Far Horizons Summer Counselor

Far Horizons Summer Counselor (Full-Time Temporary)

About the Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. Whether introducing a guest to the Ring Nebula, a neighborhood school to a community partner, a research team to a network of citizen scientists, or one staff member to another, Adler's focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century.

Today, the museum hosts more than half a million visitors annually and reaches millions more through youth STEM programs, neighborhood skywatching events, online citizen science, and other outreach projects. With Adler's support, people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities gain the confidence to explore their universe together and return to their communities, ready to think critically and creatively about any challenge that comes their way.

The Position

The Adler Planetarium seeks a Far Horizons Summer Counselor to join our dynamic team on Chicago's Museum Campus. The Counselor collaborates with Far Horizons staff and the Teen Programs Manager to implement Mission Near Space and Far Horizons Teens programs. 

In Mission Near Space, 7th and 8th-grade students become part of a unique team of engineers, educators, and astronomers. They prepare, launch, track, and retrieve a scientific payload sent to the stratosphere aboard a high-altitude balloon. During Far Horizons Teens, high school students will continue a teen-led and implemented light pollution research project. They will learn about light pollution and the ecology of local ecosystems through hands-on activities and then plan and carry out the next steps of a research project.

The Counselor keeps middle—through high school-aged participants engaged all day, every day, assisting the Program Manager with program operations. They take the lead on individual needs management, allowing the Program Manager to focus on whole-group instruction. 

This individual will also be responsible for:

• Assisting the Program Manager in maintaining participants' safety and positive engagement during indoor and outdoor activities, including one weekly off-site trip (Mission Near Space) and fieldwork (Far Horizons Teens)

• Understanding and implementing all emergency procedures associated with the Adler Planetarium

• Helping participants complete fun, STEAM-based activities, adapting as needed to meet the needs of the participants. Encouraging all participants to participate fully in all activities, providing individual attention as needed

• Participating in all training sessions and preparation as needed

• Assisting in Mission Near Space drop-off and pick-up procedures by greeting participants and keeping them engaged in games or other age-appropriate activities while waiting

• Setting up and cleaning up program materials and activities daily

• Traveling with Mission Near Space program participants to Kankakee and the payload recovery site on balloon-launch day and traveling with Far Horizons Teens to a TBD location for fieldwork

  To learn more or apply, please visit the Adler Planetarium Careers Page.