Columbia Basin College (CBC) is committed to our vision to be the educational home that transforms students' lives through economic and social mobility. We are one of eight Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Washington state with Hispanic students representing just under half of our student population. As such, CBC is committed to discovering and enacting innovative ways to intentionally serve Hispanic students while serving all. We center equity in all that we do and seek to attract and retain engaged individuals committed to helping all students be successful in accomplishing their goals.  

CBC seeks a Director for Planetarium & Observatory who will be responsible for the management and general functions of Columbia Basin College's CPCCo Planetarium and the Robert and Elizabeth Moore Observatory on the CBC Campus.   This responsibility includes developing educational materials and planetarium activities that support the college curriculum and instruction and is responsible for overseeing the delivery of the presentations and outreach related to CBC's Planetarium and Observatory. The Planetarium and Observatory Director is also responsible for maintaining an array of customers and donor support to maintain the Planetarium and Observatory and astronomy activities on campus.  

This position reports to the Assistant Vice President for Marketing & Outreach.

This position closes on January 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST. The College will conduct initial interviews with selected candidates via Zoom and will conduct on-campus interviews with finalists.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop strategic plan to align the Planetarium and Observatory with educational opportunities as well as in-demand programming to generate revenue for continued operation of the facility;
• Maintain a budget for the Planetarium and Observatory, while making recommendations for planetarium shows and film rentals and equipment needs with supervisor.  Additionally, maintain strong communication with CBC Administration, Foundation, and ASCBC about the operation of the Planetarium and Observatory and funding needs;
• Create and deliver educational planetarium shows for students, school groups, private, public, and fee, incorporating astronomy concepts and current scientific discoveries;
• Manage the planetarium calendar, booking show times, and coordinating scheduling for presentations in collaboration with outreach and recruitment;
• Develop and follow a maintenance schedule for the upkeep and repair of Observatory equipment and Planetarium projection systems (mechanical, optical and electronic equipment) in conjunction with contracted maintenance personnel, including following an equipment repair schedule to ensure proper maintenance and upkeep is conducted;
• Work with vendors for the implementation of technology in Planetarium and Observatory facilities;
• Promote the planetarium and observatory to local schools, organizations, and the wider community through events, workshops, activities, and public lectures;
• Promote Planetarium and Observatory events, activities, workshops, and presentations for educators, such as K-12 teachers and college faculty members with innovative and effective ways of integrating planetarium resources and astronomical or themes into instructional programs;
• Work closely with various staff on campus to assure that the Planetarium and Observatory is utilized as part of other relevant and appropriate outreach and recruitment efforts; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in astronomy, physics, or related field from an institutionally accredited college or university;

Two (2) years of experience engaging the public and formal and informal education communities in earth science;