Education Curator at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Job Title: Education Curator
Job Status: Full-time
Location: Kure Beach, NC
Company Description
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 20 miles south of Wilmington, NC, in Kure Beach, overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Fear River. A living collection of more than 4,000 animals in 93,000 square feet of exhibit space attracts and engages more than 500,000 visitors each year. The Aquarium is surrounded by protected woodland, marsh, and beach. Visitors often plan to stop at sites adjacent to the Aquarium – Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and historic Fort Fisher Civil War Museum. Fort Fisher Aquarium is a unique place to visit and work.
Role Description
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is seeking a Full-Time Education Curator who will be responsible for developing and evaluating educational programs. This is an on-site role located in Kure Beach, NC.
Key Responsibilities
- Provides guidance, leadership, support, and supervision for education staff, interns, and volunteers. Essential attributes include superb written and oral communication skills, a collaborative spirit, and creativity.
- Represents the Aquarium with local, state, and federal agencies and departments; serves as an educational resource for the general public, teachers, students, and community stakeholders; coordinates teacher training; develops and evaluates programs, exhibits, and staff. These duties can be supported through active grant solicitation and administration.
- Works closely with Aquarium leadership on long term strategic planning, including program and exhibit design.
- Planning includes creating and implementing special events and other initiatives aligned with the Aquarium’s mission to attract and engage visitors.
- Develops and administers budgets for free and fee-based programs.
Qualifications
- Experience developing, implementing, and managing an Education Program at an Aquarium, Zoo, Nature Center, Museum, or similar facility.
- Experience managing an Education Program budget.
- Experience in grant management.
- Supervisory experience.
- Must possess a valid North Carolina driver’s license or have the ability to obtain one within 30 days of employment.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Master’s degree in biology, education, history, museum studies, zoology, or a curriculum related to area of expertise from an appropriately accredited institution, and six years of experience in assigned specialty area, two of which must have been in a supervisory capacity; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See oshr.nc.gov/experience-guide for details.