Want to make a big impact communicating science to the general public? The California Science Center seeks candidates to oversee the inception, development, and implementation of its many exciting educational exhibit experiences.

Position Summary

The California Science Center employs several Curators who oversee the development and implementation of science exhibits. This includes both the creation of brand new exhibit experiences and the ongoing maintenance of existing exhibits.  

Curators apply their technical scientific expertise to the exciting and creative challenge of developing fun and memorable experiences that communicate science effectively to a diverse audience. The California Science Center is a great place to make a difference—as a free general admission institution, the California Science Center welcomes more than 2 million guests annually.  Guided by a clear mission, Curators at the California Science Center have the opportunity to do intellectually engaging, creatively stimulating, and highly rewarding work that directly serves the public.

Salary and Benefits

This position pays a salary of $9,191/month – $10,438/month and includes comprehensive benefits, including options for a hybrid telework schedule.

Should I Apply?

Curators have come to the California Science Center from many different backgrounds. Some already have experience working in museums or science centers, while others have developed science communication skills through other means such as teaching, science writing, or industry communications. Regardless of their specific path to the position, all of our Curators came to the California Science Center looking for rewarding work where they could share their love of science with a large and diverse audience. If any of this sounds like you (and you meet the minimum qualifications stated below) then you should apply!

How to Apply

Applicants for this position must follow the standard State of California hiring process.

Before officially applying for an open position, candidates meeting the minimum requirements must first participate in a civil service exam relevant to the position’s job classification. For Curators, the exam involves an internal review of your application materials.

Please visit the CalCareers exam bulletin (PDF) for detailed exam instructions.

After participating in the exam process, candidates may apply for any open positions for the job classification. Only candidates with passing exam scores can be considered for hire.

Current open Curator positions are listed below, but additional positions can also open up in the future. Candidates who have successfully completed the exam with a passing score will be notified of new positions and invited to apply. If you think you’re interested in being a Curator—now or in the future—submit your application to participate in the exam.

Minimum Qualifications

The State’s official Classification Description describes the minimum qualifications for this position. Applications that do not meet these minimum qualifications are not advanced to the next step of the application process (examination), so make sure your application clearly communicates how you meet these qualifications:

• Possession of an earned doctorate in biology, chemistry, physics, or a related scientific field.
• Three years of experience in any of the following: teaching at the college or university level; exhibit and education program development at science museums; or equivalent educational experience in the public understanding of science, such as print or film media.

• One year of experience in an administrative or supervisorial capacity, such as serving as administrator of a science program within a college, university, or museum of science and industry.

Current Open Positions

Curator, Technology and Special Exhibitions

The Curator, Technology and Special Exhibitions is responsible for the development, implementation, and management of science and technology exhibits for a new permanent gallery, as well as special and traveling exhibitions. In addition to developing new science and technology exhibits on topics of broad public interest, the Curator will research the availability of special exhibits from a variety of sources, evaluate their suitability, assess their potential to generate income, and make recommendations to the Executive staff.