The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center is a platform for culturally responsive experiences that bring young people and the adults around them into dynamic and inspiring encounters with art and creativity. The Ryan Learning Center team:

¿ champions the role of art and culture in people’s lives,
¿ promotes access and equitable participation in art and the museum,
¿ fosters critical and creative thinking.

As a result, youth, teens, families, students, and educators from various backgrounds and abilities engage with each other and with works of art from across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, activating the museum as a place for learning, insight, inspiration, and community. These museum experiences enable young people and the adults around them to feel more connected and confident in their capacity to imagine, create, and make sense of art and their world.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Within the Learning Laboratory team, the Senior Educator brings content knowledge and pedagogical expertise in youth engagement to design, develop, and implement out-of-school-time programs for the teen audience across a wide range of platforms. Specifically, the Senior Educator plays a leading role in carrying out a diverse set of programmatic experiences, including: designing curriculum for and leading youth internships; mentoring and supervising teens; developing youth group experiences; and managing youth outreach efforts. The Senior Educator brings experience in youth-centered and care-centered practices, and contributes to building staff and intern capacity for centering these practices within all spaces and experiences for youth in the museum.

The Senior Educator is an active member of Chicago’s education and arts ecosystems. Through culturally responsive museum- and community-based engagement, they collaborate with colleagues in the Ryan Learning Center department and throughout the museum, as well as with peers and experts in communities and youth- and family-serving organizations, to expand the museum’s reach to teens, deepen audience connections, and position the museum as a valuable space for connection, learning, and meaning-making.

This position holds a Tuesday-Saturday, 9:00–5:00 work week, with occasional evening hours required.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Youth Development and Mentorship: Designs and leads or co-leads internships that engage Chicago teens in community-building, museum learning, and the development of youth-driven programs and resources; develops responsive curricula based on the needs and interests of teens; mentors teens in alignment with youth development practices; coordinates logistical and administrative components of internships; and gathers input and feedback from teens, evaluates programs, and identifies opportunities to share program impact.

Program Design and Implementation: Designs, leads, and evaluates out-of-school time youth group experiences aligned to the department’s partnership strategy; develops content and engagement strategies for responsive and tailored youth group experiences; provides training to interns and staff to lead these experiences; organizes supplies and materials related to managed programs; contributes to the design and production of youth events; develops and implements consistent evaluation protocols, shares feedback with colleagues, records data as needed, and reports results.

Community and Partnership Engagement: Cultivates relationships with civic and community organizations that enable the museum to reach and serve the out-of-school youth audience; manages the department’s ongoing relationship with After School Matters and other key youth-serving partners; attends and reports back from key city-wide youth-serving consortia, including Chicago Learning Exchange and My Chi My Future; manages and/or leads youth group partner visits to the museum; maintains close connection and coordination with the Civic Relations department to align with museum strategy and priorities.

Learning Space Activation: Manages programmatic activity on Saturdays in the RLC and actively works in the Art Exchange; collaborates to develop and maintain the environment of the Teen Room; identifies, acquires, and manages developmentally appropriate materials and resources; collaborates in the ongoing observation, evaluation, and refinement of the Art Exchange, teen, and studio environments; provides direction, oversight, and training for interns who support and facilitate the Art Exchange; contributes to training and evaluating volunteers who support and facilitate the Art Exchange.

Outreach Management: Manages the Learning Laboratory’s outreach strategy and process; maintains database of contacts at youth-serving organizations; researches and expands network of contacts; prepares communication materials for recruitment for internships and events; collaborates with staff on social media communications.

Administration & Communication: Contributes to the overall operations of Learning Laboratory and the Ryan Learning Center department; provides timely reporting on attendance and budget relevant to youth internships and other programs; provides timely communication through front-facing email and phonelines; maintain clear communication with manager and colleagues within the team; manages point of sale system relevant to youth group scheduling, including updated program availability, capacity and resource setting, program charges and payments, and communications with group leaders; interfaces with volunteers as they carry out their responsibilities in the department; performs other duties as needs arise and capacity permits.

• Minimum 4 years of experience working directly with teens/youth or K-12 students within museums or informal education setting
• Well-developed knowledge of culturally responsive and multimodal curriculum design; an understanding of current approaches to youth development work, assessment, documentation, evaluation, and methods for differentiated learning and instruction.
• Previous experience teaching with works of art and general knowledge of art and various making techniques.
• Energy and enthusiasm for the mission of the museum and demonstrated commitment to advancing the museum’s values.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite, Google Suite, social media platforms and experience with remote work systems required; Experience with data fidelity, database management, and museum object records preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including ability to communicate with audiences of different backgrounds, levels of knowledge, and types of ability. Ability to function effectively as part of a team.
• Strong organization and planning skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, respond to shifting priorities and support multiple aspects of program development and operational sustainability.
• Utilizes an asset-based framework that supports developing the shared leadership and vision of the department.
• Familiarity with Chicago’s out-of-school-time and arts ecosystems.
• Commitment to innovation and life-long learning.
• Spanish language fluency preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.

We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package:

• Generous paid time off
• Paid holidays (up to 14 days)
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous parental, caregiver, and medical leave benefits
• Competitive retirement plan (up to 9% matching contribution)
• Tuition remission and Tuition Exchange Program
• Great employee discounts
• Complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions

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Vaccination Expectation

Becoming vaccinated against COVID-19 is the most important contribution we as individuals can make to ensure our own safety and the safety of our museum and school community. All employees must complete an attestation and provide proof of their vaccination status, or request a medical or religious exemption within the first week of employment.

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu.

This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Council 31