- Salary
- $19+
- Location
- Washington, DC
- Type
- Temporary
Description
Museum Aid (College Explainer), IS-1016-02
Application Deadline: 7 October 2026
Department: National Air and Space Museum
Employment Type: Temporary
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Manager, Gallery Programming
Compensation: $19.48 / hour
Description
OPEN DATE: September 24, 2026
CLOSING DATE: October 7, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Not to Exceed One (1) Year
SCHEDULE: Intermittent *This position is based at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Work schedules may include weekends, holidays, and peak visitation periods, including summer months and school breaks. Flexible scheduling may be available to accommodate academic commitments, depending on operational needs and program requirements. *
Open to all qualified applicants.
What are Trust Fund Positions?
What are Trust Fund Positions?
Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program and may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).
Conditions of Employment
- Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated as low risk.
- Complete a Probationary Period
- Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
- The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
- Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
OVERVIEW
The National Air and Space Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world and is part of the Smithsonian Institution. Located in Washington, DC, with an additional facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, the museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history, science, and technology of aviation and space exploration.
The museum houses the world's largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft, including iconic artifacts such as the 1903 Wright Flyer, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, and the Space Shuttle Discovery. These exhibits highlight significant milestones in human flight and space travel.
The museum's mission is to commemorate achievements in flight, educate the public about aerospace history and science, and inspire future generations of innovators, explorers, and scientists. Millions of visitors each year come to experience its collections and learn about humanity's continuing journey through the skies and beyond.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Museum Aid (College Explainer) engages visitors through hands-on educational programs that connect the Museum’s iconic artifacts with the science, technology, and innovation behind aviation and space exploration. College Explainers help visitors better understand exhibits through interactive programming and may work at either the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, or the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.
The Museum Aid (College Explainer) serves as a member of the visitor engagement and education team at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. This role presents live, science-based demonstrations and facilitates interactive educational experiences for visitors, helping to increase understanding of aviation, spaceflight, and related scientific concepts. This position is located within the Museum's Educational Services Department and operates under the supervision of the Gallery Programs Manager. Through public engagement, educational programming, and customer service, the College Explainer supports the Museum's mission to educate, inspire, and foster curiosity about air and space exploration.
The Museum Aid (College Explainer) serves as a member of the visitor engagement and education team at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. This role presents live, science-based demonstrations and facilitates interactive educational experiences for visitors, helping to increase understanding of aviation, spaceflight, and related scientific concepts. This position is located within the Museum's Educational Services Department and operates under the supervision of the Gallery Programs Manager. Through public engagement, educational programming, and customer service, the College Explainer supports the Museum's mission to educate, inspire, and foster curiosity about air and space exploration.
- Present routine demonstrations that explain various scientific principle and concepts related to topics in aeronautics and space flight and exploration.
- Maintains demonstration equipment and materials in safe and operable condition to support educational programming.
- Identifies damaged or malfunctioning equipment and notifies higher-level staff to facilitate necessary repairs or replacements.
- Assists with the collection, tracking, and reporting of attendance and participation data for demonstrations and visitor engagement activities.
- Ensures program materials are organized, available, and ready for use during presentations and hands-on activities.
- Engages visitors through hands-on activity carts and interactive demonstrations that explore aviation and space science topics, such as the forces of flight and human life in orbit.
- Facilitates a variety of educational programs, including solar observation and stargazing activities, engineering and design challenges, and interactive simulator experiences.
- Explains scientific concepts and Museum exhibits in an engaging and accessible manner to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Encourages visitor participation and curiosity through experiential learning opportunities that support STEM education and public engagement. - Provides exceptional customer service while helping create meaningful and memorable museum experiences.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Eligibility Requirements, candidate's must meet the following:
- Applicants must be a minimum of 16 years old to be considered for this position.
- Actively pursuing a degree at an accredited college or university in the Washington, DC metropolitan area (DC, Maryland, or Virginia) and maintain enrollment throughout the period of employment.
- Must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 and be in good academic standing.
- Available to participate in a one-year probationary training program and report onsite on a monthly basis throughout the training period.
- The selected applicant must maintain active status by working at least 15 hours each month.
- Must be comfortable interacting with visitors from a wide range of cultural, educational, and demographic backgrounds and be able to engage them in a professional and respectful manner.
- Skills in written and oral communication sufficient to deliver educational presentations, explain scientific concepts, and provide outstanding customer service to museum visitors.
- Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning and be willing to attend training sessions and independently study scientific topics related to aeronautics and space science.
Applicants, who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States, must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.
Any false statement in your application may result in your application being rejected and may also result in termination after employment begins.
The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."
TO APPLY:
Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.
What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. Qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager and invited for an interview.
Relocation expenses are not paid.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [email protected]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities).
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [email protected]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities).
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo
Skills
Customer Service