Experience Designer- Occasional

Socket.dev; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Part time

Job summary

The Science Museum of Minnesota is seeking an experienced Experience Designer to join the Exhibits team as an occasional employee. This role offers flexible hours, typically between 15-30 per week, with potential for more or fewer hours as workloads vary throughout the year.

You will lead design across 3D environmental design, 2D graphics, UX/UI, illustration, and videography, collaborating with internal teams and external clients to deliver engaging experiences while maintaining accessibility

Qualifications

• 3–5 years experience in Exhibit Design or related field.
• Proficiency in multiple design disciplines listed above.
• Ability to lead meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience with lighting, video editing, and 3D environments.
• Strong presentation and budgeting skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead design direction for exhibit and experience projects across 3D, graphic, lighting and overall aesthetic.
• Coordinate and lead project team meetings with internal and external clients.
• Develop budgets and timelines, monitor budgets, and adjust as needed.
• Create and present digital and hand-rendered concept materials to clients.
• Maintain positive client relationships and advocate for user-focused design.
• Mentor junior staff and interns within the Experience Design team.
• Collaborate with design, production and exhibit staff to ensure designs meet specs.
• Lead visitor testing on the museum floor to validate learning outcomes.
• Collaborate with external agencies and vendors for exhibit or marketing work.
• Manage digital assets across projects; use Google Workspace and Jira.
• Promote accessibility and inclusive design practices.

Skills

3D environmental design

2D graphic design

UX/UI design

Illustration

Videography

Lead designer

Project meetings

Budgeting & timelines

Presentations to clients

Client relations

Mentoring staff

Collaboration with production

Accessibility advocacy

Visitor testing & learning outcomes

Tools

SketchUp

Vectorworks

AutoCAD

Revit

Adobe Creative Suite

Procreate

Figma

Sketch

Job description

The Science Museum of Minnesota is seeking a qualified Experience Designer 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 Designer role offers an opportunity to be an official member of SMM's Experience Design team while maintaining the ability to decline hours based on your own schedule or external commitments.

Qualifications include some or all of the following:

1. Experience with and demonstrated ability to independently employ and flex amongst/between multiple design disciplines, which should include several of the following, or more:
   1. 3D environmental design: creation of 3D digital models, elevations, isometric projections, sketches of design concepts. Solid knowledge of 3D software required (SketchUp, Vectorworks, AutoCAD, Revit, etc)
   2. 2D graphic design: Create both large and small format graphic layouts for exhibit and marketing projects utilizing industry standard software (Adobe Creative Suite).
   3. UX/UI design: Create wireframes of digital media experiences (exhibit and online), work closely with software engineers on implementation, prototype as necessary to optimize visitor experience.
   4. Illustration (hand and/or digital): Includes, but not limited to: Instructional illustrations of interactive experiences, overview of exhibit experiences, original artwork, marketing collateral.
   5. Videography: Film and edit various video projects for exhibit and online experiences. Publish those projects on various equipment and platforms.
2. Serve as lead designer for exhibit and experience projects, establishing overall design direction including 3D, graphic, lighting, and overall look and feel for those projects.
3. 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.
4. In collaboration with Project Leaders and Museum Experience Directors, develop design team and project budgets relating to design tasks, 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.
5. Produce presentation materials (digital and hand renderings) representing design concepts, and formally present them to external clients. Lead conversations with project stakeholders, soliciting feedback and ideas, and implement necessary design changes to meet project goals.
6. 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.
7. As available, assign work tasks to and mentor junior staff and interns with a focus on the SMM process and design philosophy. Coordinate these efforts with Experience Development team, and Museum Experience Department leaders to foster staff growth.
8. Collaborate with the design and development team, and exhibit production staff to ensure that prototype and finished designs are being rendered to specifications and meet overall project goals.
9. 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.
10. Collaborate and lead discussions with outside creative agencies, vendors, and contractors as needed for exhibit or marketing related products and projects.
11. Manage digital assets across multiple projects using file structures, version control systems, databases, and cloud based storage systems. Knowledge of Google Workspace and other Project Management tools (Jira) required.
12. Understand and advocate for universal accessibility in the design of experiences.
13. Confer with conservators and project teams to determine how to handle an exhibit's environmental aspects, such as lighting, temperature, and humidity, so that objects will be protected and exhibits will be enhanced. Advise other team members as needed.
14. Adapt and apply new techniques and trends to create innovative exhibit experiences. Seek out new and emerging techniques to help assess the viability of their use in exhibit experiences.
15. Hold and promote the value that the visitor is the ultimate client for the work of project teams.
16. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Experience Required:

• 3-5 years experience in Exhibit Design or similar design field (theater, interior, architecture, industrial, graphic, digital media)

• Demonstrated technical proficiency in multiple (but not necessarily all) areas of design:

• • 2D design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate)

• • UX/UI design software (Figma, Sketch, or similar)

• • Knowledge of building lighting systems

• • Video Editing software: Adobe Premier or similar

• 3-5 years experience leading meetings and conversations with internal and external stakeholders, with an ability to build and foster positive working relationships.

• 3-5 years 3D environmental design: creation of 3D digital models, elevations, isometric projections, sketches of design concepts. Solid knowledge of 3D software required (SketchUp, Vectorworks, AutoCAD, Revit, etc)

• Demonstrated Illustration skills (hand and/or digital): Includes, but not limited to: Instructional illustrations of interactive experiences, overview of exhibit experiences, original artwork, marketing collateral.

• Demonstrated ability to serve as Lead Designer for internal and external projects.

• Demonstrable knowledge of industry standard technologies and techniques.

• Curiosity towards the scientific endeavor desired.