Please visit Director of Science and Programming for complete job posting and application instructions.
Overview
The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced candidate to run its Natural Science Museum and Research Center, oversee associated programs and activities, and be the public face of the MMA’s natural science outreach. Ideal candidates will have exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills. The position requires enthusiasm for natural history and science exhibits and programs; a passion for inspiring students of all ages; and creativity in engaging the general public. A broad understanding of ecology and natural history/science is essential.
About the Maria Mitchell Association
The MMA is a science-based non-profit that includes five buildings in downtown Nantucket. The seasonal Aquarium is on the waterfront and the year-round Natural Science Museum, historic Mitchell House, Research Center, and two observatories are a 10-minute walk away. The MMA is focused on promoting Maria Mitchell’s legacy of interactive science education. Maria Mitchell (1818-1889) discovered a telescopic comet from Nantucket in 1847 and went on to become America’s first professional woman astronomer, the first female professor of astronomy (at Vassar College), and the first woman inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She inspired hundreds of young women to go into science fields during her long tenure at Vassar College. Today, the MMA encourages the observation of nature, providing opportunities to actively engage in science learning and research learning-by-doing as was Maria Mitchell’s way of teaching, and conducting research in astronomy, marine biology, and ecology. The Director of Science and Programming will be a leader in the Natural Science Department, which is one of five departments at the MMA (the others being Administration, Astronomy, Education, Mitchell House).