Director, Education: Student, School & Youth Programs

About the Opportunity:
Reporting to the Chief of Education and Roberts-Wilson Dean of Education, the Director of Education is responsible for catalyzing and executing on the established vision of the Education Division to increase equitable access to high quality science and action-oriented sustainability learning to youth and schools within the Bay Area and beyond. 

This position will spearhead the development, implementation, and evaluation of engaging educational programs for children and youth with the overarching goal of promoting a lifelong passion for and appreciation of science. 

This is a key role to the Education Division of the Academy that requires a relationship-based approach and close internal alignment with museum staff as well as collaboration with the external ecosystem of educators, administrative leadership, and community partners in order to create hands-on learning experiences that spark students’ curiosity and foster critical thinking. 

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in K-12 science education, program management, and a passion for making science education accessible to all.

Organizational Culture:
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy has a new strategic plan including three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are intrinsic to Academy culture and operations, from recruitment and retention to science and advocacy.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. 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 one of the qualifications for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least 2-3 times per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs. Please do not apply if you are not able to work onsite. Candidates are required to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, absent qualifying exemptions in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals receiving a conditional offer of employment from the California Academy of Sciences will be provided the full text of the vaccination policy. The California Academy of Sciences is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace, to protect its employees, volunteers and guests.

About the Education Team:
The Education Division is a key catalyzer of the Academy’s work. Comprising two departments, the Education Division serves as a bridge between the wide range of audiences that the academy reaches and the impactful work done through science and collaboration. The Director of Education oversees the department of student, youth, and school engagement, consisting of 3 teams that develop and provide teacher professional development programs, onsite lab and classroom programs for school groups, self-guided field trips, family nights, distance learning programs, K-12 online learning resources, the Rock Fund Program K-5 endowed initiative, and out of school programs with youth and families. This position also directs the expansion and maintenance of the Educators section of the Academy website, including the online resources section, overseeing the curation and global marketing of online videos, lesson plans, and interactives via regular email marketing, paid advertising, and public-facing email accounts.

The Director supervises a team of approximately 20 people, including managers of signature programs, program staff, paid interns, fellows, and non-paid seasonal volunteers that support programming. The Director also has direct creative responsibility for collaborating with the Viz Studio and others to create online resources for educators for global distribution. The Director also supervises special projects on behalf of the Public Engagement and Education Division, related to Academy-wide operations, ticketing and point of sale systems, the website, and reporting systems as these interface with field trip and student program registration. This position entails direct collaboration with the other Education Division Director and the Chief of Education to develop divisional strategies, priorities, and synergies.  

Key Responsibilities:

Program Development, Engagement, and Curriculum Design

• • Design, implement and evaluate engaging educational programs and age-appropriate curriculum materials that align with science standards and incorporate the museum’s exhibits and resources for youth audiences in support of educators, families, and school communities. 
  • These programs include, but are not limited to the following:
    • Teacher and administrator professional development
    • Online lab and classroom programs for school groups
    • Self-guided field trips
    • Family nights
    • Distance learning programs
    • K-12 learning resources
    • The Rock Fund Program K-5 endowed initiative
    • Out of school programs for youth and families
  • Promote youth education initiatives through community engagement, marketing efforts, and presentations to stakeholders
  • Work with cross-functional marketing and communication partners as needed in tasks related to promoting programs and content, including those for the Academy’s field trips, online resources and content to be provided to teams in the Guest Experience Division
  • Supervise special projects on behalf of the Public Engagement and Education Division, related to Academy-wide operations, ticketing and point of sale systems, the website, and reporting systems as these interface with field trip and student program registration

Content Creation and Digital Learning Management

• • Direct the expansion and oversee maintenance of the Educators section of the Academy website (www.calacademy.org/educators), including the online resources section, overseeing the curation and global marketing of online videos, lesson plans, and interactives via regular email marketing, paid advertising, and public-facing email accounts
  • Collaborate with the Academy’s Creative Studio and others to direct and distribute online resources for educators around the world

Collaboration

• • Enable explicit and effective synergies with the teams within the Teacher, Youth, and Student Engagement (TYSE) business unit to ensure that the resources of all teams are leveraged across in-school and out-of-school settings
  • Increase efficiency and ensure alignment with the Academy’s vision through development, delivery, evaluation, and refinement of programs, curricula, and instructional materials used in various in-person venues and offered online to support students, schools, teacher and youth engagement and learning in the areas of science and action-oriented and solution-centered sustainability education
  • Build and maintain partnerships with local schools, educators, and community organizations to enhance educational outreach and program participation

People Leadership

• • Lead, mentor, and support a team of approximately 20 people, including managers of signature programs, program staff, paid interns, fellows, and non-paid seasonal volunteers that support programming
  • Create and foster a service-oriented culture of continuous learning, collaboration, kindness and empathy for diverse educational needs and experiences 

