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About the Role

The Associate Director of Experience Strategy shapes the overall vision, narrative design, and comprehensive visitor journey at the California Academy of Sciences. This role develops new approaches to visitor engagement that blend storytelling, design, imagination, and science, creating cohesive, emotionally resonant, and relevant experiences that advance the Academy’s mission.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage staff responsible for experience strategy, visitor journey design, and audience experience insights.
Partner closely with the Senior Director of Experience to define the conceptual direction and storytelling strategy for the Experience Studio.
Establish frameworks and processes for narrative development, concept creation, and visitor insight integration across projects.
Collaborate with Associate Directors of Experience Design and Experience Production to ensure strong alignment between narrative vision, creative design, and project realization.
Foster a culture of experimentation, research, and audience-centered thinking within the Experience Studio.
Oversee relationships with external consultants as required.
Lead the development of new experience concepts, story worlds, and holistic visitor journeys.
Define the narrative architecture and conceptual frameworks that guide immersive exhibitions and visitor experiences.
Collaborate with the Web Product Manager to ensure that the overall Academy visitor journey is personalized, clear, and cohesive.
Develop storyboards, and conceptual documentation that support design and production teams.
Develop strategies that integrate storytelling with spatial design, interactive media, and visitor participation.
Ensure continuity within and across experiences so that the Academy’s exhibitions tell a cohesive story about science and the natural world.
Lead audience research that reveals how visitors move through, engage with, and respond to new experience formats.
Establish frameworks for assessing the strength of the visitor journey, including engagement, emotional impact, relevance, and memorability.
Translate visitor behavior and feedback into strategic direction for experience concepts, narrative design, and iterative development.
Partner with institutional research teams to connect experience-level insights with broader audience priorities.
Use research to identify emerging visitor needs, test new approaches, and shape the future direction of the Experience Studio portfolio.
Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

8–10+ years of experience developing narrative-driven experiences in experiential/immersive design, themed entertainment, museums, media production, or related industries.
Demonstrated experience shaping the conceptual and storytelling frameworks of complex immersive and tech-forward public experiences.
Experience working with multidisciplinary teams including designers, producers, technologists, scientists, and educators.
Ability to transport up to 30 lbs.
Ability to stand, walk exhibit floors, observe visitor interactions, and participate in on-site evaluations as needed.
Frequent use of computers and participation in both in-person and virtual meetings.
Regular on-site presence for visitor research activities, collaborative workshops, and project development sessions.

Skills

Demonstrated track record of concepting and developing narrative storylines for new immersive experiences, connecting them to spatial, digital, and interactive components.
Ability to translate complex scientific or educational topics into compelling immersive and interactive experiences.
Knowledge of audience insight methodologies used to understand immersive and emerging technology experiences.
Strong conceptual thinking and ability to develop original experience ideas and story worlds.
Strong communication and presentation skills; ability to articulate narrative concepts to leadership and creative teams.
Experience working with multidisciplinary creative teams in collaborative development processes.
Familiarity with collaborative tools and software such as Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and digital collaboration platforms.

Location

San Francisco, California

Work Type

Full-Time
3 days per week on site

Experience Level

8-10+ years

Education Level

Bachelor’s degree in visual and interactive storytelling, experience design, communications, media studies, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.

Salary/Compensations

$140,000 - $150,000

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits based on hours per week worked.

About the Company

Founded in 1853, the California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned, AZA-accredited non-profit scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, rainforest, research institute, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.
Our living collection reflects Earth’s vast biodiversity, consisting of nearly 60,000 animals representing over 800 species.
Our research collections are the largest west of the Mississippi, spanning nearly 46 million plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history.
Our diverse team includes leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who are passionate about advancing knowledge and catalyzing action through science and storytelling.
Whether you're conducting research behind the scenes or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.
When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation, and celebrates its accomplishments together.
Staff share a commitment to executing a new strategic plan that will strengthen the organization's financial foundations, cultivate a vibrant internal culture, and foster smart growth to secure the Academy’s future.
We hope you are inspired by what we do and are motivated to contribute to our mission.
The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences.
We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every qualification for the position.

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).