about
Our Story
ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum is a community-supported 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization.
ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum is an interactive
STEAM (Science,
Technology,
Engineering,
Arts, and
Mathematics) museum located in Ashland, Oregon, serving visitors of all ages throughout Southern Oregon and Northern California. Founded in 2002 as a private response to a crisis in public science education, ScienceWorks is committed to inspiring wonder and stimulating creative exploration through fun interactive experiences.
In 2001, through a cooperative arrangement with the Kirlin Charitable Foundation and Southern Oregon University, ScienceWorks began leasing the 26,000-square-foot building previously occupied by the Pacific Northwest Museum of Natural History. ScienceWorks brought life and vitality back into the long-closed structure, giving the building a fun and exciting new look. Hundreds of volunteers retrofitted the building, built exhibits, and began implementing the strategic plan. Since opening in 2002, ScienceWorks has served over one million visitors and over 100,000 K-12 students throughout Southern Oregon and Northern California, with 2,000 member households across the region.
Land and People Acknowledgement
ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum is located within the ancestral homelands of the Shasta, Takelma, and Latgawa peoples who have lived here since time immemorial. The town now known as Ashland was once a centuries-old Shasta village called Where The Crow Lights.
In the 1850s, these Tribes were displaced when colonization and the Gold Rush brought thousands of Euro-Americans to their lands, leading to warfare, epidemics, starvation, and villages being burned. Starting in 1853, treaties were signed, confederating these Tribes and others together, who would be referred to as the Rogue River Tribe.
These treaties ceded most of their homelands to the United States, and in return, they were guaranteed a permanent homeland reserved for them. At the end of the Rogue River Wars in 1856, these Tribes and many other Tribes from Western Oregon were removed to the Siletz Reservation and the Grand Ronde Reservation.
Today, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians are living descendants of the Takelma, Shasta, and Latgawa peoples of this area. We encourage you to learn about the land you reside on and to join us in advocating for the inherent sovereignty of Indigenous people.
Mission Statement
Inspiring curiosity and wonder through scientific exploration and interactive experiences.
Our Vision
To be a launchpad for creative thinkers and problem solvers.
Equity Statement
At ScienceWorks, we believe in Universal Design, and we use that inclusive approach to shape everything we do. Our team reflects the diversity of our community, and we’re stronger because we work together. We invite you — our partners, neighbors, and friends — to join us in building the inclusive, equitable world we all imagine is possible.
Front Desk Associate
Position Title: Front Desk Associate
Department: Operations
Reports to: Guest Services Supervisor
Position Type: Part-time, Weekends essential / Non-Exempt
Hourly Rate: $17 / Hour
Position Summary:
Front Desk Associates are the welcoming face and first point of contact for our museum guests. They set the tone for each visitor’s experience and play a vital role in ensuring that every interaction is positive, engaging, and informative. In this role, you will balance customer service with operational support responsibilities to help keep the museum running smoothly each day. These duties include, but are not limited to, resetting exhibits, picking up trash, disinfecting high-touch areas, recycling materials, answering phone calls, scheduling birthday parties and field trips, accepting payment for all points of sales, and other duties. Professionalism, attentiveness, and a strong commitment to customer service are essential. Staff are expected to respond promptly to phone calls and emails, remain present and engaged during shifts, and keep personal devices out of view while on the museum floor. Our ideal candidate is customer-focused, self-motivated, flexible and maintains a positive attitude while dealing with the unexpected.
Working hours are based on museum needs. Our busiest days are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and candidates should have regular availability to work during those times. Additional shifts may be scheduled based on seasonal demand, weather, school breaks, and special events. Some programs and events require working outdoors.
Download the full job description here.
Instructions to Apply:
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For fullest consideration, applications should be received by Sunday, August 2, 2026. Interested applicants should submit a PDF copy of their resume, and a cover letter that briefly describes their experience. Applicants should submit their materials below or email them to jobs@scienceworksmuseum.org.
Front Desk Associate
Education Manager
Job Title: Education Manager
Department: Education
Reports to: Executive Director
Position Type: Full-time / Exempt
Salary: $60,000 - $65,000
Position Summary:
The Education Manager is responsible for the vision, leadership, and day-to-day management of ScienceWorks' educational programming, ensuring that every learning experience reflects the museum's mission to inspire curiosity and wonder through scientific exploration and interactive experiences. As a member of the museum's leadership team, the Education Manager develops, implements, and evaluates high-quality educational programs that engage learners of all ages through hands-on, inquiry-based STEAM learning.
The Education Manager oversees all educational programming, including field trips, summer camps, after-school programs, public programs, and community outreach initiatives. The position is responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and mentoring education staff; developing curriculum and program materials; managing departmental budgets and logistics; evaluating program effectiveness; and fostering a collaborative, mission-driven team culture.
Working closely with staff across the museum and with community partners, the Education Manager helps expand ScienceWorks' educational impact through strategic partnerships, grant-supported initiatives, exhibit collaboration, volunteer engagement, and community outreach. This position plays a key role in strengthening ScienceWorks as a trusted educational resource and welcoming community gathering place for Southern Oregon.
Download the full job description here.
Instructions to Apply:
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For fullest consideration, applications should be received by Sunday, August 2, 2026. Interested applicants should submit a PDF copy of their resume, and a cover letter that briefly describes their experience and guiding beliefs about teaching. Applicants should submit their materials below or email them to jobs@scienceworksmuseum.org.
Education Manager
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