A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

The University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (UMMNH) seeks an experienced and dynamic Assistant Director of Education (ADEd) to lead the Educational Engagement & Outreach (EE&O) team and programs. The successful candidate will lead development of a strategic plan for growing the impact of UMMNH's educational engagement experiences.  

Reporting to the Director of UMMNH, the ADEd will lead, supervise, and support the EE&O team  in creating intentional, multi-layered and participatory learning experiences that put research in museum audiences' hands and minds, and build scientific literacy, trust in science fields, and confidence in science communications. The EE&O team leads the organization's priority of being a positive interface across academic research teams, the higher educational learning community, the K12 learning community, our community partners, and the public.  

As part of UMMNH's leadership team, this role collaborates with key museum leaders to cultivate and develop opportunities that: (1) engage our audiences with our unique collections and exhibits, (2) promote our science communications courses and programs within the university, (3) activate our hands-on and minds-on learning philosophy through project, placed, problem, phenomena, and professional based approaches to STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine) learning, and an inquiry-based learning framework, (4) provide in-classroom learning resources and complementary educator professional learning experiences to engage audiences with our content beyond the museum, (5) support inclusive access to our learning experiences, and (6) provide consistent impact analyses and evaluations of educational programs and spaces in which the programs are held, with a specific focus on ensuring inclusive access for the specific audiences for which each program is designed..

The ADEd will lead and manage the creation, development, implementation, and execution of a diverse portfolio of transdisciplinary learning programs for: (1) University of Michigan (U-M) students, faculty, and staff, including student employees such as docents, (2) K12 educators and learners, and (3) community partners and public visitors. These programs will leverage UMMNH's collections and exhibitions to foster shared STEMM learning and scientific literacy engagement experiences. In this role, the ADEd will exemplify UMMNH's core values to amplify trust, spark curiosity, explore science, expand inclusive access, and inspire communities.

The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

The UMMNH visions a world in which people understand the interconnectedness of all life, and the responsibility we have to sustain it.  Our mission is to transform hearts and minds by promoting understanding of the natural world, our place in it, and our impact on it.  

The UMMNH team develops exhibits, experiences, programs and resources that are designed to transform science understanding and communications through; 
a) diverse, equitable and inclusive engagement experiences that are accessible to all, 
b) transdisciplinary learning approaches that connect science and research to the real world, 
c) the lens of cutting edge STEMM research past, present and future.

As a trusted source and `front door' for the public to the university, UMMNH is uniquely positioned to activate inclusive STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine) learning ecosystems with the community and educational partners in SE Michigan, the Great Lakes region, the nation and the world.

Being part of something greater, of serving a larger mission of discovery and care - that's the heart of what drives people to work at Michigan. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. It's adding a purpose to your profession. Work at Michigan and become a victor for the greater good.

KAR Percentage Summary

1. Strategic Leadership & Management of UMMNH's Educational Engagement & Outreach Programs Portfolio - 30%
2. Leadership, Development, & Management of UMMNH's Educational Engagement & Outreach Team - 20%
3. Educational Leadership & Consultation to UMMNH's Leadership Team - 20%
4. Relational Management & Leadership within U-M Educational Community and K12 Educational Community - 15%
5. Leadership & Management of UMMNH's Educational Audience Impact Analysis & Evaluation Management - 15%

1. Strategic Leadership & Management of UMMNH's Educational Engagement & Outreach Programs Portfolio - 30%

• Develop a strategically aligned plan for the long-range vision, impact, priorities and outcomes of the UMMNH's educational engagement and outreach portfolio of programs. This portfolio includes but is not limited to:
  • Student employee and docent professional learning experiences with a focus on communicating science and building science literacy with K12 education and general visitor audiences
  • On-site `Investigate Labs' hands-on, minds-on STEMM (Science, Engineering, Technology, Math, & Medicine) programming
  • On-site `Research Lab' engagement and programming
  • `Broader Impacts' educational programming driven by supporting STEMM faculty grants
  • Science Communications Programs, including. `Science Fellows', `Scientist Spotlights' and `Sci Comms' courses, which are all designed to support U-M faculty and students (graduate and undergraduate) in communicating their research to K12 students and the general public
  • K12 STEMM educational outreach programs, including. `Science for Tomorrow'
  • K12 STEMM learning resources development for formal and informal classrooms, and complementary professional learning opportunities for educators
  • STEMM educational outreach for the general public, including. `Science Cafes' and appropriate conference and festival attendance
• Ensure that implementation of the EE&O strategic plan and team activities align with museum and university strategic plans
• Support the vision, mission, and purpose of the university and the museum by encouraging pathways for the academic community to connect with the museum's collections and its broader audiences.
• Lead and supervise the creation, design, and implementation of new programs that build audience participation, enhance visitor engagement and learning, encourage repeat visitation, and deepen the connections among our core audiences of the U-M community, the K-12 educational community, our community partner organizations, and general visitors.
• Lead and supervise the development of university, K12, and public programs related to the collection and exhibitions.

