Cultural Maker Project Specialist

Position Title: Cultural Maker Project Specialist​

Department: Maker & Innovation Lab

Reports to: Maker & Innovation Lab Director

Pay Class: Fulltime, Limited Duration

FLSA Status: Hourly, Non-Exempt           

Position Summary

The Cultural Maker Project Specialist is a full-time limited duration position through Dec 2028 that supports Pacific Science Center’s Welcoming with Intention initiative, a multi‑year effort to connect arts, culture, and science through an Indigenous-led artist‑in‑residence program within the Maker & Innovation Lab. In partnership with Pacific Northwest Indigenous artists and culture bearers, this role helps transform the Maker & Innovation Lab and historic courtyard into inclusive, creative spaces where visitors engage with hands-on making, cultural traditions, and public art.

The Specialist coordinates key project deliverables including onsite artist work, community group visits, advisory committee meetings, development of public programming, and artwork installation logistics while documenting lessons learned for future use. A critical component of this role is fostering strong, reciprocal relationships with Tribal communities, centering long-term trust and authentic collaboration. In addition to coordinating project activities, the Specialist contributes to Maker & Innovation Lab program development and guest-facing facilitation to ensure the initiative work is fully integrated into the broader Maker & Innovation Lab experience.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities                                                                                                        

• Manage planning, scheduling, resource coordination, and documentation for all activities withing the Welcoming with Intention initiative.
• Build strong reciprocal relationships with Tribal Community advisors and organizations by serving as the hub for communication among PacSci Staff, Tribal advisors, artists, and community partner organizations.
• Oversee logistics for MIL programming related to the project, courtyard demonstrations, and art installations, ensuring that activities are well-organized, accessible, and aligned with PacSci’s mission of inspiring curiosity and critical thinking in youth.
• Coordinates the annual community celebration of the project, inviting advisors, artists, partner organizations and key stakeholders.
• Leads collaborative development of project-related programs with the rest of the department, including facilitated and unfacilitated activities, makerspace programming, demonstrations, and special events.
• Maintains the functionality of the workshop areas that will be needed for the artist to work at PacSci. This will require coordination across PacSci departments.
• Creates a supportive environment to engage all MIL team members in program development, encouraging facilitators to learn from the artists.
• Facilitate making and tinkering with guests, modeling and using effective, equitable and culturally competent facilitation methods

• Collaborate with MIL program supervisors and the MIL Director to ensure necessary supplies are ordered and stocked in advance of planned programming.
• Assists in maintaining a well-organized makerspace and secure inventory of equipment, tools, and materials
• Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements: Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Project & Operational Abilities

• Strong time management, organization, and situational awareness.
• Ability to coordinate multiple moving parts, track deadlines, and maintain well-organized documentation.
• Flexibility to pivot between administrative tasks, program facilitation, and public-facing responsibilities.
• Ability to maintain or support a functional, safe, and welcoming makerspace environment.

• Program & Makerspace Skills

• Understanding of making and tinkering practices within museum or community-based makerspaces, including both traditional and contemporary methods.
• Knowledge of safety and risk‑management practices in a makerspace environment.
• Ability to assess appropriate risk and apply strong judgment in guest-facing programming.
• Awareness of emerging tools, technologies, and inclusive maker practices.

• Cultural & Interpersonal Competencies

• Awareness of personal bias and commitment to culturally responsive, equity-minded practice.
• Ability to build and sustain respectful, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities and culturally diverse partners.
• Composure under pressure, effective conflict resolution skills, and the ability to represent PacSci’s mission and guiding principles in all interactions.
• Strong communication skills, clear writing, accessible verbal communication, and the ability to make complex information understandable.

Qualifications

Required

•  Experience coordinating multi stakeholder projects or programs, including scheduling, logistics, and documentation.

•  Demonstrated experience building and maintaining relationships with Indigenous communities or other culturally diverse partners.

•  Experience supporting artists, cultural programs, or community-centered initiatives.

•  Experience planning or coordinating events, meetings, or public-facing programs.

•  Personal or professional experience with making or tinkering in one or more areas, including:

• Sewing, quilting, weaving, crocheting, knitting, or other textile work
• Papercraft, jewelry, pottery, leatherwork, needlework, or similar crafts
• Woodworking
• CAD, coding, game design, audio/video production, engineering or architecture
• Hardware and fabrication tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, electronics, or robotics
• Experience working with youth in formal or informal education environments (e.g., schools, museums, libraries, community centers).
• Experience working in a busy public-facing environment (e.g., museums, food service, retail).
• Ability and willingness to work onsite, including partial weekend work and seasonal schedule shifts.

Preferred           

• Prior experience working with Tribal communities or in Indigenous-led programs.
• Experience in community partnership development or cultural facilitation roles.
• Prior career or personal experience in an education-oriented makerspace or similar program 
• High-tech making, such as 3D printing, laser cutting, circuits, and/or coding
• Experience writing, reviewing, and/or editing STEM/STEAM curriculum 
• Guests visiting PacSci come from many diverse backgrounds. Proficiency in a second language such as but not limited to Spanish, Somali, Mandarin, ASL, and/or Vietnamese is a highly preferred skill to support with on floor communication 

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

• While performing the duties of this job, will be required to maneuver through the makerspace and science center; manipulate and safely use objects, tools or controls; move up to 50lbs with assistance; reach to retrieve supplies and objects, picking up items off of the floor; communicate with guests; respond quickly to sounds in the area; stoop, crouch, kneel or otherwise be able to adjust to a child’s height. Must be able to observe and perceive participants in all areas of the makerspace.  
• This job will require exposure to chemicals, fumes, dust, loud noises, and other potential irritants or hazards common in a makerspace.  
• This position must pivot comfortably between planning and administrative tasks, to being public-facing working directly with guests, volunteers and staff, to being project spokesperson.  
• This role is required to spend a significant amount of time on the Pacific Science Center exhibit floor, which at peak times of operations can be a crowded, noisy, and chaotic environment. Noise and energy levels of the exhibit floor vary dramatically from high to low.  
• A uniform shirt is provided and required to be worn while delivering programming

 This position description generally describes the principal functions of the position, and the level of knowledge and skills typically required.  It does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee, and it is subject to change as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

Compensation

Pay is based on several factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and years of experience.

In addition to base salary, all employees receive:

• Employee PacSci Membership

Full-time regular employees (40 hrs/week) additionally recieve following benefits: 

• Medical, Dental, Vision, basic life insurance, and disability insurance
• 4 weeks of vacation, 12 floating holidays, and sick pay
• 403(b) Retirement Savings
• Commuter benefits (regular employees working at least 20 hours/week)
• Employee Assistance Program

Pacific Science Center stands with those who are courageously fighting against hate, racism, and injustice. We recognize that not being racist is not sufficient. We must be actively anti-racist, and we commit to doing so.  We prioritize inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in everything we do. Curiosity and critical thinking are essential to the dialogue and changes that need to happen.

Pacific Science Center complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact us at HRDepartment@pacsci.org.

Salary : $26 - $28