Public Engagement Assistant, Co-Lab, Temporary (12 months)

Sfmoma; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Medical insurance

Dental and Vision

Flexible Spending Accounts

Retirement savings plan (403(b))

SFMOMA Membership

Job summary

SFMOMA in San Francisco seeks a Public Engagement Assistant for the Co-Lab, a hands-on artmaking space. You’ll welcome visitors, facilitate activities, and support educational programs in a dynamic museum setting.

Regular weekend work and Thursday evenings are required; the role supports daily Co-Lab operations and visitor evaluation with a focus on accessibility and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in art history, art education, cultural studies, or a broad liberal arts education with demonstrable interest in modern and contemporary art.
• Minimum of one (1) year of experience in an art museum or related non-profit organization, including event coordination or facilitating art-based workshops preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills and the ability to work with visitors, program participants, staff, and artists.
• Patience and flexibility in a dynamic public environment.
• Ability to accomplish tasks autonomously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with public speaking aptitude.
• Understanding and interest in issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, related to mission and public programs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a representative of the Co-Lab space, welcoming visitors and guiding activities.
• Monitor visitor flow; enforce safety, rules, and policies.
• Expand Co-Lab concepts with ideation and hands-on artmaking.
• Keep Co-Lab space tidy and stocked; manage end-of-shift duties.
• Maintain Co-Lab policies and coordinate logistics and maintenance requests.
• Support setup, breakdown, and cleanup for programs and events in the Co-Lab.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Facilitation

Public speaking

Education

Undergraduate degree in art history or related field

Job description

About SFMOMA

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.

Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.

Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution.

SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.

Schedule

Full Time, 35 hours/week, Temporary (12 months), at least four days working onsite, Wednesday – Sunday (9am – 5pm), Thursday (12pm – 8pm)

This position is expected to work regularly on weekends and Thursday evenings.

Under the supervision of the Manager of Public Engagement, the Public Engagement Assistant: Co-Lab supports and facilitates the daily operations, special activities, and evaluation in the Museum’s Co-Lab. Co-Lab is a hands-on activity and studio space inspired by artists featured in adjacent galleries and designed to engage visitors of all ages.

The Public Engagement Assistant: Co-Lab will be responsible for facilitating the Co-Lab activities directly with the public, supporting special educational events in the Co-Lab, maintaining the Co-Lab space, and tracking visitor engagement and evaluation.

Success for the Public Engagement Assistant: Co-Lab will be to support the Public Engagement team’s efforts to:

• Ensure Co-Lab is a successful, engaging, and inviting hands-on making space.
• Engage directly with visitors through hands-on making.
• Maintain Co-Lab activities and space with care. Continuously improve Co-Lab experience by applying lessons from daily operations and visitor evaluation.
• Provide access, diversity of experience, and remove institutional barriers to art and ideas.
• Create opportunities for people to connect with each other and the wider world.

Key milestones will be:

• After 30 days: Establish understanding of the Co-Lab space and its activities. Develop an initial understanding of key Museum teams the position works with.
• After 90 days: Demonstrate understanding of museum processes, successfully facilitate and maintain Co-Lab space. Develop an understanding of key visitor behaviors in the Co-Lab.

Facilitation and Maintenance

• Serve as a representative of the Co-Lab space by welcoming visitors, directing them to various activities, providing instruction as needed, and creating alongside them.
• Monitor and help to manage the flow of visitors throughout Co-Lab. Enforce safety, rules, and policies of Co-Lab.
• Expand upon the concepts and ideas explored in the Co-Lab by ideating, iterating, and facilitating “pop-up” hands-on artmaking in addition to facilitating the permanently installed Co-Lab experiences.
• Keep Co-Lab space tidy during daily operations. Clean, organize, and restock Co-Lab at the end of the shift to ensure space is ready to open during its next operating hours.
• Maintain Co-Lab policies and procedures and coordinate logistics and maintenance requests such as lighting, cleaning, IT maintenance of technology equipment, and other repairs.
• Support the set-up, breakdown and clean-up for programs and events in the Co-Lab. Communicate and manage logistical and other needs for programs featuring external partners.
• Maintain and update a daily log and FAQ to ensure clear cross-organizational communication about Co-Lab operations and updates.
• Track materials usage; in coordination with the Manager of Public Engagement, ensure materials are well stocked and new materials are purchased when needed.
• Contribute ideas for special programs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Evaluation

• Track visitor engagement and feedback through formal and informal evaluation methods using systems crafted by members of the Education, Interpretation, and Public Engagement teams.
• Enter evaluation into shared database.
• Analyze and share evaluation learnings for both communicating about impact as well as understanding areas of improvement.
• Participate in cross-team workflows for tracking program details.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in art history, art education, cultural studies, or a broad liberal arts education with demonstrable interest in modern and contemporary art, or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of one (1) year of experience in an art museum or related non-profit organization, including experience in event coordination or facilitating art-based workshops preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills and the ability to work enthusiastically and effectively with visitors, program participants, staff, and artists.
• Patience and flexibility while working in a dynamic public environment.
• Ability to accomplish tasks autonomously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an aptitude for public speaking preferred.
• Understanding and interest in issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how they relate to the mission and work of a community, cultural organization and its public programs.
• Must be available to work Wednesday through Sunday
• 9 am - 5 pm: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
• 12pm – 8pm: Thursday
• Light lifting, moving long distances between building facilities

Job posting open date: 9/2/26

All jobs posted will remain open for at least five business days.

We encourage both internal and external candidates to apply within the initial open posting period as the application close date may or may not be extended beyond that initial period. Applications will not be accepted after a posting has been closed.

Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street.

Benefits: PTO, Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Accounts, Pet Insurance, Life and AD&D Coverage, Disability Insurance, Mental Health and Wellness Benefits, Discount Programs, Pre-Tax Commuter Benefits, 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan, SFMOMA Membership, and more

At SFMOMA, we do not believe that any applicant can, or should, meet every qualification listed in a job posting. We are committed to welcoming applicants from all backgrounds and professional paths who are inspired to join a mission-driven, community-oriented organization grounded in inclusivity, passion, bravery, and empathy.

If this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal or state law.

You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.

You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at [e-mail].