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Part-Time Visitor Engagement Associate

Chabot Space & Science Center is a non-profit science center and observatory dedicated to inspiring and educating learners of all ages about the Universe and planet Earth. Chabot’s mission is to spark and engage curiosity, deepen access and inclusion within science education, and provide opportunity for pathways into careers in the sciences.

Situated on a beautiful 13-acre campus nestled in the redwoods of Oakland’s regional parks, Chabot Space & Science Center includes immersive exhibits, hands-on learning activities, science festivals, a state of the art planetarium, and is home to the official NASA Ames Visitor Center. Chabot’s research-level astronomical observatory, featuring three large scale telescopes, is the largest observatory complex free for regular public viewing in the Western United States.

At Chabot, we:

  • Conduct ourselves with honesty, transparency, and ethical behavior, maintaining the trust and confidence of our community.
  • Foster a culture of collaboration, valuing the diverse perspectives, ideas, and skills of our staff, volunteers, and partners, recognizing that collective efforts drive positive change.
  • Encourage creativity and innovation, embracing new ideas, and approaches that advance our mission and optimize our impact and promote ongoing professional development, fostering a culture of learning, growth, and continuous improvement, where individuals are empowered to reach their full potential and contribute their unique strengths.
  • Treat all individuals with dignity and respect, appreciating their unique backgrounds and experiences, fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.
  • Actively seek partnership and collaboration, recognizing that working together with others strengthens our ability to make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve.
  • Measure our success by the positive impact we make in our community, always seeking ways to address emerging needs, adapt to changing circumstances, and make meaningful and lasting change.
  • We believe that everyone deserves a career they love. We strive to build a diverse team that reflects the people we serve; this is made possible through our commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion, equity, and connectedness.

Visitor Engagement Associate Job Summary:

As a Part Time -Visitor Engagement Associate at Chabot Space & Science Center, you will play a pivotal role in creating exceptional experiences for our visitors. As the frontline representatives of our Center, Visitor Engagement Associates ensure that every visitor has a consistent memorable and enriching experience. This position requires a passion for people, a commitment to excellence in visitor engagement, and is responsible for creating a welcoming experience for our guests from the moment they walk in the front door to the time they leave the Center. This role is essential in running the daily operations of the Center’s front desk, gift store and café, while also maintaining the safety and cleanliness of the Center’s public spaces in conjunction with other staff. The Visitor Engagement Associate is expected to demonstrate excellent customer service and professionalism when interacting with guests, staff, and volunteers and is an excellent problem solver and communicator and is collaborative and able to multi-task. This role is created for flexibility and the candidate must be able to take on projects as required to the Center, like audience survey’s or helping with floor set up or breakdown for example. The ideal candidate will possess a passion for promoting science education that is equitable, accessible, and fun for all audiences.

The position schedule is Friday-Sunday with a weekly workload of 24 hours. The schedule is created a month ahead, but last-minute staffing needs may also arise and be requested. This position is eligible for benefits.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Visitor Experience & Customer Service:

  • Welcome visitors to the museum with warmth and enthusiasm, providing a friendly and informative first point of contact.
  • Assist visitors with ticket purchases, memberships, and reservations, providing guidance on admission fees, discounts, and special offers.
  • Provide orientation and wayfinding assistance to help visitors navigate the museum, locate exhibits, amenities, and facilities, and plan their visit.
  • Offer personalized recommendations and insights about Center exhibits, programs, and events, tailoring recommendations to visitors’ interests and preferences.
  • Engage visitors in meaningful conversations fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and dialogue.
  • Handle inquiries, feedback, and complaints from visitors in a professional and courteous manner, escalating issues to museum leadership as necessary.

