Designer, Creative Design ​/ Digital Art

Science Museum of Minnesota | SMM
120 West Kellogg Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55102, USA

Experience Designers create exemplary museum experiences and actively collaborate with project teams, managers, external project partners, and advisors in this work. Experience Designer is an important role on the Design and Development team, responsible for establishing the overall look and feel of a variety of projects (exhibit or online, internal and external) and works with other designers and museum staff to bring that vision to life.

The Experience Designer participates in the creation of design team and project budgets, staffing assignments, and may serve as a primary client facing employee. This position is classified as occasional and is not guaranteed a minimum or set schedule.

The Science Museum of Minnesota is seeking a qualified Experience Designer to join our Exhibits team as an occasional employee. "Occasional" in this context means working variable hours based on current project workloads, typically between 15-30 hours weekly, with the possibility of more or fewer hours in any given pay period. This person will typically be assigned to one or more projects, but since our project workload changes throughout the year, there is a chance that gaps in work may occur.

This occasional Experience Designer role offers an opportunity to be an official member of SMM's Experience Design team while maintaining the ability to decline hours based on your own schedule or external commitments.

Job Duties and Responsibilites:

• Experience with and demonstrated ability to independently employ and flex amongst/between multiple design disciplines, which should include several of the following, or more:
  • 3D environmental design: creation of 3D digital models, elevations, isometric projections, sketches of design concepts. Solid knowledge of 3D software required (Sketch Up, Vectorworks, AutoCAD, Revit, etc)
  • 2D graphic design:
    Create both large and small format graphic layouts for exhibit and marketing projects utilizing industry standard software (Adobe Creative Suite).
  • UX/UI design:
    Create wireframes of digital media experiences (exhibit and online), work closely with software engineers on implementation, prototype as necessary to optimize visitor experience.
  • Illustration (hand and/or digital):
    Includes, but not limited to:
    Instructional illustrations of interactive experiences, overview of exhibit experiences, original artwork, marketing collateral.
  • Videography:
    Film and edit various video projects for exhibit and online experiences. Publish those projects on various equipment and platforms.
• Serve as lead designer for exhibit and experience projects, establishing overall design direction including 3D, graphic, lighting, and overall look and feel for those projects.
• In coordination with Project Leaders, organize and lead project team meetings both with internal teams and external clients. In the absence of a Project Leader, serve as the primary point of contact with external clients related to active project work.
• In collaboration with Project Leaders and Museum Experience Directors, develop design team and project budgets relating to design tasks, establishing timelines and staffing assignments to achieve exemplary work while remaining within budget. Monitor ongoing project budgets and advise on necessary adjustments to remain within budget.
• Produce presentation materials (digital and hand renderings) representing design concepts, and formally present them to external clients. Lead conversations with project stakeholders, soliciting feedback and ideas, and implement necessary design changes to meet project goals.
• Foster and maintain positive professional relationships with external clients, providing exemplary customer service and attention to detail to bring client’s projects from concept phase through finished product.
• As available, assign work tasks to and mentor junior staff and interns with a focus on the SMM process and design philosophy. Coordinate these efforts with Experience Development team, and Museum Experience Department leaders to foster staff growth.
• Collaborate with the design and development team, and exhibit production staff to ensure that prototype and finished designs are being rendered to specifications and meet overall project goals.
• Lead visitor testing and demonstrations of exhibit prototypes on SMM’s museum floor to ensure exhibits are safe, engaging, and provide intended learning outcomes. Recruit SMM visitors to…