Fast Facts

The Exploratorium is seeking High School Explainers for a paid, part-time position that provides educational enrichment to high school students while engaging museum visitors.

Responsibilities: Engage with visitors on the museum floor, facilitate scientific demonstrations, assist with exhibit maintenance, and participate in training.

Skills: Strong communication and leadership skills, ability to work with the public, and a willingness to learn.

Qualifications: Candidates must be high school aged (15-20), able to obtain a work permit, and commit to training and a summer work schedule.

Location: San Francisco, CA, expected to work 2-3 days per week with a weekend day included during the session.

Compensation: $18 - $18 / Hourly

SUMMARY

The High School Explainer Program at the Exploratorium is a flagship youth program at the museum that offers a unique work-based educational enrichment program for high school and early college students. Explainers work on the museum floor with visitors, exploring hands-on exhibits, facilitating demonstrations, answering questions, and tending to other duties. Explainers observe and explore their own learning processes as they are introduced to broad concepts in a range of scientific disciplines. While they provide a valuable service to the Exploratorium and its visitors, Explainers cultivate their own communication and leadership skills, expand on their scientific knowledge, and learn from each other via peer mentorship. 

High School Explainers report to the managers of the program. This is a paid position at $18.93/hour. High School Explainers are expected to work 2-3 days per week.

Mandatory training for first-time High School Explainer program participants will be held on June 7, June 8, June 11, and June 12, 2025, from 12:00 pm - 5:30 pm.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Participate in up to 60 hours of training.  Topics include: working with the public, conducting informal conversations with visitors, sharing information with visitors at exhibits, gaining an understanding of informal methods of learning as they relate to science, and other activities as required.
• Monitor museum for daily operations: prepare demonstration station areas, prepare galleries, move exhibits and stools to proper locations for opening, and assist staff during emergency procedures.
• Greet and orient individual visitors and groups.
• Oversee activity on the exhibit floor.
•  Serve as a guide or facilitator to enrich the museum experience and initiate visitor engagement.
• Perform scientific demonstrations and engage visitors in the process.
• Assist visitors with special needs throughout the museum when requested.
• Monitor museum exhibits to be sure that they are in proper working order. Troubleshoot, report malfunctioning exhibits, and perform minimal exhibit maintenance as instructed.
• Handle visitors’ lost items and respond when children become separated from their parents or groups; provide assistance to reunite families and field trip groups.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Candidates must be high school aged students (including students in traditional and alternate post-high school programs – between the ages of 15 and 18 for first time Explainers, and up to the age of 20 for returning Explainers)
• Must be able to obtain a valid work permit
• Must be able to attend all basic training dates above
• Must be able to work 2-3 days per week for the entirety of the Summer session, June 16, 2025 - August 17 and 1 weekend day from August 18- September 7, 2025

APPLICATION DEADLINE

This position is open until filled

HOW TO APPLY

This is a part-time, non-exempt, temporary assignment (19-21.5 hours/week). This is a paid position at $18.93/hour. High School Explainers are expected to work one weekend day per week. This position is expected to begin on June 7, 2025, and conclude on September 7, 2025. Please, no phone calls in regards to this job. To apply, please visit the Exploratorium job page. When applying, please be ready to share your experience, your qualifications, the reasons why you are interested in the position, your contact information, and your daily availability.

If you have questions about the position please contact: hsesupervisors@exploratorium.edu or call 415-528-4898

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.