       2.  Leadership, Development & Management of UMMNH's Educational Engagement & Outreach Team - 20%

• Provide leadership, guidance and educational expertise to the UMMNH's Educational Engagement & Outreach collaborative team, including but not limited to:
  • Hands-on and minds-on STEMM learning
  • Project, phenomena, place, problem and professional based learning approaches to STEMM education
  • Relational and partnership development within the higher education and K12 communities
  • Inclusive access mindset for educational programming development
• Develop a plan to ensure the team's continued professional development within higher education, K12 educational practices, and general audience engagement.
• Provide supervision, support, guidance, and leadership (as needed) to the creation, development and implementation to the team's programs and activities led by the Educational Engagement & Outreach team members

       3.  Educational Leadership & Consultation to UMMNH's Leadership Team - 20%

• Direct the development of promotional materials for educational and programmatic initiatives in collaboration with the Assistant Director for Marketing & Communications.
• Provide consultation and expertise to the development of UMMNH's student employee/docent professional learning program, which is led by the Public Engagement & Operations team.
• Collaborate with members of the UMMNH's leadership team and core staff team on projects involving faculty, students, guest scholars, and educators to develop programs, learning resources, professional learning sessions, and new engagement experiences that supports UMMNH's transdisciplinary approach to science literacy and communications as well as STEMM research and learning.
• Support the Assistant Director for Exhibits by providing expertise, insight, and input during the development of exhibitions by playing an active role in the planning and development of educational components.
• Identify funding opportunities for programs and unit staffing, draft grant proposals, develop and oversee portions of the annual budget in collaboration with the director, and track expenditures to ensure adherence to set goals.
• Assist the Exhibits and Marketing & Communications teams with developing engaging interpretive materials and experiences such as texts, videos, audio, web content, response stations, participatory learning spaces, and content for other digital platforms.

        4.  Relational Management & Leadership within UM Educational Community and K12 Educational Community - 15%

• Participate in peer committees within the university, the K12 educational community, and the larger professional field of STEMM education.
• Collaborate with U-M colleagues, K12 partners and other STEMM organizations to support their work related to education and engagement as it relates to science literacy and STEMM research and learning.
• Represent the museum by participating in community-building activities, presentations to VIPs and external stakeholders, donor development, public relations, and special events as needed.

       5.  Leadership & Management of UMMNH's Educational Audience Impact Analysis & Evaluation Management - 15%

• Lead and manage the development of an educational audience impact analysis and evaluation (IA&E) plan.  
• Coordinate the implementation and ongoing management of the IA&E plan by documenting evaluations of museum visits, programs, and other activities, including statistical analysis and data presentation.
• Integrate strategically aligned assessment and evaluative tools into the museum's operations and programs.
• Ensure the comprehensive gathering and analyzing of qualitative and quantitative data across educational engagement metrics, including preparing reports for executive summaries, evaluation presentations, board reports, and funding proposals.

Other related duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate is an individual who is energetic, enthusiastic and provides strong educational expertise. They should have the ability to work both independently and as a collaborative team member on multiple wide-ranging projects that extend from the time-sensitive to the long term. The candidate should be a resourceful and creative problem solver, in addition to demonstrating self-reliance and excellent attention to detail. Must have vision, be flexible, and be able to prioritize projects with interruptions for time-sensitive tasks.

Technical Skills

• Bachelor's degree in education, STEMM fields, museum studies, life sciences, or related field.
• Applied knowledge of professional museum principles, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of research tools and education methodology.
• Ability to interpret our exhibits and communicate knowledge about them in a manner relevant to distinct audiences.
• Experience developing learning resources and curriculum for higher education courses, K12 programs, and general audience experiences.
• Ability to lead and facilitate professional learning workshops, training, and development programs.

General Skills

• Five or more years of experience working in an education, museum, or similar environment. 
• Experience supervising staff, students, and/or volunteers is preferred.
• Self-directed and motivated.
• Ability to engage and interpret scholarly research in the fields of museum and art education or informal STEMM learning.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, cross-cultural competence, professionalism, and a demonstrated ability to work individually and in a team environment.

• Master's in education, STEMM fields, museum studies, history, or related fields.
• Museum education experience is preferred.
• Experience leading the development of online and hybrid learning environments and experiences.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.

To learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion in LSA, please visit lsa.umich.edu/lsa/dei. 

To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision.

Working Conditions:

This position is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions (as in typical office or administrative work).
Types of Work: Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. 

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks.  Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.