Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.

Target Resume Now

Tailor your resume to this Director of Guest Education role.

Rezi rewrites your resume against California Academy of Sciences's job description. Free.

Resume score gauge reading 58 out of 100

Don't guess if your resume is good enough.

See how it scores against the Director of Guest Education posting at California Academy of Sciences — free, in seconds.

About the Role

The Director of Guest Education is responsible for the strategy, conceptualization, implementation, and assessment of all staff-led programs and educational presentations offered to Academy guests. This role collaborates with various divisions to meet visitor satisfaction, entertainment, and educational value goals. As a member of the Academy Leadership Team, this individual will participate in strategic-level decision making and represent the Academy externally.

Responsibilities

Devise, articulate, and implement an innovative strategy and vision for 21st century museum-based learning experiences.
Expand the Academy’s portfolio of guest programs by providing project and staff management, resources, structures, and expert guidance.
Research, evaluate, and propose new media, technologies, formats, tools, and modalities for learning experiences.
Partner enterprise-wide with internal stakeholders to set and meet guest experience goals, educational impact metrics, and support daily attendance projections.
Collaborate with leadership to integrate the Academy’s scientific work into programming for guests.
Enhance the quality and modalities of authentic, transformative learning experiences for guests.
Leverage AI as a support tool for developing educational programs and for science learning.
Apply emerging immersive learning and engagement technologies for cutting-edge programming.
Inspire, direct, lead, mentor, and manage a team of 20-25 public programs staff.
Collaborate cross-divisionally to develop engaging and evolving fee-based programming.
Allocate and manage the budget for the department.
Collaborate with Membership and Marketing and Communications to develop and market program offerings to generate revenue.
Develop strong external strategic program partnerships to lift the Academy’s profile and impact.
Develop and maintain external partnerships with organizations and donors.
Implement success metrics and evaluation tools to assess program alignment and measure learning goals.
Develop and direct the implementation of data collection tools for impact metrics specific to guest satisfaction.
Identify and materialize opportunities for growth for the department’s staff.
Partner with Experience Studio on the development of offerings and with the Director of Activations to bring offerings to life.
Act as a thought partner with the Senior Director of Experience on strategy level decisions regarding guest experiences.
Follow all Academy safety regulations and complete all People and Culture (PACT) assigned trainings.
Support the Academy’s mission, vision and Academy-wide initiatives.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

BA/BS preferably in science and/or environmental education, and 14+ years’ experience.
MA/MS in science, science communication, informal education, museum education with 12+ years’ experience or PhD and 8+ years’ experience.
Minimum of 7-10 years experience in designing and delivering informal science and action-focused education.
Minimum of 2 years’ working experience in programs that deliver informal science education with transformative education.
Combined minimum of 7-10 years’ supervisory, leadership experience over teams of informal educators and public-facing staff and volunteers at a zoo or aquarium (AZA accredited institution) or at a science center or museum.
5+ years’ managing volunteers and/or volunteer programming.
3-5 years’ experience in securing funding for public programming through grant writing and/or donor solicitations.
3-5 years’ experience in developing and cultivating multi-organizational partnerships focused on family or general public science or environmental learning.
1-2 years of special event and/or festival programming experience desired.

Skills

Expert in developing innovative and engaging science content and solutionary-based learning experiences.
Passionate and skillful conceptualization and design of programs that integrate complex science translated into accessible content.
Excellent leadership skills and commitment to positive team dynamics.
Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating exciting in-person programs.
Ability to review content for scientific accuracy and rigor.
Outstanding budget management skills.
Ample knowledge of, and demonstrated implementation of, progressive science interpretation, science communication, and solutionary-design approaches.
Excellent communication skills: employs tact and diplomacy.
Demonstrated commitment to safety, specifically in regards to working with youth and volunteers.
Ability to develop, operationalize, and implement program strategy.
Nimble problem solving skills.
Excellent organizational, detail and time-management skills.
Impeccable writing skills and significant experience with grant writing and donor report writing.
High computer proficiency in Google Suite, MS Office, Adobe Acrobat.
Ability to creatively contribute ideas to developing immersive, interactive, cutting-edge experiences.
General working knowledge of and experience using generative AI tools like Claude, ChatGPT, Lovable, Gamma, Figma.

Location

San Francisco, California

Work Type

Full-Time
Onsite

Experience Level

14+ years experience (BA/BS)
12+ years experience (MA/MS)
8+ years experience (PhD)
7-10 years experience in designing and delivering informal science and action-focused education
2+ years experience in programs delivering informal science education with transformative education
7-10 years supervisory/leadership experience
5+ years managing volunteers
3-5 years experience securing funding
3-5 years experience developing partnerships
1-2 years special event/festival programming experience

Education Level

BA/BS
MA/MS
PhD

Salary/Compensations

$130,000.00 - $150,000.00

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits based on hours per week worked.

About the Company

The California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned scientific and cultural institution located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, research center, and natural history museum—all under one living roof.
Mission: to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.
Home to extensive collections spanning plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts.
A diverse team of leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators.
A mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation.
Work connects people to the natural world and empowers them to protect it.
Currently has a new strategic plan including three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030.

Equal Opportunity

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code, Article 49).