Description

About Perot Museum of Nature and Science 

Located within the vibrant Victory Park neighborhood adjacent to downtown Dallas, Texas, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational and research organization dedicated to its mission of inspiring minds through nature and science. Opened in December 2012, over 12 million visitors have since explored everything from dinosaurs to diamonds, space to sports, and robots to rattlesnakes. Featuring eleven permanent exhibit halls across five levels filled with hands-on discovery and adventure, there’s something new and exciting to experience around every corner for learners of all ages. Designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, the stunning building is now recognized as the iconic gateway to the Dallas Arts District and lauded for its contemporary artistry and sustainability.

The museum also features a newly expanded and transformed 11,000 square foot children’s museum, a 250-seat movie theater, flexible meeting space and classrooms, a café operated by Wolfgang Puck, and a 10,000 square foot exhibit hall for special exhibitions. Additionally, exciting expansion plans are underway that will, among other improvements, add 60,000 square feet of outdoor STEM-inspired exhibits which will empower the Museum to program and inspire in new and innovative ways.

 Each year the Museum engages over a million minds through onsite and offsite programmatic options including:

TECH TRUCK: Mobile innovation labs (TECH is an acronym for Tinker, Engineer, Create and Hack) bring free, out-of-school STEM programming directly          into the community.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE SPEAKERS SERIES: A diverse array of international explorers amaze and inspire with their breathtaking adventures and incredible discoveries.

DISCOVERY CAMPS: Kindergarten through 6th grade camps offer full-day, week-long programming that utilizes the Museum’s collection to explore animals, geology, space, dinosaurs, chemistry, and engineering with hands-on experiments and interactive activities.

PALEO LAB: Real-time views of the Museum’s dynamic dinosaur research as paleontologists and preparators process fossils fresh from the field.

WHYNAUTS: Award-winning bilingual digital series that brings the wonders of the Perot into the classroom, supported by a robust educator guide that helps schools lose the learning gap in STEM

Having recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, the Perot Museum now looks forward to its next decade, guided by an ambitious strategic plan focused around excellence in four main pillars:

        Enhancing the Guest Experience

        Activating Outdoor Space

        Expanding “Digital Perot”

        Increasing Community Connection

With an unyielding belief that STEM should be accessible to all, the Perot Museum is poised to dramatically increase its investment within the STEM ecosystem. From workforce development, to pilot programs designed to help schools achieve better outcomes, to continual refreshes of the Museum’s galleries to stay current and relevant, to ambitious expansion plans that will redefine how visitors learn and experience STEM, the Perot Museum’s future is as bright as the community to which it is dedicated to serve.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY 

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science stands at an extraordinary moment in its history. With the launch of Perot 2.0, a $185 million expansion that will double its footprint and introduce an entirely new outdoor science campus, the Museum is poised to redefine how science is experienced in Dallas and beyond. For a visionary educator and leader, this newly created Vice President of Education role offers a once-in-a-career opportunity to shape the future of science learning on a generational scale.

Reporting to the Chief Learning Officer, the VP of Education will have the autonomy, resources, and executive sponsorship to design transformative educational programs that reach audiences of all ages, from early childhood through lifelong learners. Importantly, President and CEO Dr. Linda Silver brings her own deep background in informal science education and will be a strong advocate and thought partner for this work, ensuring that education remains at the heart of the Museum’s mission.

This leader will guide the development of dynamic learning experiences, outdoor programming, and curriculum frameworks while collaborating closely with senior leaders and exhibit designers to create bold, integrated approaches to STEM education. Backed by the Museum’s financial strength, nationally recognized brand, and a culture of reinvestment, the VP will have the freedom to innovate ambitiously and position the Perot Museum as a national model for transformative science learning.

For a collaborative and creative leader, this role offers the chance to leave a lasting mark, advancing science education, inspiring curiosity, and shaping the future of one of the country’s most dynamic museums.

Position Description

Summary

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science seeks an innovative and visionary Vice President of Education to lead the design and delivery of educational programming that sparks curiosity, deepens scientific understanding, and inspires lifelong learning across audiences of all ages. Reporting to the Chief Learning Officer, this leader will shape the future of science education at one of the nation’s most dynamic museums, building on the Museum’s reputation for excellence while pushing the boundaries of what science education can be.

Key Responsibilities

Programming & Content Development

• Lead the creation of early learning programs (ages 0–8) that foster play-based, hands-on exploration and developmental growth.
• Direct the design and implementation of innovative educational content for exhibitions, programs, and digital platforms, ensuring accessibility for diverse learners and communities.
• Create engaging family learning experiences that connect children and caregivers through shared discovery.
• Develop curricular frameworks aligned with STEM education standards and emerging best practices.
• Partner with exhibit designers, scientists, and external experts to embed learning and inquiry into exhibitions and Museum experiences.
  Team Leadership & Management
• Inspire, mentor, and manage a talented team of education professionals, cultivating a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.
• Build professional development opportunities that grow expertise across the department.Manage departmental resources and budgets effectively to maximize impact.

Assessment & Evaluation

• Develop and implement innovative evaluation frameworks to measure impact across early childhood and family programs.
• Track key learning and engagement metrics, ensuring data-driven improvements to programs.
• Lead research collaborations with universities and experts to validate and strengthen educational impact.
• Ensure findings inform program design and fuel ongoing innovation.

Requirements

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Science Education, or STEM-related field, Experiential Education, Child Development, and/or related fields.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in science education, including 5+ years of experience designing programs for informal settings.
• Proven expertise in curriculum design, age-appropriate pedagogy, and learning innovation.
• Successful record of leading educational teams and delivering large-scale initiatives.
• Exceptional project management, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred

• Advanced degree in a relevant field.
• Experience with integrating digital learning technologies.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity in science education.
• Outdoor science education program design experience.
• Experience managing departmental budget and operations.