Posted: Mar 14, 2025
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Science Visualization Specialist

Adler Planetarium - Chicago, IL
Full-time
Salary: $65,500.00 - $70,500.00 Annually
Application Deadline: N/A
Museum

About the Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. Whether introducing a guest to the Ring Nebula, a neighborhood school to a community partner, a research team to a network of citizen scientists, or one staff member to another, Adler’s focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century.

 

Today, the museum hosts more than half a million visitors each year and reaches millions more through youth STEM programs, neighborhood skywatching events, online citizen science, and other outreach projects. With Adler’s support, people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities gain the confidence to explore their universe together and return to their communities ready to think critically and creatively about any challenge that comes their way.

 

 

The Position

The Adler Planetarium is seeking a Science Visualization Specialist to join our dynamic team located on Chicago's Museum Campus. This person leads the development and production of data-based scientific visualizations to illustrate astronomy and space science topics. This individual will also be responsible for:

 

  • Collaborating with Theaters & Visualization teammates to develop new visuals for use in shows, online content, and interactive exhibits

  • Developing opportunities to utilize Adler theater spaces for scientific applications of visualizations, hosting visualization events, and developing potential scholarly and commercial applications of Adler visualizations.

  • Investigating usage of new technologies for scientific communication. Actively researching and staying informed of emerging technologies, trends, and methods of digital experience system design that apply to Adler's needs.

  • Providing support and mentoring for staff and affiliated experts in visualization projects. Overseeing and coordinating work by interns and volunteers related to the production of new visualization assets. 

 

 

FT The Compensation & Benefits

Base Pay: range: $65,500—$70,500/yr.

Work-Life Balance

  • 35-hour workweek

  • 3 sick days as of date of hire (can accrue up to 6.5 days per year)

  • 7 Adler paid holidays

  • 4 Personal Holidays (Prorated for new hires starting after January 1st)

  • Paid Family Bereavement Leave & Jury Duty

  • Eligible to accrue up to 15 vacation days per year to start

  • Flexible work arrangements

Competitive Health Coverage

  • Medical, Dental, & Vision insurance

  • Healthcare, Dependent Care & Commuter flexible spending accounts

  • Adler Paid Short-Term Disability insurance

Retirement Savings Plan

  • 403B plan with Adler match

  • Adler match is 100% vested immediately.

  • Eligible to enroll as of the date of hire  

 Network of Support through our EAP programs

  • Resources to help address emotional, legal, and financial issues

  • Face-to-face, telephonic, and web-based services

  • Free subscription to the Calm Premium app

  Discounted Onsite Parking Passes

  Free Entrance to Chicago area museums and cultural institutions

 

The Person

 

Required Qualifications:

  • High School Diploma or GED

  • Three years of scientific visualization production experience, or equivalent experience programming in Python, C#, JavaScript, or planetarium software (Digistar, OpenSpace, or similar). 

  • One year of documented experience working collaboratively within a larger team.

  • Experience mentoring junior employees on programming and visualization projects.

  • Experience working with academic researchers on scientific visualization projects.

  • Demonstrated ability to effectively manage time and work independently.

  • Good software problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.

  • Basic level of astronomical knowledge

 

Preferred Qualifications: 

  • Five years of documented experience programming, visualizing, and presenting scientific data for general public audiences in museum or planetarium environments, or equivalent experience programming in Python, C#, or JavaScript. 

  • Five years experience visualizing astronomical datasets in planetarium software such as Digistar, OpenSpace (or similar)

  • Understanding of best practices in science communication, and ability to translate that into effective visualizations for public consumption.

  • Production experience using 3D modeling and animation software such as 3ds Max, Maya, or Blender.

  • Bachelor's Degree with coursework in one or more of the following fields: computer science, digital media, technology, physical sciences, OR 5+ years professional work experience

  • Advanced level of astronomical knowledge

 

 

The Adler Planetarium is dedicated to complying with its obligations as an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

 

If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact the Human Resources Department by email at [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.