Museum Aid (High School Explainer), IS-1016-01

Smithsonian Institution

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Salary: $18+
Location: Chantilly, VA
Type: Temporary
Department: Education
Education: High School

Description

Museum Aid (High School Explainer), IS-1016-01

Application Deadline: 7 October 2026

Department: National Air and Space Museum

Employment Type: Temporary

Location: Chantilly, VA

Reporting To: Manager, Gallery Programming

Compensation: $18.56 / 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. *

DUTY LOCATION: Chantilly, VA

Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants.

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 (High School Explainer) at the National Air and Space Museum inspire life-long learners by connecting them to our iconic artifacts and to stories about the science and technology that make innovation possible. The Explainers Program hires high school students to help visitors better understand the Museum’s artifacts and exhibitions through hands-on programming. Explainers work at either the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC or at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

The Museum Aid (High School Explainer) serves as a key member of the visitor engagement team at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. This position is responsible for presenting live, science-based demonstrations and educational programs that enhance visitors' understanding of aviation, space exploration, and related scientific concepts. Working within the Museum's Educational Services Department and under the direction of the Gallery Programs Manager, the role requires engaging with diverse audiences through interactive presentations, answers visitor questions, and helps create an informative and enjoyable museum experience.

Presents routine demonstrations that explain scientific principles and concepts related to aeronautics, spaceflight, and space exploration to museum visitors.
Engages audiences of varying ages and backgrounds through educational, interactive presentations designed to enhance understanding of aviation and space science.
Maintains demonstration equipment and materials in safe, clean, and operational condition.
Identifies damaged, malfunctioning, or depleted demonstration supplies and informs higher-level technicians to ensure timely repair or replacement.
Assists with the collection and recording of attendance and audience participation data to support program evaluation and statistical reporting.
Provides courteous customer service by answering visitor questions and helping to create a positive and educational museum experience.
Supports the National Air and Space Museum's educational mission by fostering curiosity and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics.
Actively engage visitors through hands-on activity carts, interactive demonstrations, and educational experiences focused on aviation and space science topics, including the forces of flight and human life in orbit.
Facilitate a variety of public programs, such as solar observation and stargazing activities, drop-in engineering and design challenges, and interactive simulator experiences that allow visitors to explore concepts such as landing a space shuttle and understanding spacecraft systems. Through these engaging programs, Explainers help foster curiosity, encourage STEM learning, and create memorable museum experiences for visitors of all ages.

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 enrolled in an accredited high school in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia area at the time of application and 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 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