Educator I

About the California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, research center, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.

Our extensive collections span plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history. We are a diverse team of leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who work collaboratively to advance knowledge and inspire action through science and storytelling.

When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. Whether you're working behind the scenes in research or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.

About the Opportunity

This position is designed as the starting point of a career pathway to working in education. This position is focused on teaching techniques, ability to communicate with students of varying ages and backgrounds, behind-the-scenes organization and assisting in education-related projects. Reporting to the Student Education Manager, the position is primarily responsible for the facilitation of multilingual (preferred), culturally relevant, and inclusive programming for students as part of our educational offerings. Working hours are typically scheduled Monday -Thursday between 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM, onsite. Occasional evening events will be required.

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 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 qualification 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. 

About the School Programs Team

The goal of School Programs is to support schools with science education in a way that science and nature are relevant to students’ lives. The Educator works primarily with two programs: (1) the Rock Fund Program that provides equitable access for all San Francisco Elementary Schools, and includes teaching at the museum and in local parks; (2) the Distance Learning Program, which creates opportunities for students in California and beyond, who wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit a zoo, museum, or aquarium to engage in learning about the natural world via interactive video conferencing. 

Key Responsibilities

Position Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitate science lessons in English and/or Spanish or English and Cantonese for classes of students, both at the museum and online
• Utilize culturally relevant and responsive practices in program facilitation
• Communicate with teachers, students and chaperones, as appropriate
• Support Senior Educators and Specialists with the research, design, and revision of educational programming for grades K-8 as needed
• Prepare and maintain supplies, educational materials, classrooms, and work spaces
• Help organize and refine digital assets, such as images, slides, and video
• Assist in the behind-the-scenes organization of outreach efforts
• Participate in staff meetings, and professional learning
• Contribute to administrative work as needed
• Follow all Academy safety regulations
• Other Divisional duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• At least one year of experience in informal education or a formal classroom
• Background in natural history and/or life sciences
• Spanish or Cantonese bilingual preferred
• Experience working with English Learners preferred
• Passion for the Academy’s mission, with an interest in nature and science
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion
• Ability to manage time and follow through on commitments
• Ability to perform library and web research of accurate science content
• Attention to detail; organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Proficiency with Google Suite

Physical Environment:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. While performing the duties, the Fellow is frequently required to move around the museum and Golden Gate Park, be at a workstation, use a computer, and communicate on the phone, in person, and online meetings/calls. Ability to perform repetitive motions 20% of the time.

Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $27.64-$28.76. Actual compensation will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualifications and experience, including skills, knowledge, relevant education, certifications and aligned with the internal peer group. We believe in fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to providing competitive salaries within the industry and market standards. The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits based on the hours per week worked. Further details regarding compensation and benefits will be discussed during the interview process.

Schedule: Part-Time, 25 hours per week

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and application through our Careers Page portal.

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).