Museum Technology Support Engineer

National Geographic; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 81,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Learning & development

Disability insurance

Discounts

Job summary

National Geographic Society is seeking a Museum Technology Support Engineer to ensure uptime and reliable operation of ticketing, POS, and related systems. You will work with staff and vendors, handling high‑level technical support and maintaining secure, PCI‑DSS compliant environments.

The role emphasizes collaboration, process improvement, and customer‑centric service with evening/weekend availability as needed to support events and operations.

Qualifications

• Three years of hands-on IT support for enterprise ticketing and POS systems.
• Experience in a museum, cultural institution, hospitality, or retail environment preferred.
• Knowledge of PCI‑DSS requirements.
• Bachelor’s degree in IT/CS or related discipline required.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and improve uptime for ticketing and POS systems.
• Provide hands-on technical support and issue resolution.
• Manage incidents including outages and complex integrations.
• Develop SOPs and maintain knowledge management materials.

Skills

Ticketing systems

POS hardware

Customer support

Network connectivity

Security awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/CS

Tools

POS software

Ticketing software

Job description

How You’ll Contribute

The Museum Technology Support Engineer is a hands‑on technical role focused on customer experience, operational uptime, and technical excellence. This position is responsible for configuring, securing, deploying, administering, and supporting hardware and software for the Museum's ticketing, retail point‑of‑sale (POS), and other related systems. The Engineer contributes to and implements processes for delivering world‑class technical support, with an emphasis on the reliability of revenue‑generating operations and exceptional guest service. This position requires hands‑on technical experience to work collaboratively with internal colleagues and vendors to support solutions that meet the Museum's business goals and are consistent with security policies and industry best practices, including PCI compliance. This role will contribute to a culture of teamwork, operational discipline, and a customer‑centric focus through technical knowledge and demonstration of a high standard for support.

Key responsibilities include collaborating with staff and vendors, providing high‑level technical support, and contributing to a cycle of continuous improvement for a stable and reliable operating environment. This position reports to the Senior Manager, Museum Technology Support, and requires working evening and/or weekend shifts to support Museum operations and special projects.

Your Impact Core Technologies and Services

The team’s portfolio includes the following types of devices, services, and technologies: Museum ticketing systems for customer purchase, admittance, and reporting; Point‑of‑sale systems for the retail store and hospitality operations; Computer equipment and software, POS terminals, self‑service kiosks, barcode scanners, receipt printers, and payment card readers; Routine and advanced technical support and problem resolution for ticketing and POS systems; Investigation, resolution, or escalation of complex problems with critical systems, including access or network connectivity issues, system outages, and disruption of complex integrations with various other business systems.

Responsibilities

Technical Support and Operations (85%). System Reliability: Proactively monitors the operational integrity of all ticketing and POS systems, assisting in optimization for maximum uptime. Troubleshooting: Provides hands‑on technical support and problem resolution for ticketing, POS, and integrated business systems. Incident Management: Responds to technical incidents, encompassing network connectivity failures, enterprise system outages, and disruptions to critical business system integrations. Operational Support: Delivers dedicated, hands‑on support to maintain operational continuity, particularly during high‑impact critical periods or major organizational events. Compliance and Security: Ensures rigorous adherence to internal information security policies, specifically the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI‑DSS), for all supported processes, hardware, and systems. Documentation and Knowledge Management: Develops, documents, and maintains Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to standardize support and maintenance processes.

Projects and Process Improvement (10%). Participates in assigned technical projects, including system upgrades, hardware deployments, and new feature rollouts. Collaborates across IT and with Museum operational teams in the implementation of new functionality, systems, and services. Performs assigned ITIL roles related to incident management, change management, and problem management.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%).

Qualifications

Minimum Education Required: Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related discipline. Certifications and equivalent experience in related areas will be considered.

Minimum Years and Type of Experience: At least three years of experience performing hands‑on work supporting enterprise‑level ticketing, point of sale, hospitality, or similar systems. Experience in a museum, cultural institution, hospitality, or retail environment is preferred.

Knowledge and Skills Required: Experience supporting revenue‑generating IT systems and related hardware, including: computer equipment (Mac, Windows, and Android), network connectivity, POS terminals, self‑service kiosks, payment card readers, barcode scanners, and receipt printers. Experience with enterprise‑level ticketing and POS software platforms or similar systems, including a basic understanding of API technologies for integrations with other critical business systems. Knowledge of best practices for deploying and supporting end‑user devices and critical systems in a high‑volume, public‑facing environment. Experience working within operational service levels for enterprise systems, utilizing service level objectives and KPIs. Strong understanding of PCI Data Security Standard (PCI‑DSS) requirements. Solid oral and written communication skills, and ability to interact in a dynamic environment subject to changes in schedules and priorities. Excellent customer service, troubleshooting, and problem‑solving skills are a must.

Desired Qualifications: ITIL certification and/or experience with IT Service Management is a plus.

Supervision: No direct reports.

Salary Information

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry‑specific market data for similar‑sized nonprofit organizations. The salary range for this position is $80,750.00 - $85,000.00.

Benefits include, but are not limited to,

• medical, dental, and vision insurance
• engaging and comprehensive wellness program
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment
• flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year)
• 10 days of sick leave
• 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December25 and31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.)
• paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits
• learning and development opportunities
• Lifestyle Spending Account
• pet adoption assistance and insurance
• pre‑tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy
• employer‑paid life insurance and disability benefit
• a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks

Job Designation On‑Site Flex

Staff members who must be physically present at Base Camp to do the vast majority of their work supporting overall building and museum operations. On‑Site Flex staff hours are determined in consultation with supervisors, and are responsive to the needs of the MOE and other building operations, often including nontraditional (M‑F, 9a.m.-5p.m.) work hours. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.

Who We Are

The National Geographic Society uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Our mission is only complete when our staff, explorers, educators, youth and partners are seen, valued, and heard. We embrace each person’s identity, experiences, and abilities, and we commit to cultivating an environment where everyone benefits from opportunity, mutual respect and a sense of belonging. National Geographic's headquarters is located in the heart of Washington, D.C. We offer our employees a comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental benefits, generous vacation and parental leave time, a 401(k) plan, flexible work options, and career development.