The Scott Family Amazeum is a hands-on, interactive museum in Northwest Arkansas that creates a fun environment where risk taking, imagining, problem solving, discovery and exploration bring children and adults together to play, learn and grow.
Scott Family Amazeum Overview:
The Scott Family Amazeum is a hands-on, interactive museum in Northwest Arkansas that creates a fun environment where risk taking, imagining, problem solving, discovery, collaboration, and exploration bring children and adults together to learn and grow.
The mission of the Amazeum is:
To engage the imagination of children and their families through interactive exhibits, programs, and resources while creating an excitement for lifelong learning and the enrichment of lives.
Through experiences with the Amazeum individuals and the community are engaged in building relationships and developing identities as creative, curious, and innovative shapers for the region. Learning at the Amazeum is an active, playful exploration that inspires curiosity. It is rooted in inquiry-based discovery and involves an element of risk. Hands-on learning opportunities allow guests to exercise critical thinking in the context of play.
The Amazeum facility includes approximately 50,000 square feet of indoor space and one acre of outdoor exhibition and activity space. The museum is located at the intersection of Museum Way and J Street in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Position Summary
The Tinkering Specialist is a collaborative professional with a passion and commitment to the tinkering and making processes and enthusiasm for leading impactful tinkering and making experiences. Tinkering involves exploration of science, technology, and art through the playful and intentional manipulation of real tools and materials, and emphasizes the creative process. Reporting to the Tinkering Manager, the Tinkering Specialist will develop and facilitate programs and activities to support the Amazeums mission and overall strategic goals. Programming will engage Amazeum guests in meaningful making and tinkering experiences with a primary focus on pre-teens and teens. The Tinkering Specialist will seek out and foster relationships with teen-centered organizations. The Tinkering Specialist lends expertise in tools, materials, and maker skills to programs and events across the Amazeum.
Essential Functions
Program Development and Implementation
Plans, develops and implements a variety of tinkering based programs that use tools and materials in an engaging, playful, and innovative way. Programs include drop-in experiences as well as more structure and in-depth workshops for specific audiences such as pre-teen and teens. Programs occur onsite at Amazeum and offsite at community organizations and events.
Conducts specialized audience research to inform program development.
Ensures all programming adheres to the Amazeums education guiding principles and the Amazeums Tinkering core values.
Serves as the primary educator in tinkering programs utilizing inquiry-based facilitation methods.
Fosters an interdisciplinary learning environment and a culture of critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
Actively evaluates experiences and makes ongoing improvements during programs to ensure it is suitable for a variety of learning styles, ages, and diverse backgrounds
Collaborates with other team members to coordinate program logistics and promotion.
Organizes, prototypes, and prepares materials for use in onsite and offsite programs and events.
Supports the Tinkering Manager in maintaining an organized inventory of supplies, equipment, and tools required for implementing tinkering and making programs.
Ensures participant safety and maintains a clean and welcoming environment at all times; reset learning spaces between programs.
Serves as a mentor for pre-teens and teens by being a positive role model and providing guidance and encouragement.
Follows reflection and evaluation protocols to constantly monitor and adjust the content and execution of tinkering offerings to improve program quality and guest experience.
Responds knowledgeably and thoughtfully to guests questions or discovers the answers together with the guest; provides exceptional customer service.
Regularly takes initiative to learn new tinkering and making content, technology, and skills to incorporate into programming.
Community Collaboration
Actively seeks out and builds ongoing relationships with teen-centered community partners to engage with and cultivate a teen audience.
Leverages community partners to conduct audience research to inform program offerings.
Assists in collaborations with community partners to develop and implement innovative and engaging programming offsite.
General Duties
Collaboratively provides support cross-departmentally to develop and facilitate innovative, engaging tinkering experiences for special events, public programs, camps/workshops, etc. occurring onsite and offsite.
In collaboration with the Tinkering Manager, creates and delivers training sessions for team members on tool use and tinkering and making best practices.
Actively participate in scheduled training sessions and team meetings.
Stays current on museum-wide events and news.
The responsibilities listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The Amazeum reserves the right to revise or change position duties and responsibilities as necessary to accommodate changing organizational needs.
Qualifications
Education and Work Experience
High school diploma or GED; required
BS/BA degree in Education or in one or more of the STEAM disciplines; degree completed preferred, degree near completion accepted
Curriculum Development Experience; 1 year required, within informal education setting preferred
Experience working with pre-teens and teens, 1 year required, within informal education setting preferred
Minimum age of 18 years at the time of hire
Competencies
The ideal candidate is a motivated and self-starting tinkerer that is naturally curious, collaborative and fluent in current and up-and-coming technologies. The candidate must possess an innate love of learning.
Interest in pre-teen and teen soft skill and hard/technical skill development and mentorship.
Strong teaching and facilitation skills adaptable to developmental levels and different learning styles
Experience and/or desire to work with a variety of authentic tools and materials, including but not limited to arduino and other microcontrollers, electronics, CNC tools, sculpting, woodworking, robotics, textiles, coding, and 3D printers.
Growth mindset with ability to research and learn new technology, systems, and tools to incorporate into program design.
Proficient in the use of Google Workspace and Microsoft Office applications
Strong verbal communication skills with emphasis on public speaking and presenting information to diverse audiences in an engaging and compelling fashion.
Strong written communication skills including proofreading, grammar, and spelling.
Ability to organize time effectively and manage multiple projects, ensuring that timelines and deliverables are met.
Creative individual and able to develop out-of-the-box solutions.
Bilingual ability is desired, but not required.
Physical
Able to actively engage with children and adults for extended periods of time in a variety of settings
Able to lift up to 20 lbs. overhead regularly and occasionally 40 lbs.
Candidates may be required to pass a background screening
Work is performed in an environment with moderate to excessive noise
How to apply
Submit completed Amazeum application, along with your resume and cover letter, via the Amazeum Career Portal
