Fast Facts

Join the Exploratorium as an Exhibit Technician or Senior Exhibit Technician, where you'll fabricate and maintain engaging educational exhibits, contributing to a dynamic technical team.

Responsibilities: Fabricate and maintain interactive exhibits, execute high-quality construction, implement innovative building strategies, and contribute to museum operations.

Skills: Required skills include basic knowledge of wood, metal, and plastic fabrication, proficiency in Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD, and effective communication and teamwork abilities.

Qualifications: Minimum qualifications include a BA/BS degree, five years of fabrication/construction experience, and an interest in science; preferred qualifications include experience with woodworking and microcontroller programming.

Location: This is a full-time position in San Francisco, CA with no specified remote work option.

Compensation: $36 - $40 / Hourly

* We are hiring for either an Exhibit Technician or Senior Exhibit Technician depending on experience. Text in italics is specific to the Senior Exhibit Engineer position.

SUMMARY

Exhibit Technicians fabricate and maintain educational interactive exhibits. As part of the Technical group, an Exhibit Technician facilitates the construction of exhibits from initial prototypes to completed exhibits, maintains and improves existing exhibits, and provides support for the installation of temporary and regular exhibitions at the museum. The position requires both collaborative work within project teams as well as independent work with supervision. An ability to work from schematics, sketches, or verbal descriptions is required. Willingness to work within project constraints is a must. The position reports to the Exhibit Technical Group Manager, but works closely with Exhibit Developers, Exhibit Engineers, and project management. The Senior Exhibit Technician position differs from the Exhibit Technician position in its emphasis on self-direction and independent construction of high-quality exhibits.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Execution: Consistently deliver high-quality exhibit construction across a number of projects under the direction of project leadership.
Solutions/Idea Generation: Regularly implement a wide variety of practical and innovative building strategies. Work to find creative ways to integrate appropriate technologies into our current system.
Facilities/Institutional Support: Contribute to the general museum operations, including shop maintenance, exhibit maintenance, material ordering and stocking, and equipment ordering.
Flexibility: Adapt to project constraints with proactive solutions. Work comfortably and productively on a range of projects from prototypes to highly-finished, turn-key exhibits.
Judgement: Make timely exhibit construction and maintenance decisions. Show strong creative discernment and good discipline around choice of forms, materials, and processes.
Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

BA/BS degree or equivalent combination of education and experience, preferably in engineering or design.
Basic shop knowledge: wood, metal, and plastic fabrication; prototyping and fabrication of exhibits using appropriate production methods; follow safety standards.
Ability to effectively communicate ideas and concepts through hand sketching, basic drawing skills preferred.
Experience with Autodesk Inventor plus working knowledge of AutoCAD, wiki-based platforms, MS Word & Excel preferred.
Ability to collaborate as part of an effective team.
Comfortable taking direction and mentoring from senior shop staff, senior engineers, and project leadership.
Sense of value and efficiency as expressed in effectiveness of solutions, use of materials, and personal time management.
Ability to adhere to budgets and timelines for individual exhibits and projects, and to proactively communicate
expected variances.
Interest in science and teaching a plus.
Minimum five years’ prior fabrication/assembly/construction experience – preferably of exhibits or experiential marketing type products.
Ability to effectively communicate ideas and concepts through hand sketching, advanced drawing skills preferred.
Talent for collaboration and effective teamwork, and demonstrated ability to work with people at all levels of an organization.
Ability to work on multiple projects and problems simultaneously with minimal supervision.
Excellent sense of value and efficiency as expressed in effectiveness of solutions, use of materials, and personal time management.
Ability to adhere to budgets and timelines for individual exhibits and projects, and to proactively communicate expected variances.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience with fabrication/assembly/construction of wooden exhibit components or wood furnishings/cabinetry; working knowledge of production woodworking

-and/or-

Experience with software/microcontroller programming; basic coding skill in Processing and Arduino or related code base; basic physical computing and circuitry skills

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT

Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds short distances. Able to move from place to place; bend, stretch, grasp, reach, kneel and twist.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

This position is open until filled

HOW TO APPLY

This is a temporary (6/9/25 - 9/5/25), full-time (37.5 hours per week), non-exempt union position that includes benefits. The starting rate for this role is $36.56 (Senior role $40.13). This rate represents step1 of a 6 step union pay scale. Please, no phone calls in regards to this job. To apply, please visit the Exploratorium job page.

The Exploratorium is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity, inclusion and respect. We welcome and strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Exploratorium

Piers 15/17, San Francisco, CA 94111

Website: https://www.exploratorium.edu/about/jobs. No phone calls, please

The Exploratorium is committed to a diverse workforce.

Exhibit Construction EdTech Jobs

Exhibit Technician/Senior Exhibit Technician