Bell Museum School Programs Coordinator

Applications due July 20, 2025. Questions about the position can be directed to Kate Sigurdson, ksigurds@umn.edu.

Please upload a resume and cover letter. Your cover letter is the key component of your application. It should discuss your central qualifications and relevant experience as it is related to the required and preferred qualifications for this job posting.

The School Programs Coordinator supports the mission of the Bell by coordinating, delivering, and assisting in the development of innovative, interdisciplinary science content for students in
grades K-12. This takes the form of in-person field trips, STEM learning labs, self-guided museum experiences, and interactive activities for school, homeschool, summer, and community groups. This position ensures all programs are innovative, engaging, effective, and support the museum's mission. They are a strong advocate for science education and will inspire a passion for learning by drawing from University of Minnesota research and resources. The School Programs Coordinator supervises a team of part-time Bell educator staff and they are responsible for creating a collaborative working environment where all members of this staff can thrive. They also work with other program coordinators to assist with scheduling and training University student staff to assist with school programs. Additionally, this position assists the Education Programs Manager with developing school program budgets, growing and maintaining school/district partnerships, creating teacher professional development opportunities, providing creative programmatic insights, identifying opportunities to improve program offerings based on evaluation, and supporting grant writing initiatives. This position directly reports to the Education Programs Manager and is a member of the Education Programs team; this team sits within the larger Public Engagement and Science Learning team (PESL), which is responsible for onsite K-12 science education, planetarium shows and astronomy programming, exhibits and gallery programs, and public programming. The position collaborates closely with other teams across the Bell on program operations and development, including Operations and Visitor Services, Development, Marketing, and Statewide Engagement. This is a 100% time position, working 40 hours a week.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
School Program Operations, Logistics, and Supervision (55%)
* Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate 2-5 museum educators and 2 part time percentage educators for the welcome, orientation, engagement of K-12 school groups and delivery of STEM-based labs.
* Schedule educators on a regular basis (at least 3 weeks in advance) based on the field trip schedule, using an online scheduling system.
* Design, select, and update onboarding and on-going training materials, mentoring, and professional development for educators on topics such as diversity, equity and inclusion, policies and procedures, customer service, and education philosophies.
* Maintain and update manuals, policies, and procedures for all school programs.
* Collaborate with the Groups Sales team to plan and implement a logistical daily schedule for in-person field trips, using shared documents such as Google sheets.
* Develop and deliver communications regarding policies and procedures around welcoming and orienting school groups.
* Ensure that groups' identified accessibility needs are anticipated and met on the day of their visit, and troubleshoot any day-of issues.
* Be present to greet buses, arriving school groups, and to troubleshoot the logistical shifts of the day.
* Oversee the inventory, purchase, organization and maintenance of materials required for groups and labs, tracking expenses to stay within budget.
* Provide content support for grant proposals and marketing materials.

School Program Development and Delivery (30%)
* Oversee and deliver experiential STEAM-based learning labs for K-12 grade students spanning a wide range of science content from life, Earth, and space sciences.
* Create, foster, and maintain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all museum visitors, program participants, and staff.
* Introduce and reinforce behavior guidelines during the visit and follow up with groups after the visit when needed.
* Analyze school program evaluations; gather and analyze data on program content, engagement, and effectiveness to inform program improvement.
* Collaborate with the Education Programs Manager to develop and/or revise labs and curricula on an on-going/annual basis, utilizing relationships within the University to support content development and the museum's mission of bringing scientific research to the larger public, and aligning with MN state academic standards
* Work with the PESL team and the Statewide Engagement team to co-create universally applicable curricula for school / student groups.
* Collaborate with the Education Program Manager, and other Bell departments, to plan the annual schedule and activities.
* Assist in managing/tracking school program budget expenses and revenue.

Education Outreach (10%)
* Develop and deliver professional development programs for K-12 educators, through collaborative work with teams across the Bell.
* Create and foster relationships with teachers and school districts throughout the state.
* Represent the Bell at education and science-related conferences and events.
* Attend Pre-College Network meetings and related trainings.
* Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars as part of professional development opportunities, including on a variety of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)
* This might include attending special meetings, assisting other departments, and working on new projects

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
* B.A./B.S. in education, science, or other related field with at least 3 years relevant experience implementing non-formal education programs for grades K-12
* Knowledge of best practices in non-formal science learning
* Proven experience working with a variety of cultural and socioeconomic groups and demonstrated commitment to inclusion, and providing access and a welcoming environment to a diverse range of people
* Demonstrated ability to work supportively and collaboratively with teammates as well as external stakeholders, exercising decision-making within their designated scope of authority
* Available for very occasional evening and weekend work, as assigned (to include approximately 6 evenings or weekend days per year)

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
* Master's degree in education or related field
* At least 2 years experience supervising, scheduling and mentoring staff, with some experience managing part-time staff
* Understanding of the needs and priorities of formal education K-12 teachers in Minnesota
* Working knowledge of research, development, and trends in the fields of education and nonformal science learning
* Experience with program research and evaluation
* Proven ability to lead projects from planning phase through completion and within budget
* Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities with close attention to detail
* Creative, flexible, and solid analytical and problem-solving skills
* Fluency in Spanish, Somali, or another language in addition to English
* Proficiency in Google suite

The mission of the Museum is to ignite and sustain curiosity for nature and the universe. The Bell envisions a hopeful future where all are inspired by nature and empowered by science. For over 150 years, the Bell Museum has collected, preserved, interpreted, and displayed the natural history of Minnesota as the state's official natural history museum. The Bell preserves
and interprets our state's rich natural history and serves learners of all ages. Additionally, our scientific collections contain over one million specimens, representing every county in
Minnesota and various locales around the globe. The museum is powered by the great minds on campus-from our faculty-curators, student lab assistants, and undergraduate interpretive guides to our dedicated staff and collegiate partners. We are looking for individuals to join our team who are inspired by our mission to ignite and sustain curiosity for nature and the universe and achieve our vision of a hopeful future where all are inspired by nature and empowered by science. We believe that difference is a strength and are looking for candidates who reflect and respect diversity. We encourage you to apply for the position even if you do not believe you meet every qualification.

Pay Range: $53,865-$59,473, depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment Category: 75%-100% Appointment (If job description above does not specify appointment or expected weekly hours, assume a 100% appointment.)

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

Questions about the position can be directed to Kate Sigurdson, ksigurds@umn.edu. Please upload a resume and cover letter. Your cover letter is the key component of your

application. It should discuss your central qualifications and relevant experience as it is related to the required and preferred qualifications for this job posting

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).