Associate Director of Experience Design

About this role

About the California Academy of Sciences

Founded in 1853, the California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned, AZA-accredited non-profit scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, rainforest, research institute, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.

Our living collection reflects Earth’s vast biodiversity, consisting of nearly 60,000 animals representing over 800 species. Our research collections are the largest west of the Mississippi, spanning nearly 46 million plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history. Our diverse team includes leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who are passionate about advancing knowledge and catalyzing action through science and storytelling.

Whether you're conducting research behind the scenes or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.

About the Opportunity

The Associate Director of Experience Design will envision and create future-forward experiences for the California Academy of Sciences, redefining how science is experienced through immersive, responsive, and deeply human-centered environments. Blending spatial storytelling, emerging technology, and the Academy’s unparalleled scientific assets, this leader will create transformative offerings that ignite curiosity and inspire audiences. In close partnership with the Senior Director of Experience, the Associate Director will ensure that every project advances a cohesive, ambitious design vision—positioning the Experience Studio as a laboratory for innovation and a global leader in experiential science engagement.

The Associate Director provides team leadership across spatial, interactive, digital, graphic, and media design disciplines. This position oversees a design team and external partners/vendors, establishes design standards and processes, and serves as creative lead for the Experience Studio. In addition to supervisory and leadership responsibilities, the Associate Director actively contributes to concept development, design direction, and key deliverables on assigned initiatives.

Organizational Culture

When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation, and celebrates its accomplishments together. Staff share a commitment to executing a new strategic plan that will strengthen the organization's financial foundations, cultivate a vibrant internal culture, and foster smart growth to secure the Academy’s future.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are motivated to contribute to our mission. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every qualification for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. The specific onsite/hybrid schedule for this position is listed below.

Key Responsibilities

Supervisory & Leadership Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team of designers (exhibit, interaction/UX, media, graphic design, and related disciplines), including full-time, part-time, and contract staff: establish performance goals, provide regular feedback, and support professional growth.

• Partner closely with the Senior Director of Experience to define and uphold a cohesive design vision aligned with Experience Studio strategy, innovation goals, and institutional priorities.

• Establish and implement design standards, workflows, documentation practices, and review processes to improve quality, efficiency, and cross-team collaboration.

• Oversee external design consultants and creative vendors: develop scopes of work, review proposals, guide creative output, and ensure deliverables meet Academy standards.

• Champion a culture of creativity, experimentation, and collaboration within the Experience Studio.

• Ensure that all experiences advance the Academy’s mission and strategic priorities through engaging, innovative, scientifically grounded, and accessible design solutions.

Experience Design Responsibilities:

• Serve as Creative and Design Lead on assigned exhibition and experience projects, from early visioning and concept development through design development, fabrication, and installation.

• Develop immersive design strategies that integrate spatial design, interactive systems, digital media, storytelling, and natural history collections into cohesive visitor journeys.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including project managers, content strategists, scientists, educators, collections staff, technologists, and key stakeholders to create holistic experiences.

• Use storytelling to translate science into compelling physical and digital design,, including spatial layouts, interactive strategies, and media integration plans.

• Guide the development and review of design deliverables such as concept packages, renderings, floor plans, prototypes, and experience documentation.

• Lead and participate in prototyping and iterative testing to ensure experiences meet engagement, performance, and accessibility goals.

• Integrate emerging technologies and innovative design approaches to create immersive and responsive environments.

• Follow Academy safety regulations and institutional policies.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: A successful candidate will have the following:

EXPERIENCE and/or EDUCATION:

Required and Preferred:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in immersive, experiential, exhibition, environmental, or interaction design, with at least 3–5 years in a senior…