Lead Museum Technician (Lead Explainer), IS-1016-03

Smithsonian Institution; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 28,000 - 30,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Annual and sick leave

Transit/commuter benefits

Job summary

Smithsonian Institution is seeking a Lead Museum Technician (Lead Explainer) in Washington, DC. This temporary, trust-fund role focuses on delivering interactive STEM education, leading Explainers on the floor, and coordinating staff at NASM locations.

You will train peers, update demonstrations, and schedule daily work. Requires strong communication, organizational skills, and a solid background in education and STEM outreach.

Qualifications

• Must have a high school diploma; a bachelor's degree is preferred.
• Knowledge of education activities related to Explainers Program.
• Proven ability to lead, train, and supervise Explainers.

Responsibilities

• Act as floor leader when coordinators are off the floor.
• Assist in training and evaluating fellow Explainers.
• Help revise and update educational programs.
• Develop Explainers’ daily work schedules and opening/closing procedures.
• Maintain demonstrations integrity and provide best-practice guidance.
• Present hands-on demonstrations to the public onsite at two museum locations.
• Support program equipment maintenance and data collection on audience reach.
• Attend ongoing training sessions and meetings with program coordinators.

Skills

Leadership

Education programs

Written & organizational skills

STEM knowledge

Training others

Education

High school diploma

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Lead Museum Technician (Lead Explainer), IS-1016-03

Application Deadline: 22 August 2026

Department: National Air and Space Museum

Employment Type: Temporary

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Gallery Programs Manager

Compensation: $20.36 / hour

Description

OPEN DATE: August 17, 2026

CLOSING DATE: August 22, 2026

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Not to Exceed One (1) Year

SCHEDULE: Intermittent

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk:

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to Smithsonian Institution Employees Only

What are Trust Fund Positions?

Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

OVERVIEW

Serve as Lead Explainers in the museum’s Explainers Program for the purpose of furthering the program’s mission of public education and outreach. Lead Explainers are responsible for presenting interactive STEM programming to audiences onsite at the museum and the surrounding community, in addition to acting as floor leaders for the rest of the Explainers Program’s student staff.

This role is a part of a team of Education staff, Explainers, Volunteers, and Docents who work to enhance the experience of visitors to both the National Mall Building and the Chantilly, VA Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead Explainers act as floor leaders when the Explainers Program Coordinator and Assistants are off the floor or out of the building. This includes monitoring, recording, and correcting behavior detrimental to the Explainers Program.
• Lead Explainers assist the Explainers Program Coordinators and Assistants in training and evaluating fellow Explainers who are in the process of learning Demonstrations, Interactives, Discovery Stations, etc.
• Lead Explainers assist with revising and updating educational programs necessitated by the fast pace of STEM discovery and innovation.
• Lead Explainers assist the Explainers Program Coordinators and Assistants with daily operations, including developing Explainers’ daily work schedules, ensuring opening/closing procedures are completed correctly, ensuring Explainer spaces are clean and organized, etc.
• Lead Explainers help maintain the integrity of the demonstrations by following prescribed outlines for informal education and observing & advising their colleagues on best practices in facilitation.
• Lead Explainers present a variety of hands‑on, interactive demonstrations to the public onsite at our two museum locations and engage school and other affinity groups with reserved learning experiences in the museum and throughout the surrounding community.
• Lead Explainers assist the Explainers Program Coordinators and Assistants with general maintenance of program equipment.
• Lead Explainers collect and report audience data for discovery stations, interactives, science demonstrations, special events, and outreach to demonstrate the impact & reach of the Explainers Program.
• Lead Explainers attend on‑going training sessions scheduled by the Explainers Program Coordinators and Assistants.
• Lead Explainers have a certain level of familiarity with the National Air and Space Museum’s collections and galleries, so they can assist and engage visitors and train fellow Explainers.
• Lead Explainers attend regular meetings with Explainers Program Coordinators and Assistants to contribute feedback on ongoing program training, goals, and projects.
• Lead Explainers provide programmatic support for Outreach events at partner organizations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, including running programs, leading set up & tear down, and assisting with scheduling logistics.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience required for this position is as follows:

• Candidates must possess, at a minimum, a high school diploma from an accredited institution. A bachelor's degree from an accredited four‑year college or university is preferred.
• Must have knowledge of, and experience with, all education activities pertinent to the Explainers Program (i.e. demonstrations, Interactives, and Discovery Stations).
• Must have a proven track record in the Explainers Program as reliable, respectful and professional.
• Must have the ability to think clearly, remain calm and take command during stressful situations that may occur while facilitating programming in the Museum.
• Must have demonstrated the ability to lead and train fellow Explainers.
• Must have proven writing and organizational skills.
• Must have knowledge of physical sciences and the ability to teach STEM concepts to broad audiences.
• Must be able to perform repetitive tasks and follow oral and written instructions.
• Must be 18 years of age and enrolled in a degree‑seeking program in a local DC area college or university.

Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Resumes should include a description of your paid and non‑paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [e-mail]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case‑by‑case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. See Smithsonian EEO program information: https://www.si.edu/oeesd.