Exhibit Designer

Description:

The Exhibit Designer (ED) is a full- time, limited-duration position through June 2024 that contributes to Pacific Science Center’s (PacSci) mission to spark curiosity and fuel a passion for discovery, experimentation, and critical thinking by delighting guests with an exceptionally well-designed, highly interactive exhibit floor experience. The ED will contribute directly to designing guest experiences across PacSci’s four public-facing buildings, with the initial focus on refreshing existing assets.

This position is a visual storyteller for PacSci, focusing on the creation and implementation of environmental/exhibition graphics. They view each project through multiple lenses, with special attention to the perspectives, stories, and languages of marginalized communities. This position is a highly-creative visitor experience steward, guided by Universal Design principles, comfortable with ambiguity and experimentation, and driven by an inclusive and collaborative mind-set. The ED will support establishing the visual tone of Pacific Science Center exhibits, always designing through an accessibility lens. This position is within the Exhibits Department reporting to the Exhibit Design Manager, working closely with the Exhibit Development Manager.

PacSci is committed to strengthening inclusion, diversity, equity, and access both within our workplace and in our community. This role embodies the spirit of curiosity and real-world STEM experiences, supporting and celebrating the role of STEM in the lives of all learners, regardless of background and identity. We believe that curiosity and critical thinking are essential to equity and justice for all. We embrace science as a process of inquiry, discovery, and problem solving that helps us better understand our universe and each other.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Support PacSci’s Mission and Guiding Principles by designing educational experiences with a focus on curiosity and learning for a broad audience spectrum.
Create, communicate, and implement design solutions for exhibition graphics projects, from initial concept to installation.
Support and, when-needed, lead all aspects of the design process as it relates to PacSci exhibits. This includes environmental signage, graphic design of exhibit interpretation, as well as exhibit layouts—working in support of the Exhibit Design Manager and in collaboration with the Exhibit Development Manager and Exhibit Operations Manager.
Work within cross-department teams, understanding how input impacts and guides design choices.
Create final art/production files for interactives, signage, and exhibit spaces. Support in creation of design documentation for exhibits projects.
Manage contractor relationships, primarily printers, to oversee graphics production and installation for assigned projects.
Advocate for accessibility across all projects, ensuring that design decisions are made with inclusion and access in mind.
Support development of participatory exhibit interactives, led by the Exhibit Development Manager and Exhibit Operations Manager.
Other duties as assigned.
Position Requirements: Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Knowledge of:
The exhibit development and design process and its key components including, but not limited to dimensional, ergonomic and user interface design; and what it takes to bring projects to design development from concept through fabrication and installation.
Keen sense of information hierarchy, legibility and best practices when designing in situ graphics.
Exhibit evaluation and prototyping, and an ability to respond to feedback through design decisions in an iterative process.
Personal bias and a desire to enact anti-racist leadership through exhibit design. This includes but isn’t limited to understanding that exhibits can be a visual representation of culture and being strategic about viewing each project through a multicultural, anti-racist lens.
Project management in a highly interdependent organizational structure
Contemporary and sustainable materials and practices for 2D design.
Universal Design principles
Skills:
Applying curiosity to project approaches and a mind-set of iterative design and continuous improvement.
Significant experience using Adobe collection, specifically InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Premiere (After Effects a plus).
Familiarity and comfort with 3D design and CAD (specifically SketchUp): minimally capable of reading, understanding, and analyzing technical drawings, specifications, elevations, etc.
Medium level proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, and file sharing programs such as SharePoint and OneDrive
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Excellent organization and attention to detail
Multitasking and prioritizing with sound judgment, including ability to organize around multiple projects.
Ability to:
Think spatially and translate ideas into physical experiences.
Be comfortable with experimentation and iteration.
Be flexible, innovative, and adaptive to rapid and regular adjustments to demands of tasks at-hand.
Work collaboratively and effectively within a fast-paced design environment.
Able to build productive relationships with internal teams, external stakeholders, and departments throughout an organization.
Effectively manage time, combined with the ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously, and apply creative problem solving to tight budgets and operational challenges.
Give and receive critical feedback
Qualifications
Required
At least two years of relevant design experience.
Demonstrated experience completing complex design projects on-time, within budget, and with quality levels in excess of expectations.
Experience implementing continuous improvement strategies.
Demonstrated understanding of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility principles.