Program Assistant, WAS Residency

Hourly rate is $24.00

This is a seasonal position that works to support summer Educational Programming from June 22-August 21, 2026, with the possibility of extending through August 28, 2026. Up to 40 hours per week.

Private Pilot Ground School (PPGS) and Aeronautical Explorations (AE) Support:

For three weeks in June and July, 104 high school students engage in hands-on learning in The Museum of Flight's state-of-the-art flight simulation lab, complete team projects, meet aviation industry professionals, and take field trips to local aviation and aerospace companies. The program takes place Monday through Friday at Raisbeck Aviation High School, with movement back and forth daily between the Museum and the high school required. This position will assist Museum staff in all logistical aspects, assisting students as requested by instructors, and in general ensuring an efficient and effective delivery of our outstanding program.

Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS) Support:

In July and August, 40 high school students per week are invited to one of the WAS Summer Residencies. The Residency is a 6-day experience where participants work with aerospace professionals to plan a mission to Mars, tour local industry organizations, and compete in engineering challenges. This position will assist with logistics and materials preparation and with the evening tasks related to delivering the engineering challenges for WAS Summer Residency.

Summary

The Program Assistant supports the mission of The Museum of Flight by providing a wide variety of administrative support for assigned programs. It is paramount this person represents The Museum of Flight, its Vision and Mission, with the highest level of professionalism and integrity, both internally and externally, in all aspects of the position.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Following is a summary of the essential functions for this job. Other duties may be performed both major and minor, which are not mentioned below. Specific activities may change from time to time. 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 the essential job functions.

• Assist in the maintenance of program databases including adding, amending, and extracting data via reporting.
• Prepare digital and tactile materials for assigned programs.
• Assist with program delivery as directed by leads, supervisors, presenters, or instructors.
• Communicate and coordinate with internal departments in regards to the needs and logistics of program(s).
• Act as a point of contact and provide general support for all stakeholders, internal and external in regards to the program from inception to launch.
• Attend and provide support for planned events, when applicable.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• High School diploma or equivalent is required. Some college preferred
• Six (6) months' work, volunteer, or leadership experience in a work or school setting.
• Experience working with students, grades K-12, preferred.
• Experience working in a museum, science center, or similar institution a plus.

Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of office collaboration systems, such as virtual meeting platforms, drive-sharing, and digital calendars.
• Knowledge of/interest in aviation, history, museum studies, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) preferred.

Skills

• Ability to work with a diverse group of people, including students, parents/guardians, staff, and volunteers.
• Proven time management skills.
• Demonstrates efficient communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite including Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Abilities

• Proficiency in organization, attention to detail, problem solving.
• Ability to work both independently and with a team.
• Ability to effectively prioritize work and meet deadlines.

License & Certification

• CPR certification is a plus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This seasonal position's primary work week is Monday through Friday with hours corresponding to the assigned program calendar.
• May require working additional hours including evenings and weekends based on Museum need.
• Some local travel is expected for this position.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be at least 21 years of age to fulfill chaperone responsibilities as required by program contract.
• Must be able to lift up to 35 pounds with assistance.
• This position works under normal office conditions that include repetitive wrist and arm movement and long periods of sitting or standing.
• The ability to bend, carry, reach to the side, front and overhead, push, pull, focus, walk, stand, twist and squat are occasional requirements in a normal education or office setting.
• On occasion, must be able to be physically active 8 hours or more per day.
• On-site attendance is essential to perform the duties of this position.

Benefits

The Museum of Flight offers seasonal employees benefits which include accrued sick leave, paid working holidays, 403(b) retirement plan and a 25% discount at the Museum Store.

Compensation

The hourly rate for this position is $24.00 per hour.

Important Information

The Museum of Flight is committed to reflecting the diverse community around us. We continue to listen, learn, and implement change so that we can become a more inclusive organization that addresses bias and inequity, and better serves our communities. We highly encourage persons of color, members of marginalized communities, women, non-binary, and LGBTQIA+ individuals to apply.

Prior to hire and once an initial offer of employment has been made, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

The Museum of Flight is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression.

This organization participates in E-Verify.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.