Employment

Classification: Non-Exempt
Department: Visitor Services
Reports To: Director of Visitor Services

Position Overview

The Visitor Services Manager delivers an exceptional, seamless experience for all Science Center of Iowa (SCI) visitors, members, and group guests across admissions, retail operations, and membership support. Serving as a primary Manager on Duty (MOD), this role leads daily floor operations, facilitates smooth building opening and closing procedures, including cash opening and closing, handles escalated visitor inquiries, and manages operational edge cases, including inclement weather protocols.

Key Responsibilities

Floor Leadership & Visitor Experience

• Serve as the visible floor lead, welcoming guests and ensuring prompt, professional support across in-person, phone, and email touchpoints.
• Address visitor inquiries and de-escalate complex concerns, resolving issues with care and
• Foster a collaborative, high-energy environment for Visitor Services team members, providing real-time coaching and constructive feedback to support peak performance.
• Partner cross-functionally with other departments to maintain elevated guest experience standards throughout the facility.
• Support daily exhibit maintenance by overseeing platform resets throughout the day and during closing routines.

Admissions, Retail & Financial Operations

• Drive engagement and revenue through active promotion of SCI products, memberships, and retail offerings in the A-ha! Store.
• Process ticket sales, retail purchases, and member transactions using the Customer Relation Management (CRM) systems.
• Act as cash lead: open, reconcile, and close cash drawers, handle funds securely, and process daily deposits in accordance with financial control policies.
• Complete all administrative reporting and transactional documentation accurately and on

Manager on Duty (MOD) Duties

• Lead opening and closing procedures for the facility during scheduled shifts and special evening
• Serve as primary point of contact for building safety, visitor safety, emergency response, and weather-related disruptions.

Please note this job description does not contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job; duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice

Supervisory Responsibility

While this position has no current direct reports, it provides daily functional guidance, onboarding support, and peer coaching. The role offers observational feedback to the Visitor Services leadership team to assist with formal performance reviews and corrective actions. There is potential that this role could have direct reports in the future.

Qualifications

Required:

• Experience: Proven track record in customer service, retail, or hospitality
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Forms) and the ability to master dedicated CRM/POS software.
• Financial Acumen: Strong basic math skills with experience handling cash, balancing register drawers, operating POS systems, and processing refunds.
• Core Competencies: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, strong problem-solving abilities, high attention to detail, and a calm demeanor under pressure.
• Ethics & Integrity: Uncompromised integrity, strong sense of accountability, and strict handling of confidential guest and financial data.
• Clearances: Successful completion of a background check and professional reference

Preferred:

• High school diploma or
• Prior experience in a supervisory, team lead, or floor management

Work Schedule & Environment

• Flexibility: Hours depend on organizational needs and regularly include days, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Typical Shift Pattern: This position is full-time, but a part-time position could be considered for the right candidate. A Thursday–Sunday pattern is standard, with shift hours varying between 8:20 AM and 10:00 PM. There could be days that are 12+ hours, but hours will be flexed on other days to accommodate.
• Travel: Minimal to none.

Physical Demands

• Movement: Prolonged periods of standing and Must be comfortable working at heights and physically able to reach, handle objects, climb ladders, bend, or crawl into awkward spaces. Frequently required to balance, stoop, kneel, or crouch.
• Lifting: Must be able to lift, bend, twist, stoop, climb, reach, and lift up to 50 pounds at a time. Use of hands to grasp, move, handle, control, assemble or feel objects, tools, or Repeat the same movements.
• Vision: Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Auditory: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to

To Apply

Email your resume and completed application materials to scihr@sciowa.org.

Classification: Part Time, Non-Exempt
Department: Visitor Services
Reports To: Director of Visitor Services

Position Overview

This Visitor Services Associate is a Part Time position responsible for assisting the Visitor Services team with customer service, sales, operations, and problem solving. The successful candidate will perform front line admissions and retail sales duties while engaging and supporting visitors to ensure outstanding customer experiences. This position supports visitor services in various operational areas of the Science Center of Iowa (SCI) including the visitor services desk and A-ha! Gift Store.

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily, with or without reasonable accommodation, and perform other duties as assigned.

• Greet all visitors in a professional, friendly, and timely manner, including answering phones and directing customer inquiries
• Assist visitors with admission ticket sales, basic membership sales, A-ha! Store merchandise sales and answering questions and providing information about SCI
• Must be knowledgeable and well prepared to offer and sell products, services and programs SCI offers
• Responsible for ensuring complete follow-through for all stages of ticket and store sales
• Keep accurate and detailed records of all incoming and outgoing calls and messages, and effectively communicating them to their applicable departments
• Assist as needed in all areas including, but not limited to, Visitor Services Desk, A-ha! Store and the SCI exhibit platform experience
• Ensures accurate transactions by balancing cash register at the beginning and end of shift
• Rings up merchandise and sales: bag purchased items
• Stocks shelves, sets up displays and performs cleaning duties
• Assists visitors in providing information, resolving complaints, locating various products
• Processes returns and exchanges according to organization policy
• Maintain and demonstrate an adequate working knowledge and use of all required SCI software and databases
• Must uphold SCI’s values and commitment to excellence, diversity and inclusion
• Please note this job description does not contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job; duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities.

Education, Experience and Other Requirements

Required:

• Must be dependable and have a history of reliable attendance
• Effective problem-solving skills and strong organizational skills
• Must be able to multitask and work with great attention to detail
• Ability to work independently while also constructively contributing to the team environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge of and ability to use cash registers, computers, calculators and scanners
• Basic mathematical skills, as needed to make change and process refunds
• Must maintain a professional demeanor
• Trustworthy and of high integrity, showing high respect for confidential information
• Successully pass a background check

Preferred:

• Previous customer service experience
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and hear or talk. The employee is frequently required to walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; and stoop, kneel or crouch. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Hours & Work Schedule

This is a part-time position that could turn into a full-time position for the right candidate. Hours will vary based on business needs and may include days, evenings, weekends and holidays. Standard hours are usually between 8:20 a.m.–4:20 p.m. Evening and holiday hours could vary and are dependent on the needs of the organization. Generally, no travel will be required.

To Apply

Email your resume and completed application materials to scihr@sciowa.org.