Experience Developer- Occasional

The Experience Developer is responsible for translating STEM concepts, evidence, and processes into exciting, engaging, and relevant visitor experiences that are physically, emotionally, and intellectually accessible to the broad range of SMM visitors. They work closely with project teams, managers, internal and external project partners, advisors and clients. As highly experienced industry professionals, Senior Experience Developers provide direction, inspiration, and creativity in identifying exhibition goals, messages, and visitor experiences and provide development leadership through all project phases to ensure stated project goals are met effectively, efficiently, and to established museum standards. Experience Developers lead and mentor junior developers, lead selected projects, and work with the Manager of Experience Development to manage department resources and processes.

The Science Museum of Minnesota is seeking a qualified Experience Developer to join our Exhibits team as an occasional employee. "Occasional" in this context means working variable hours based on current project workloads, typically between 15-30 hours weekly, with the possibility of more or fewer hours in any given pay period. This person will typically be assigned to one or more projects, but since our project workload changes throughout the year, there is a chance that gaps in work may occur. This occasional Experience Developer role offers an opportunity to be an official member of SMM's Experience Development team while maintaining the ability to decline hours based on your own schedule or external commitments.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Exhibit Development and Onsite & Online Program Creation

1. Serve as lead developer for exhibit and experience projects, establishing overall development and content direction. Articulate in writing the vision, goals and methods for specific visitor experiences, and related clusters of experience, determining appropriate mix, pacing, and layering, and providing team members and others with a clear direction as to their desired contributions.
2. In coordination with Project Leaders, organize and lead project team meetings both with internal teams and external clients. In the absence of a Project Leader, serve as the primary point of contact with external clients related to active project work.
3. In collaboration with Project Leaders and Museum Experience Directors, assist in the creation of development project budgets, establishing timelines and staffing assignments to achieve exemplary work while remaining within budget. Monitor ongoing project budgets and advise on necessary adjustments to remain within budget.
4. Foster and maintain positive professional relationships with external clients, providing exemplary customer service and attention to detail to bring client’s projects from concept phase through finished product.
5. Generate ideas for authentic, fun, dramatic physical and digital experiences, accessed on site or online, that enable visitors to discover science and connections to their own lives.
6. Conduct project relevant research into content, content experts, similar experiences, images, and media, etc.
7. Write, edit, and proofread text for display graphics, digital experiences, and programs to ensure that written and spoken words communicate clearly, concisely, and personally to visitors and in accord with SMM’s internal style guidelines or that of clients.
8. Coordinate with translators/versioners to assure bilingual materials accurately reflect the content and note of the English.
9. Proofread copy as needed for exhibits, online experiences, and other projects in development.
10. Lead visitor testing and demonstrations of exhibit prototypes on SMM’s museum floor to ensure exhibits are safe, engaging, and provide intended learning outcomes. Recruit SMM visitors to participate in prototype testing. Offer ideas for improvements and modifications to meet these needs while remaining within project goals.
11. As requested, work with Project Managers and other museum personnel on grant proposals, exhibit prospectuses, fundraising and promotional materials in support of the museum and its programs.
12. Be a resource for other Experience Developers in working through conceptual, physical or usability issues in exhibit projects under development and identifying and testing potential solutions.
13. As assigned, manage projects from conception to completion, with tasks including but not limited to:

• Budget creation and oversight
• Work assignments and scheduling to more junior staff and interns
• Coordination with managers of other museum teams to provide project staffing
• Leading meetings and conversations with internal and external stakeholders
• Document and track progress using existing development tools and structures.
• Serve as a mentor and guide for other museum staff members engaged in career advancement opportunities as it relates to Experience Development tasks.

Team collaboration

• Collaborate with project team members, work groups, advisors, contractors, and potential visitors to ensure that the form given to exhibit and online experiences meet the project's vision, goals and deadlines.
1. Support the Project Manager in developing and articulating overall vision and goals that guide the project team in decision-making and in communicating with stakeholders and clients.
2. Monitor exhibit development phases and work schedule and take ownership to ensure the project will accomplish its goals and be completed on time.
3. Collaborate with project team members, work groups, contractors, and potential visitors to ensure that the form given to exhibit and online experience meet the project's goals and vision.
4. Coordinate with Experience Design and Fabrication staff, and contractors on iterative prototyping activities.
5. Work with museum visitors on the exhibit floor, observing, conversing and posing questions about exhibits under development.
6. Work with Evaluation staff to conduct formal and informal audience research to ensure that exhibits are accessible, engaging, relevant, and exceed visitors' expectations.
7. Work with science program directors and content experts to ensure that the information being presented is accurate.
8. Reach out to other organizations, communities, and individuals to identify issues and to ensure multiple perspectives are considered. Understand and prioritize work, with that of team members, work groups, advisors, and contractors.
9. Provide administrative support for team functions, as necessary.

Administration

1. Maintain team and project digital assets and archival information.
2. Be fluent in the Google Workspace, and other relevant project management tools (e.g. Jira)
3. Work with Museum Experience Department Leaders to establish and monitor Design and Development Team and project budgets.
4. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Competencies

1. Communication: Expresses oneself clearly in conversations and interactions with others and ensures that information is shared with others who should be informed.

2. Collaboration: Develops, maintains, and strengthens partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.

3. Customer Service: Demonstrates an understanding of the SMM mission by ensuring that their own interactions with internal and external customers consistently support the mission.

4. Fostering an Inclusive Community: Contributes to a museum environment, and people, that reflect and respond to the diverse needs and cultures of our community (internal and external).

5. Results Orientation: Focuses on providing a best in class visitor experience through work outcomes by meeting personal and organizational work objectives.

Experience:

• 3-5 years relevant experience in a team-based environment developing products or experiences for museum audiences.
• 3-5 years direct experience and understanding of museum environments and operations including working closely with collections, conservation, and curatorial staff.
• 3-5 years of demonstrated creativity and problem solving skills in translating concepts and ideas into relevant content.
• 3-5 years experience and demonstrated skill in producing creative and effective interpretive and instructional copy, editing, and proofreading.
• Demonstrated experience leading meetings and conversations with internal and external clients and stakeholders, providing exemplary customer service to achieve project goals.
• Demonstrated experience creating, managing, and overseeing budgets.
• Demonstrated experience assigning work tasks and coordinating the work of others.
• Proficiency with office suite software, familiarity with Adobe creative suite and database structures.
• Curiosity towards the scientific endeavor desired.
• Knowledge and/or experience with User Interface (UI) and UX (user experience) design principles desired.
• Knowledge and/or experience with project or product development principles desired.
• Experience and proficiency in Spanish, Hmong, or Somali language desired.

The starting hourly range for this position is: $31.25 - $35.96