbs. for short distances/periods.  
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varying types of weather. 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT   

This role is primarily based in an indoor office environment with standard office equipment and technology.  May work in remote locations, both indoors and outdoors, including travel in a vehicle to and from remote sites. May be exposed to varying types of weather when traveling to and from remote sites.  

The specific statements shown in each section of this job description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to perform the job successfully. The Bay Area Discovery Museum reserves the right to modify and expand job responsibilities and duties over time. 

ABOUT US

At the Bay Area Discovery Museum, we believe that providing children with the high-quality early learning experiences they need to be successful is the best investment we can make as a society.   

Whether at the museum, online, or in the community, we provide experiences that spark children’s natural curiosity for the world around them, while building their creative problem-solving skills and STEM content knowledge. Both on-site and off-site, we facilitate research-backed learning experiences that are fun and engaging for children and families. At our one-of-a-kind location at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, this includes hands-on exhibits, rich STEM and art programming, an on-site preschool, and camps and classes. Off-site, our museum educators bring hands-on STEM programming to students and families at schools and libraries in all nine Bay Area counties.   

We believe that these research-backed on-site and off-site experiences should be made available to all children and families and offer a variety of access initiatives toward this goal. We are currently working our way back up to our pre-pandemic numbers:  

• 350,000 visitors each year, including nearly 80,000 with free or reduced admission    
• 10,000 member families    
• 33,000 children through our school and community programs    
• 587 schools and 215 libraries through all nine Bay Area counties    

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is committed to being welcoming and inclusive. We are continuously working toward the goal of reflecting the diversity of the Bay Area both within our organization and with those we serve.  

NOTE TO CANDIDATE

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. We encourage those from all backgrounds to apply to allow us to build the most inclusive and creative team possible.   

Please do not remove yourself from contention before you even apply. Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. If much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply. 

Due to the sensitivity and requirements of our positions, you should expect to undergo and be cleared of an employment background/criminal check if extended an offer for employment. You may also be asked to provide proof of educational degree(s), licenses, credentials, or vaccinations pertinent to the position.