The posting
About the California Academy of Sciences
Founded in 1853, the California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned, AZA-accredited non-profit scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, rainforest, research institute, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.
Our living collection reflects Earth’s vast biodiversity, consisting of nearly 60,000 animals representing over 800 species. Our research collections are the largest west of the Mississippi, spanning nearly 46 million plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history. Our diverse team includes leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who are passionate about advancing knowledge and catalyzing action through science and storytelling.
Whether you're conducting research behind the scenes or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.
About the Opportunity
The Member Engagement Coordinator is an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual to join a dynamic museum membership team at a respected San Francisco cultural institution. Reporting to the Senior Membership Manager, the Member Engagement Coordinator focuses on direct member engagement through member communications, museum floor activations, and member events both in the building and at external events. The position is responsible for all administrative duties that support all aspects of the Academy’s membership program.
This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least 3 times per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs. Please do not apply if you are not able to work on-site.
Organizational Culture
When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation, and celebrates its accomplishments together. Staff share a commitment to executing a new strategic plan that will strengthen the organization's financial foundations, cultivate a vibrant internal culture, and foster smart growth to secure the Academy’s future.
We hope you are inspired by what we do and are motivated to contribute to our mission. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every qualification for the position.
This position is based in San Francisco, California. The specific onsite/hybrid schedule for this position is listed below.
This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by Cal Academy Workers United, and will be subject to the terms and conditions of that contract.
Key Responsibilities
Member Engagement
- Coordination and execution of member activations and engagement activities on the public floor and virtually
- Coordinate and attend membership pop-ups at external community events and trade shows to support member acquisition and retention
- Liaise with internal Academy departments to support the administrative setup and delivery of standard member offerings and benefits.
- Engage with members in the building during member hours and during opening hours
- Assist with the preparation, scheduling, and distribution of routine member communications; compile member inquiries and basic feedback for review by senior staff
Membership Events
- Provide administrative and logistical support for membership events, Members' Month activities, and membership renewal events under the direction of event leads.
- Day of support at membership events, Members’ Month Activities, and membership renewal events. (may include some weekend and evening support)
- Day of support at membership renewal events and Members’ Month Activities ( includes some weekend and evening support)
- Day of support of external pop-ups at community events and tradeshows
- Actively engage with members and prospective members at all events
- Assist with event prep tasks, including schedule tracking, staffing setup, and coordinating materials with internal Academy partners as assigned.
Member Program Administration and Stewardship
- Coordinate administrative tasks, including scheduling meetings, taking notes, and following up on action items in conjunction with event planning and coordination.
- Respond to routine member inquiries regarding status, billing, and general benefits using established guidelines; escalate complex inquiries or sensitive issues to senior team members
- Support with membership creative asset requests and inventory
- Assist with membership database input, clean-up, and logging membership sales as required
- Follows all Academy safety regulations
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications: A successful candidate will have the following:
- 1–2 years of administrative support, customer service, or event support experience
- Proficient with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, Forms) or similar software
- Experience working in a CRM database and a willingness to learn the Academy database (Tessitura)
- Knowledge and interest in the Academy and enthusiasm for the mission
- Ability to work evenings and weekends as required
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Exceptional oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills are essential for effectively engaging a diverse audience, providing superior customer service, and communicating professionally with members, staff, cross-functional teams, and external stakeholders.
- Possess a proactive, solution-oriented work ethic and strong analytical skills, enabling clear, professional correspondence and problem-solving for members.
- Excellent organizational skills, flexibility, and good judgment are necessary to manage simultaneous tasks, multiple projects, and timelines.
- Ability to follow established operational procedures, manage daily priorities, and work effectively within a collaborative team environment
- Demonstrated computer proficiency, including Google Workspace, and the ability to quickly learn new software; demonstrated database experience in Tessitura or similar systems is preferred.
Physical Environment: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Compensation and Benefits: The hourly range for this position is $27.64 - 28.76. Actual compensation will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualifications and experience, including skills, knowledge, relevant education, certifications and aligned with the internal peer group. We believe in fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to providing competitive salaries within the industry and market standards. The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits based on the hours per week worked. Further details regarding compensation and benefits will be discussed during the interview process.
Schedule: Full-time, hybrid work arrangement (3 days onsite and 2 days remote per week), 40 hours per week.
How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit a resume and application through our Careers Page portal.
The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code, Article 49).
