Education Director

Overview

Job posting for the Seymour Marine Discovery Center at UC Santa Cruz. Location: Santa Cruz. Employment type: Full Time. Job ID: 80607.

JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Seymour Center Executive Director, the Education Director has overall responsibility for directing, developing, managing, and presenting the center's education programs that emphasize research and conservation efforts within the UCSC Science Division centered around the marine, ocean, and coastal sciences.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $85,000.00/year - $90,000.00/year. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.

Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: Mon-Fri
• Shift Includes: Day

Employee Classification: Contract appointment

Job End Date: 1 year from hire date, with option to extend based on performance. More details to be discussed at the interview.

Work Location: Off Campus - Seymour Center

Union Representation: Non-Represented

Job Code Classification: (MUSEUM EDUCATOR 4) - Grade 21

Travel: Up to 25% of the time

JOB DUTIES

60% - Deliver Excellent Youth Education Experiences

• Leads the design, implementation, instruction, and evaluation of Seymour Center's educational programs including Discovery Labs and Ocean Explorers summer camp.
• Leads the Youth Education team: recruits, trains, manages, and evaluates career staff, student employees, interns, and volunteers responsible for delivering excellent youth experiences.
• Maintains program quality by aligning curricula with NGSS, UCSC research, and informal science education best practices.
• Serves as the lead instructor for the Discovery Lab school field trips.
• Teaches Ocean Explorers summer camp in the absence of the Youth Programs Manager.
• Partners with local organizations and/or schools to create educational programs that attract diverse families.
• Conceptualizes and develops strategies to attract audiences and new student educators.
• Researches, develops, and evaluates high-value, innovative, and collaborative educational experiences.
• Studies and applies theory and museum education best practices to solve problems, make decisions, and mentor staff and volunteers to ensure high-quality programming and professionalism.
• Provides coordination and customer service to target audiences, including teachers, parents, and students.
• Builds efficient and cost-effective operational systems for the Youth Education programs.
• Oversees programming operations, including program budget and related grants.
• May drive a university vehicle to transport children to off-site locations during the Ocean Explorers Summer Camp.

20% - Executive & Organizational Leadership

• Serves on the Seymour Center executive team, participating in strategic planning, budgeting, and cross-functional leadership.
• Attends internal meetings, completes paperwork, and performs other administrative duties as needed.
• Collaborates on the development of interpretive content for the exhibit hall.
• Works with UCSC researchers and the Science Division to ensure content reflects cutting-edge research and contributes to the campus wide research impact agenda.
• Supports volunteer and staff training to ensure excellence in exhibit- and tour-based interpretation.

20% - Strategic Initiative Development

• Designs and launches a new, high-touch educational program that addresses a local science education challenge and exemplifies Seymour Center's mission.
• Partners with UCSC researchers, K-12 educators, and community organizations to co-create a pilot rooted in Seymour Center's Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz framework.
• Aligns the initiative with UCSC Science Division priorities for community-engaged scholarship and measurable public impact.
• Represents the Center in cross-campus initiatives and Science Division projects focused on public engagement with research.
• Collaborates with campus stakeholders to secure funding, amplify outreach, and align Seymour's work with broader UCSC goals.
• Collaborates with the Executive Director and Deputy Director on funding the pilot with the vision of long term financial sustainability.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• CPR/First Aid/AED Certification.
• Bachelor's degree in education, marine science, science education, environmental studies field and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Continuing education in related field.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in informal science education or related settings.
• Demonstrated success managing educational programs and supervising staff or volunteers.
• Advanced knowledge of museum educational techniques and approaches and the ability to apply them across programmatic type(s) and environment(s).
• Advanced knowledge of the learning characteristics of museum audiences.
• Advanced knowledge of marine, ocean, and coastal science and conservation.
• Advanced knowledge and skills in training development and/or learning strategies and program and educator assessment.
• Thorough project management skills.
• Advanced skills in conducting analysis and demonstrated organizational and problem solving skills in decision making.
• Strong presentation skills, including originality, creativity, and ability to maintain classroom attention.
• Strong verbal communication skills.
• Strong written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Proven skills and experience in administering museum education operations, including planning and oversight of staff.
• Track record of building partnerships with schools, researchers, or community-based organizations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced knowledge of emerging educational technologies and their application within museum education programming.
• Experience translating scientific research into public-facing programming.
• Thorough knowledge of budget tracking and analysis strategies.
• Strong knowledge of promotional and marketing techniques for museum educational programming.
• Familiarity with UC campus systems, research structures, or science engagement initiatives.
• Knowledge of coastal environmental issues and science education networks in Santa Cruz or California.
• Demonstrable history of building financially sustainable education programs.
• Bilingual: fluent or proficient in written and spoken English and Spanish.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Selected candidate will be required to pass a pre-employment criminal history background check.
• Selected candidate must pass the employment misconduct disclosure process.
• Selected candidate will be required to complete training within established time frames as directed including UC compliance training.
• Must possess CPR/First Aid/AED certification or have the ability to obtain it within 60-calendar days of hire.
• Must possess a valid license to drive in the state of California and participate in the DMV pull notice program.
• Ability to work long periods of time at a computer with or without accommodation.
• Ability to safely perform the physical requirements necessary to move light to moderate objects up to 60 lbs., with or without accommodation.
• The selected candidate will be required to work all scheduled hours on-site.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as directed.
• Selected candidate will be required to complete training within established time frames as directed including UC compliance training.
• Ability to travel to multiple work locations on and off campus.
• Will be required to wear a University provided uniform.
• The University of California has implemented a Vaccination Policy covering all employees. Employees, including new hires, are required to comply with any applicable policies relating to the University of California vaccine program.
• Per CANRA, this position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter and will require reporting known or suspected child abuse or neglect.

MISCONDUCT DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer will disclose if they have had misconduct-related findings within the last seven years, among other disclosures described in the posting.

SAFETY STATEMENT

All UCSC employees must follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, promote safety at work, and report accidents and injuries.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASFSR) is available at

EEO/AA

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status or other protected categories.

It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.