Argus Planetarium Presenter

About the role

This is a part-time (20 hours/week) temporary position, working from November 2026 (start date TBD) through June 15, 2027 for the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (UMMNH). The schedule will vary with the school show schedule. The position is responsible for learning, presenting, and evaluating shows for 1st and 5th grade students at Argus Planetarium, located in Pioneer High School, as well as learning and presenting some shows for Pioneer HS students, as part of an ongoing collaboration between the U-M Museum of Natural History and the Ann Arbor Public School District. The position will also present 8th grade planetarium shows at the Museum of Natural History. Training will be provided on the equipment, presentation skills, and astronomy, as needed. The position will assist in scheduling the shows and will communicate with teaching and administrative staff in the district, and inform the AAPS and Museum staff of any technical issues they encounter.

Responsibilities

• Work with the AAPS representative to schedule shows for all available 1st and 5th grade classes.
• Participate in training and become proficient in operating the Argus/UMMNH Planetarium, including teaching techniques, technical skill, and astronomy content for 4 shows (1st grade, 5th grade, 8th grade, High School).
• Startup and shutdown of Argus planetarium for all shows to AAPS 1st and 5th grade and high school classes.
• Present the 1st and 5th grade and high school shows at Argus to all scheduled AAPS 1st and 5th grade classes and high school groups.
• Present the 8th grade shows at the UMMNH planetarium, and assist with any scheduling issues.
• Communicate with teachers regarding any questions they may have about the shows at Argus or the Museum.
• Communicate with the UMMNH Planetarium Manager about any equipment, software, or presentation issues as they arise at Argus or the UMMNH Planetarium.
• Communicate with the AAPS representative for any AAPS/Argus logistical issues as they relate to 1st and 5th grade classes.
• Assist in training an additional presenter to run shows at Argus Planetarium for situations that may arise where the primary presenter is unavailable.
• Working with UMMNH and AAPS staff, establish goals for AAPS shows and create and implement evaluation instruments and a final report.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• BA in natural sciences, education, or related field, or equivalent experience, plus at least 1-2 years formal or informal teaching or group presentation experience.
• Must be an excellent communicator for diverse audiences, dependable and punctual, and very detail-oriented.
• Must be able to learn to operate complex planetarium equipment independently.
• Must have a schedule that allows work at least 3-4 weekdays per week during the school day from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Will be required to complete training modules for working with children upon hire.

Skills

• Previous planetarium experience and/or a background in astronomy is highly desirable.

Pay

The position will be paid hourly at a rate of $20-25/hour depending on experience.

Schedule

Part-time (20 hours/week) temporary position; schedule varies with the school show schedule; work at least 3-4 weekdays per week during the school day from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.; position runs from November 2026 (start date TBD) through June 15, 2027.