Job Details
Locations:
Air & Space Museum - 7711 E Academy Blvd, Denver CO, 80230 (primary)
Exploration of Flight - 13005 Wings Way, Englewood CO, 80112 (secondary)
Status & Classification: Regular | Full-Time | Exempt
Salary: $60,000 ~ $70,000/year (depending on experience)
Work Schedule: Monday ~ Friday* | 9am ~ 5pm* | 40 hours/week
*This position must accommodate a flexible work schedule including occasional evenings, weekends, special events, and overnight/out-of-town travel.
Application window: applications must be submitted by Sunday June 30th, 2024
Summary
The Exhibits Manager is responsible for overseeing the design, fabrication, installation, enhancement, and day-to-day maintenance of the Museum's exhibits. They will research subject matter, devise exhibit concepts, and apply design and engineering skills to create engaging, compelling, and relevant exhibits for diverse audiences. The Exhibits Manager works with outside contractors, vendors, and our corps of dedicated volunteers to produce world-class exhibits that both entertain and educate the Museum's visitors. This position will produce several in-house exhibit projects per year, develop and manage the Museum's traveling exhibit program, and help with video and social media. The Exhibits Manager is a member of the Curatorial department reporting directly to the Museum Curator. They work closely with the Collections Manager, Collections Assistant, and inter-departmentally with teams from Marketing, Facilities, Development, Visitor Services, and Education.
Organization
Founded in 1994 on the former Lowry Air Force Base in east Denver's historic Lowry Field neighborhood, Wings Over the Rockies is a non-profit community organization dedicated to unlocking dreams of flight through exhibits, local events, and educational programming. We are Colorado's premier Air & Space Museum having been recognized by CNN Travel as one of their 20 Best aviation museums in the world. Each year we welcome roughly 160,000 visitors representing all 50 states and dozens of countries internationally. Wings is committed to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The Museum boasts more than 100,000 sq. ft. of open hangar space full of iconic aircraft, space vehicles, historical artifacts, and more. Visitors can experience thrilling flight simulators, discover educational programs, and participate in one of our many exciting museum-sponsored events.
Exploration of Flight (EoF) is our flight-focused educational extension. This 15-acre campus is located at the Centennial Airport where we offer showcase events with a variety of aircraft, aviation immersion programs, pilot ground training, and flight experiences. EoF is home to our Blue Sky Gallery exhibit and interactive aviation center featuring an airworthy fleet of civilian and military aircraft.
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life/AD&D - 100% paid (for employee-only coverage)
- $600 annual Health Savings Account (HSA) employer contribution for eligible medical plans
- Generous Vacation, Sick, and paid Personal leave policies
- 403(b) group retirement plan with company match
- Potential for annual bonuses, merit pay increases, and career advancement
- Voluntary Short-Term Disability, dependent Life/AD&D, Accident, and Critical Illness coverage
- Optional Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care (DCA) plan participation
- Museum membership, store discount, and other employee perks
Essential Duties & Responsibilities Please Note - this list is not all inclusive but intended to be a general guide to the essential duties of this position. - Develop exhibit concepts, themes, main and secondary messages, design elements, style sheets, color palettes, typography, etc.
- Research and fact-check exhibit content during design for accuracy, relevance, and audience appeal
- Promote the Museum's exhibits to the media, potential donors, and the general public
- Secure permission and provide proper credit for use of copyrighted photographs, images, and other media
- Produce exhibit labels, interpretive panels, storyboards, online content, and video scripts following professional exhibit development best practices and project-specific style guides
- Perform research, interview subject matter experts, and verify source material
- Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment including the Museum's wood and metal workshops
- Oversee the work of Museum volunteers, interns, vendors, and contractors on exhibits projects
- Follow safety and risk management procedures in workshops, workspaces, and public areas
- Develop storyboards, scripts, etc., for videos, VR, and other multimedia content
- Proof & edit exhibit and online materials for content, accuracy, readability, and relevance to the target audience(s)
- Design exhibit components such as cases, vitrines, and interactives
- Perform regular exhibit maintenance including cleaning, repair, troubleshooting, enhancement, etc.
- Relocate, reposit, and refurbish exhibits when they're not in use
- Procure and purchase parts, materials, components, and other supplies for exhibits
- Fabricate mounts, display cases, and exhibitory to preserve and protect artifacts
- Ensure that exhibits and exhibit areas comply with applicable ADA guidelines and Museum industry standard practices
- Incorporate diversity, immersion, and interactivity into exhibit design where appropriate
- Produce descriptive material, content, and narratives about exhibits for the Marketing department
- Fabricate exhibit components using metals, plastics, laminates, wood, electronics, and other materials
- Work with the Museum Curator to help manage the inbound traveling/temporary exhibits program: research and select vendors, negotiate costs, coordinate delivery and departure schedules, payments, setup and installation, maintenance, tear-down, etc.
- Manage Wings Museum's outbound traveling exhibits program: design in-house exhibits for conversion into traveling exhibits, research and recruit potential host venues, negotiate rental agreements, handle booking and scheduling, arrange transportation/logistics, and support host venues during the run of the exhibit
Working Conditions Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum operates in an 80-year-old aircraft hangar. Exploration of Flight is located at a busy regional airport. Environmental conditions may vary.
If you are an individual with a disability, you may request reasonable accommodations if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting our HR Department at 303-###-#### for assistance.
Requirements
- 4-year Bachelor's degree in Museum Studies or equivalent work experience
- 5+ years of professional experience working in the Museum field
- Advanced knowledge of Museum exhibit design practices, including design and construction, care of artifacts, ADA accessibility guidelines, safety, durability, security, maintainability
- Demonstrated project management, design, and development experience
- Understanding of Museum industry standards, operations, procedures, and best practices
- Professional knowledge of artifact interpretation, visitor experience, and Museum label creation
- Experience reading and generating sketches, schematics, and engineering/production drawings
- Proficient with writing, editing, and graphic design for creating labels, graphics, and illustrations
- Skilled using stationary shop equipment, e.g. table saw, radial arm saw, panel saw, bandsaw, belt/disc sander, lathe, drill press, milling machine, etc.
- Experienced with handheld power tools (drill, saws, routers, pneumatic tools, etc.)
- Welding, brazing, soldering, and precision machining skills are a plus
- Basic electronics, wiring, and audio-visual skills including mechanical design and assembly
- Excellent organizational and analytical skills with an attention to detail
- Able to multi-task, prioritize, and manage multiple projects at once in a fast-paced work environment
- Ethical and reliable with a positive demeanor and proactive outlook
- Experienced using design software including Vectorworks CAD
- Highly proficient with Microsoft Office 365 suite, Google Workspace, and software applications in general
- Able to work independently, troubleshoot, and solve problems as they arise without immediate supervision
- Perform the physical workload, e.g. climbing ladders, repetitive motions, and standing for up to 8 hours/day
- Can navigate 100,000 sq. ft. of floor space in all (cold/hot/humid/dry) climate conditions
- Able to operate the boom lift, forklift, aircraft tug, and other light machinery
- Squat/lift 50+ lbs. and push/pull carts, supplies, or other equipment weighing up to 100 lbs.
- Able to tolerate strong or unpleasant fumes and high-decibel environments
- Comfortable working with individuals and teams from diverse backgrounds and interests
- Familiarity with the mission of Wings Museum including our exhibits and programs
- Working knowledge of aviation, space exploration, and/or experience working in aerospace preferred
- Valid Driver's License and clean motor vehicle record (MVR)