-
Job Description
Description
Join our team and play a key role in fostering community engagement while enriching the lives of families in our community!
The City’s Community Services Department is seeking a part-time Exhibits Technician (Arts & Science Professional II - H) to help build and maintain hands-on exhibits at the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. The Junior Museum and Zoo is a local family destination that serves children, birth to age 8, through its science exhibits and zoo, and children to age 11 through its school programs and summer camps. Approximately 117,000 visitors enjoy the Museum and Zoo each year and 23,000 take part in its science lessons and field trips at the Museum, in local schools, and in local open spaces. The Junior Museum’s mission is to engage a child’s curiosity in science and nature.
The Exhibits Technician will be responsible for maintaining and improving existing hands-on exhibits. Additionally, they will assist in the construction of new exhibits, from initial prototypes to completed installations. This position requires both teamwork and the ability to work independently. For maintenance tasks, the technician must be able to develop creative, effective solutions to persistent exhibit challenges. For exhibit fabrication, the ability to work from schematics, sketches, or verbal descriptions is essential. If the individual has design skills, exhibit design tasks may also be assigned. A willingness to work creatively within project constraints is essential.- This is a part-time position, requiring 19 hours per week, and reports to the Exhibits Director.
This is an SEIU Hourly (limited benefits) position that is budgeted to not exceed 1,000 hours per fiscal year.
(In lieu of providing a medical plan, the City grants a medical stipend of $3.80 per hour in paid status)
Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include but are not limited to following, depending on assigned operations and functional areas:- Inspect and Repair Exhibits: Perform weekly inspections and necessary repairs.
- Procure Materials: Purchase and maintain stock of required parts and consumables.
- Minimize Downtime: Contribute to systems that reduce exhibit downtime.
- Ongoing Maintenance: Oversee regular exhibit upkeep.
- Collaborate on Design: Provide functional input on exhibit designs.
- Build Mechanical Interactives: Design and build interactives as specified by the Exhibits Director.
- Source Materials and Vendors: Procure parts, materials, and manage vendor relationships.
- Enhance Exhibit Functionality: Implement improvements to optimize exhibit performance.
- Manage Budgets and Timelines: Ensure projects stay on schedule and within budget.
- Maintain Workshop Equipment: Assist in the upkeep of tools and equipment.
Minimum Qualifications
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities which would typically be acquired through:- Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience, in science, art/design, museum studies, architecture, engineering, or related fields;
- At least one year experience repairing, building, and/or designing exhibits for museums, zoos, or a similar profession such as carpentry or construction.
Preferred Qualifications:- Proficiency in CAD or production drawing software with additional design skills considered a plus.
For job description, click Here .
Supplemental Information
Application Process:- Complete an online application with cover letter and resume attached.
The Selection Process:- Applicants will receive recruitment status notifications via email (governmentjobs.com account also has notification status updates).
- Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time.
- The screening process for this position typically may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.
- During the interview process, candidates will be asked to provide at least 6 photos of things they have built.
Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.
The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
City of Palo Alto offers the following benefits to those in a SEIU Hourly position:
Medical Stipend
$3.80 effectivethe pay period including July 1, 2024.
Sick Leave
Earn .03 hour of sick leave for each hour worked.
Retirement
City of Palo Alto PST (Part-time, Seasonal & Temporary Employees) Retirement Plan
Please note: The City does not participate in CA State Disability Insurance (SDI) or Social Security.
Closing Date/Time: 1/31/2025 11:59 PM Pacific - This is a part-time position, requiring 19 hours per week, and reports to the Exhibits Director.
-
ABOUT THE COMPANY
-
-
City of Palo Alto
Show morePalo Alto is located about 35 miles south of San Francisco; and 14 miles north of San Jose. Palo Alto, known as the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley” and global center of technology and innovation, is the corporate headquarters for many world-class companies and research facilities such as VMWare, Hewlett-Packard, IDEO, Tesla, and Skype. Home to Stanford University and a top-ranked public school system, Palo Alto also features beautiful and historic residential neighborhoods, vibrant shopping and retail districts.
Palo Alto has a highly educated and culturally sophisticated citizenry that is actively engaged in making a difference both locally and globally. Unique among city organizations, Palo Alto operates a full-array of services including its own gas, electric, water, sewer, refuse and storm drainage provided at very competitive rates for its customers.
The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. Many world-class businesses maintained or started offices here, including Amazon, Tesla, Hewlett Packard, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Rivian, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, SAP Ariba, Houzz, Varian Medical Systems, and VMware. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the startup capital of the world.
Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community’s dedication to life-long learning. Stanford’s cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City’s exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation.
Home to picturesque tree-lined streets, bike lanes, and historic buildings that reflect its California heritage, Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy with premium shopping and dining options. Excellent health care facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are just some of this incredibly desirable community’s cherished amenities.
Join an Award Winning Team
Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government.
We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.
-