Exhibition Designer

DEPARTMENT: Exhibitions 
REPORTS TO: Senior Exhibition Designer
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Full-Time Exempt, One-Year Term
SALARY RANGE: $65,000–$75,000 per year
DATE: February 2025

Note: This position requires a cover letter for consideration. Refer to the “How to Apply” section of the job description for details. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Exhibition Designer develops 2D and 3D designs for exhibition displays in the physical Museum galleries that chronicle the 9/11 attacks, the events that preceded them, and their aftermath. These exhibitions encompass more than 110,000 square feet of interpreted space and involve physical design, artifacts installed in cases and on open mounts, graphics of a variety of production techniques, and extensive media installations. Many of the core exhibitions are long-term, with artifacts and associated graphics and media rotating on an annual basis. More extensive design activity takes place in the Museum’s temporary exhibition spaces, including a 1,500-square-foot gallery for mostly two-dimensional works and a 3,000-square-foot gallery for special exhibitions with more environmental installations.

The Exhibition Designer is part of the Exhibitions department, which imagines and actualizes physical installations, audiovisual exhibits, digital interactives, audio guide experiences, and online storytelling platforms. It is the responsibility of the Exhibitions department to maintain these installations, to ensure their daily integrity and performance, and to refresh individual exhibits and larger galleries wholesale to create meaningful and relevant experiences for Museum visitors.

This is a full-time position that reports to the Senior Exhibition Designer. This position may require some early morning or evening hours for installation and maintenance work.

This is a one-year term position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Physical design:
    • Contribute to the design of temporary installations and exhibition rotations from concept through construction documentation, working closely with curators and content developers, registrars and conservators, preparators and mount makers, fabricators and installers, and project managers and administrators.
    • Present design work and consider feedback from internal and external stakeholders in an iterative design process.
    • Design case layouts and review work of mount maker.
    • Support the design of lighting schemes for new exhibitions and supervise maintenance of established lighting schemes in ongoing exhibitions. 
    • For adjustments, revisions, and repairs in the core exhibitions, ensure adherence to established production specifications and overall aesthetic and curatorial direction.
    • Assist the Senior Exhibition Designer, Assistant Manager for Exhibition Production, and Director of Exhibition Production in the oversight of fabrication, installation, scheduling, and budgeting.
  • Graphic design:
    • Participate in the creation of graphic look and feel, graphic specifications, and production files for new installations; conduct press checks as needed; and create or coordinate development of any required graphic artwork.
    • Research graphic and photographic materiality for new exhibits.
    • For rotations in the core exhibitions, help maintain graphic style guide and specifications.
    • Coordinate scheduling, processing, and trafficking of graphic materials throughout printing process, manage workflow of deliverables, and ensure projects are completed on schedule, on scope, and within budget.
  • In all designs, ensure adherence to conservation requirements, accessibility guidelines, and security protocols.
  • Assist with closeout documentation and punch list for exhibition installations and regularly inspect installations to ensure high quality displays are being maintained.
  • Assist with organization and maintenance of exhibition design drawings, graphic art files, material samples, and design mockups.
  • Support other special projects as assigned.

REQUIRED SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZATIONAL EVENTS

  • Participate in the Annual 5K Fundraiser and September 11th Commemoration. 
  • Assist with other special projects and events in support of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum mission, as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS REQUIREMENT

  • Education in design, fine arts, or related field, and/or experience as a designer or as part of a successful museum design team.
  • At least one to three years of work experience in a museum, design, or related results-oriented cultural environment.
  • Outstanding creative portfolio and knowledge of or willingness to learn exhibition techniques, graphics, space planning, exhibition lighting, fabrication of exhibition furniture, materials, accessibility guidelines, and museum best practices.
  • Excellent computer skills, including Adobe Creative Suite, MS Office, and 3D-design software such as AutoCAD, VectorWorks, or SketchUp.
  • Proven graphic design skills including layout, typography, illustration, digital photo editing, and hand skills.
  • Familiarity with design, file-preparation for production, fabrication, and installation phases of physical and graphic design.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Ability to engage in interpretive discussions and create nuanced visitor experiences.
  • Attention to detail, good organizational skills, and the ability to plan, prioritize, and coordinate multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
  • Capacity to work on exhibition projects involving sensitive content.
  • Respectful of trust, transparency, and differing perspective and communication styles.
  • Concur with core department values of:
    • Creativity: we encourage creativity as a driver of innovation, improvement, and meaning making.
    • Belonging: we welcome, reflect, and create space for the diverse experiences of our staff and visitors.
    • Integrity: we uphold the highest standards of integrity in our actions and creations.
    • Safety: we foster a safe environment to work in and for our visitors to engage.
    • Accountability: we are accountable for delivering on our commitments.
    • Effectiveness: we believe being effective allows us to best realize the mission of the institution.
  • The Exhibitions department encourages candidates to apply even if their experience is not a 100% match with the position description. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not just a checklist. We want to help you professionally grow and in return, you help us develop into a stronger, more inclusive team. 

ABOUT THE TEAM

  • The Exhibition Designer is part of the Exhibitions department. The team is comprised of 11 individuals with different functions and tenures within the organization.

HOW TO APPLY

  • Include position you are seeking in the email subject field.
  • State the location where job posting was seen.
  • Send resume and cover letter to 911mmexhibitionsjobs@911memorial.org
    • Applications without a cover letter will not be considered

_________

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum (9/11 Memorial & Museum) is an equal opportunity employer.  Applicants who meet the qualification requirements of the role will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. 

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum (9/11 Memorial & Museum) is committed to an organizational culture that supports and reinforces our values regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). We seek to build collaborative, open, and equitable space where staff want to be, knowing that their contributions, professional expertise, and distinct voices are valued and respected. We encourage and celebrate an inclusive environment where candor and participation when it comes to sharing ideas and collaborative problem welcomed regardless of one’s role at the Museum or background.  

Reasonable accommodations may be made to qualified candidates, during the interview process, to enable individuals with are disabilities an opportunity to interview.