Budget Management 

• • Oversee the youth education budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources to maximize program impact and reach
  • Manage and supervise portfolio’s staff and budgets while providing regular budget reports to the Chief of Education
  • Collaborate with the Chief of Education and the Chief of Philanthropy for fundraising and grant stewardship for programs within the Teacher and Student Engagement department

Assessment and Evaluation

• • Develop assessment tools to measure program effectiveness and impact, using data to inform continuous improvement and programmatic designs
  • Follow all CAS safety regulations, and ensure safe laboratory practice is adhered to by Academy staff and guests alike

Outreach and Advocacy

• • Develop and sustain relationships with city agencies, school districts, county offices of education, and other for-profit or non-profit organizations, for various partnership initiatives
  • Represent the Academy’s education programs to external audiences, building and maintaining a network of others working to reform and support preK-12 learning in the Bay Area and beyond
  • Identify and grow fee-based opportunities of work with Bay Area and California school districts 
  • Guide the development of teacher professional programs and other forms of educator support that are responsive to the needs of educators, students, and communities
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for external learning researchers 
  • Increase the visibility and recognition of the Academy as a leading provider of exceptional transdisciplinary action-oriented sustainability learning

Professional Development

• • Stay current on trends in science and transformative education and museum practices, participating in relevant professional networks and conferences.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The ideal candidate will possess a combination of the following education and/or equivalent experience: 

Education

• • Bachelor’s Degree in education, with emphasis in sustainability or science education preferred
  • Advanced degree in Education, Sustainability, Environmental Justice, or other related field. Candidates with a specialization in education for sustainability will be prioritized

Experience and Skills

• • Proven ability to create best-in-class online and in-person curricular materials, including videos, lesson plans, educator guides, interactives, or related materials for educators and K-12 students
    • 5+ years classroom teaching experience and/or administrative or supervisory experience in an out-of-school time setting, or informal learning organization that emphasizes science and sustainability-focused teaching lessons and units
    • 3+ years developing and implementing professional development programs for educators, with an emphasis on science, transdisciplinary and non-standardized pedagogy
  • Strong attention to detail, organization, and effective written and verbal communication skills tailored to the unique needs of diverse audiences, including public presentation skills and effective classroom management
  • Extensive digital creation experience including familiarity with Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Adobe Design Suite, and Drupal,  
    • Experience with email marketing software and customer relationship management systems preferred
  • Strong leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to support and evangelize a compelling vision that drives alignment and delivers results for students, youth, educators, and other relevant stakeholders both internal and external to the Academy
  • Data-driven decision making and familiarity with assessment tools and techniques for educational programming evaluation
  • Familiarity with academic standards, including the Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core, and California State Content Standards, and environmental literacy and sustainability literacy standards and principles
  • A track record of work and proven performance with traditionally marginalized communities, youth, and students working under the lens of equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and justice
  • Effective communication, relationship-building, and cross-functional collaboration, with strong preference to senior management experience supporting infrastructural and cultural shifts within a complex organization 
  • Experience developing and managing complex budgets and contracts, as well as securing donor and grant funding in a not-for-profit environment
  • Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends, with some travel to site visits, donor meetings, and conferences (average of 3-4 times per year)
  • Valid CA driver’s license and clean driving record

Key Attributes

• • Passion for science, technology, and education, with a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility
  • Empathy and experience working with diverse students and communities
  • Familiarities with and patience for the complexities of school districts, charter schools, independent and religious schools serving socioeconomically and ethnically diverse student and family communities
  • Commitment to improving science education systems at the local, regional and national levels to improve public science literacy for all
  • Commitment to supporting and increasing diverse student and teacher involvement and creating opportunities at the local and national levels for local, regional, and global environmental action
  • Knowledge of and interest in trends on sustainability learning, education for sustainable development, action-oriented and solution-focused and its associated pedagogical approaches and design methods for K-12 education,  and interest in applying such innovative approaches  to the Academy’s education offerings 

Language Skills:

Ability to speak effectively before groups of teachers, students, and employees of the organization, as well as donors. Well-developed writing skills suitable for student and teacher audiences and marketing copy. Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Bilingual in Spanish, Tagalog, Mandarin or Cantonese preferred.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment 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.  

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear. Must be able to perform repetitive motions 25% of the time. Must be able to lift 40 lbs. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to move around the public floor (walking on concrete floors, climbing stairs), reach with hands and arms, talk, hear and tolerate high levels of noise.  

This is a mandated reporter designated position. Academy employees whose duties include direct contact and supervision of children are deemed mandated reporters under California Law. Mandated reporters have certain specific reporting obligations in the event that they know of, observe or reasonably suspect that a child has been the victim of child abuse or neglect. The Academy provides mandated reporters with training on their rights and obligations under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.