Sales & Operations:

  • Monitor exhibit spaces and main floor areas to ensure the safety and security of visitors and enforce Center policies and guidelines as needed.
  • Promote the sales of programs, memberships, and admissions, and keep up to date with information on all aspects of museum operations.
  • Handle food/ coffee preparation and sales, attaining food handlers’ licenses, provided by the Center.
  • Help to stock, arrange, and organize the gift store and cafe and assist with flow and sales.
  • Assist with the setup and breakdown of Center events, programs, and exhibitions, including seating arrangements, signage, and equipment setup.
  • Provide support for fieldtrip and group check in, including in-take, crowd management and flow and assistance with their visit.
  • Assist with routine tasks, such as stocking brochures, replenishing supplies, and maintaining cleanliness and orderliness in public areas.
  • Accurately and efficiently complete cash and credit card sales of tickets, memberships, merchandise, and food
  • Answer general phone line and emails daily.
  • Make Center-wide announcements and assist in emergencies or evacuations.
  • Usher and serve as planetarium operator for assigned programs
  • Perform clerical duties and other duties as needed.
  • Floor walks, helping to pick up trash, arrange exhibits and assist with the overall support of the floor.
  • Administer exit surveys for data collection as needed.
  • Oversee sales, daily operations and visitor experience, from ticketing and admissions to selling memberships, to the gift store and café experience, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable visit for all guests.
  • Monitor visitor feedback and implement necessary improvements to meet or exceed guest expectations.
  • Ensure accessibility, inclusion and equity are at the Center of all visitors’ experiences.
  • Oversee and follow up with visitor communications, including emailing, or phone responses outside of in-person interactions.
  • Report broken or unsafe conditions to management.

Collaboration:

  • Work closely with other departments, to develop integrated strategies for visitor engagement and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
  • Work closely and support fieldtrips and group sales in-take and on-site management.
  • Work closely with the Operations department on floor and exhibit conditions, ensure all exhibits are working and areas of the center clean, safe and accessible.
  • Support programs and events and other institutional needs as they arise, which could take place on off-open hours, or last-minute requests.

Community Engagement:

  • Build relationships with community stakeholders, partner organizations, and local businesses to enhance the visibility and accessibility of the science center.

Continuous Improvement:

  • Identify opportunities for process improvement and contribute ideas for enhancing the visitor experience and operational efficiency.

Required Skills/Abilities:

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
  • Strong problem-solving abilities, with a proactive and resourceful approach to addressing visitor needs and concerns.
  • Enthusiasm for space, or science, and education, with a passion for sharing knowledge and inspiring curiosity in others.
  • Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as needed.
  • Multilingual proficiency is a plus.
  • CPR and first aid certification preferred.
  • Experience with cash handling, sales and reporting.
  • Passion for science education, innovation, and inspiring curiosity among visitors of all ages.
  • Must be comfortable public speaker.

Education and Experience:

  • High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelor’s degree in hospitality, education or a related field preferred.
  • Previous customer service experience in a museum, cultural institution, hospitality, or retail setting preferred.
  • Point of Sale systems knowledge and experience
  • Ability to accurately complete routine administrative paperwork
  • Honesty, reliability, and integrity
  • Excellent spoken and written communications skills
  • Fluency in English, bilingual is a plus
  • Food service certification recommended (but will be provided if not already in possession)

Application Requirements:

·         Please upload a copy of your Resume to: Part-Time Visitor Engagement Associate – Oakland, CA 94619 – Indeed.com

Work Environment:

Must be committed to working in a diverse workforce with dignity and respect, appreciating unique backgrounds and experiences, and fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements listed below are characteristic of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods of time.
  • Ability to lift 25 pounds.
  • Ability to work indoors in environmentally controlled conditions, or outdoors in seasonal temperatures.
  • Ability to work in a sometimes loud and active environments for an extended period.
  • Ability to work in crowded environments.

CHABOT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Chabot is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our employees are people with differing strengths, experiences, and backgrounds who share a passion for bringing science to the full range of our community – sparking excitement about a universe of possibilities beyond our planet. Diversity not only includes race and gender identity but also age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion, and many other parts of one’s identity. All our employees’ points of view are key to our success, and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $21.20 – $24.00 per hour

Benefits:

  • Dental insurance
  • Employee discount
  • Health insurance
  • Vision insurance

Work Location: In person