Part-Time Education Specialist

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Part Time Non Executive Chicago, IL, US

11 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $18.25 To $19.59 Hourly

Part-Time Education Specialist

Union Position

The Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. Whether introducing a guest to the Ring Nebula, a neighborhood school to a community partner, a research team to a network of citizen scientists, or one staff member to another, the Adler’s focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century.

Today, the museum typically hosts more than half a million visitors annually and reaches millions more through youth STEAM programs, neighborhood sky watching events, online citizen science, and other outreach efforts. With the Adler’s support, people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities gain the confidence to explore their universe together and return to their communities ready to think critically and creatively about any challenge that comes their way.

The Adler Planetarium is seeking a Part-Time Education Specialist to join our dynamic team on Chicago's Museum Campus. Staff in this role will work as part of a team of museum educators, delivering engaging, informal learning experiences to museum visitors of all ages daily. Educators engage Adler audiences on the floor, in museum galleries, and in educational spaces. They are experts in understanding and adapting to meet the needs and expectations of target audiences: adults, families, and students.

Part-time Education Specialists are excellent communicators with an enthusiasm for sharing knowledge, connecting with others, and supporting learners at various levels. They are creative, proactive problem-solvers with the ability to adapt and meet the needs of different audiences. Education Specialists bring their experience facilitating science-rich educational activities to deliver high-quality, audience-centered experiences for all museum visitors. They can prioritize and manage multiple tasks, make well-reasoned, independent decisions, and work well with others.

This is a union position with the Adler Planetarium Workers United, AFSCME Council 31.

• Facilitating onsite activities for adults, families, and students
• Providing positive guest-facing interactions
• Collecting participation data, logging successes and challenges, and providing input regarding visitor feedback and experiences to the wider department
• Preparing for educational programs and maintaining organized learning spaces (e.g., set up/breakdown of activities, restocking spaces, reporting supply needs)
• Ongoing participation in training and knowledge development
• Taking an active role in team discussions and participating in training sessions to build and maintain facilitation skills and expand content knowledge
• Participating in ongoing professional learning and training on existing and new Adler activities and engagement strategies
• Participating in activity testing, visitor testing/observations, and supporting iterative program development

Initial onsite group interviews will be held for this position on the following dates:

Monday, July 13, 2026 in the morning

Monday, July 20, 2026 in the afternoon

The typical work schedule is Sundays and Mondays (10:00 am - 4:00 pm on both days) and the 4th Wednesday of each month (1:00 pm - 5:00 pm). Work is on‑site only. Weekend availability is required. Periodic night availability is required. Schedule is subject to change based on operational needs.

Work hours for this position vary seasonally, ranging from 10 to 16 hours per week. Select holidays are required (MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day).

Base Pay Range: $18.25/hr - $19.59/hr

10 to 16‑hour workweek

Eligible to accrue up to 6 vacation days per year

3 sick days as of date of hire (can accrue up to 6.5 days per year)

Eligible to earn time and a half for working on any of the 7 Adler-observed…