Associate Director, Immersive Experience Design

California Academy of Sciences; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Academy of Sciences seeks an Associate Director of Experience Design to envision and create future-forward experiences blending spatial storytelling, technology, and the Academy’s scientific assets. You will lead a multidisciplinary team and partner with the Senior Director of Experience to drive a cohesive design vision for the Experience Studio.

Based in San Francisco, this role oversees design disciplines, external partners, and establishes standards while contributing to

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in immersive, experiential, exhibition, environmental, or interaction design, with at least 3–5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams in delivering complex, large-scale public experiences.
• Bachelor’s degree in design, architecture, industrial design, interaction design, media arts, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Creative and Design Lead on assigned exhibition and experience projects, from early visioning and concept development through design development, fabrication, and installation.
• Develop immersive design strategies that integrate spatial design, interactive systems, digital media, storytelling, and natural history collections into cohesive visitor journeys.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including project managers, content strategists, scientists, educators, collections staff, technologists, and key stakeholders to create holistic experiences.
• Use storytelling to translate science into compelling physical and digital design, including spatial layouts, interactive strategies, and media integration plans.
• Guide the development and review of design deliverables such as concept packages, renderings, floor plans, prototypes, and experience documentation.
• Lead and participate in prototyping and iterative testing to ensure experiences meet engagement, performance, and accessibility goals.
• Integrate emerging technologies and innovative design approaches to create immersive and responsive environments.
• Follow Academy safety regulations and institutional policies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Spatial storytelling

Human-centered design

Communication

Public speaking

Project management

Prototyping

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

SketchUp

Rhino

Figma

Job description

The California Academy of Sciences seeks an Associate Director of Experience Design to envision and create future-forward experiences blending spatial storytelling, technology, and the Academy’s scientific assets. You will lead a multidisciplinary team and partner with the Senior Director of Experience to drive a cohesive design vision for the Experience Studio.

Based in San Francisco, this role oversees design disciplines, external partners, and establishes standards while contributing to