Fabrication Specialist (Museum of Exploration)

How You’ll Contribute

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp), which will be completed in 2026. The public-facing portion of this renovation will be the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration. Components of the new museum will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard.

This position supports the Exhibit Production Manager in implementing the construction, fabrication, and assembly of all Museum of Exploration and Traveling Exhibit elements. This position works closely with the Creative Team on developing, prototyping, and producing all exhibit displays. This position also works directly with Base Camp carpenters, painters, and framers to maintain all exhibit areas throughout Base Camp. The Specialist will collaborate with the traveling exhibits team by building and constructing traveling exhibit crates and refurbishing existing crates for reuse. This position will support the NG Print Lab with Museum of Exploration exhibit graphics and signage. This position reports to the Exhibit Production Manager and supports the entire Experiences division. It requires evening, weekend, holiday, and/or non-standard work hours or a shift between 8 AM and 8 PM, along with some domestic travel to support our Traveling Exhibits.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include:

• Execute the construction, assembly, final finish, and maintenance of all exhibit elements for the Museum of Exploration and Traveling exhibits. Construct and fabricate Museum of Exploration exhibit gallery wall layouts. Fabricate Museum of Exploration and Traveling Exhibits crates. Evening/weekend work is required. (55%)
• Work with vendors, subcontractors (internal and external), and security on the operations needs of Museum of Exploration exhibit spaces and other programming facilities. (10%)
• Crate, ship, and install/de-install NGS traveling exhibits. (20%)
• Maintain a clean and safe work environment in the Workshop and keep the workshop up to date with tools and safety equipment. (15%)

What You’ll Bring

Educational Background

Bachelor’s Degree – or relevant experience

Minimum Years and Types of Experience

5+ years of fabrication/carpentry experience

Necessary Knowledge and Skills

• Good written and oral communication
• Ability to effectively work with others
• Extensive experience and knowledge of tools and standard fabrication/carpentry practices. Tools include table saw, miter saw, panel saw, jigsaw, CNC router, nail guns, orbital sanders, planer, band saw, portable band saw, grinder, biscuit joiner, drill press, pocket screw jig, handheld router, circular saw, 2-ton mobile gantry
• Ability to interpret and understand build drawings
• Familiarity with A/V, electronic and mechanical principles and techniques
• Comfortable working at heights, either on a ladder or a mechanical lift
• Knowledge of basic rigging principles
• Comfortable working with heavy objects
• Ability to operate a forklift, scissor lift, JLG lift
• Fluent with Adobe Creative Suite and 3D rendering software
• Experience with museum standards and practices

Supervision

No direct report

Salary Information

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.

The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The hourly range for this position is $31.92 - $33.60.

In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.); paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Job Designation

Resident - Our Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Some Resident staff must be at Base Camp every day to do their jobs, while others may only need to be physically present onsite some of the time to meet looming deadlines or to get work done and may require a unique schedule. As such, this category has been revised to provide maximum flexibility depending on what’s required for each individual role. The days Resident staff come into the office will be determined by their teams and workflow, and they should work with their supervisors to determine their specific schedule. And throughout the year, their schedule may be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles, deadlines, and/or ebbs and flows of work.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.