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Full job description
Job Advert: Inspirer – Programming Team (full-time)
Summary
Are you ready to spark curiosity and ignite a love for science in thousands of young minds? Wonderseekers is on the lookout for a passionate and confident communicator to join our Programming team as an Inspirer at Winchester Science Centre. This is no ordinary job – as an Inspirer, you’ll be at the heart of the action, delivering mind-blowing science demos, leading awe-inspiring Planetarium shows, and bringing hands-on workshops to life for families and school groups.
Whether you’re engaging visitors in the buzzing Science Live zone, guiding young explorers through the stars, or helping to craft new content with our creative team, every day will be dynamic, meaningful, and fun. No science background? No problem! If you’ve got the energy, enthusiasm, and desire to make a difference, we’ll provide all the training and support you need to thrive.
If you love performing, connecting with audiences, and want to inspire the next generation through unforgettable science experiences, this is your moment. Come join our mission to make science accessible, inclusive and totally unforgettable.
Job details
Hours: Full-time – 37.5 hours (5 days per week). See work pattern below.
Salary: £25,496 per annum (full-time)
Contract: Permanent
Start date: ASAP
Line manager: Creative Programme Producer, Planetarium Officer, or Creative Learning Producer.
Holiday: 33 days including bank holidays (full-time). Option to buy/sell some leave and gain additional days for continuous service after four years. The post-holder will be expected to work bank holidays.
Location: Winchester Science Centre, Winchester, SO21 1HZ.
Work pattern: A flexible working pattern will be required, which will include weekdays and weekends on a 5 in 7-day rota. Whilst most working hours will be worked between 9am-5pm, our Inspirers support a dynamic programme that runs across weekdays, weekends, daytime, and evening hours. Rotas are published at least one month in advance, and time off in lieu or paid overtime may be offered for specific training sessions or additional activities. Please indicate in your application any restrictions to your availability.
Benefits: Cash health scheme, life assurance, buy/sell annual leave, long service holiday bonus, café and shop discount, electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, free tickets to the Science Centre and partner attractions, access to charity worker discounts, family friendly leave, wellbeing policy, mental health first aiders, cycle to work scheme, financial loans, flexible IT, casual dress, staff events, free parking, enhanced pension contribution, inflationary pay rise subject to charity performance and more.
Closing Date: Wednesday 3rd June 09:00
Please note, we’ll accept applications until the closing date, but we may start interviewing earlier – so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Please contact us if you’d like to arrange an informal chat or have any questions about the role before applying by emailing [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!
About our Charity
Wonderseekers (the Charity behind Winchester Science Centre) strives to engage all children with science so they can live happier, healthier and more sustainable lives and contribute to improving life on Earth. The Charity runs Winchester Science Centre – a vibrant, hands-on experience for young children. Promising an exciting day out for families, with curriculum-linked trips for schools and an evening events programme, the Science Centre welcomes over 170,000 visitors every year. The Charity also delivers a free and impactful community programme for our priority audiences who may not have the opportunity to come to the Science Centre reaching over 10,000 people every year. Through our magnificent planetarium and live science experiences, as well as our out in communities work, science is brought to life in imaginative, fun and accessible ways that means everyone is included.
The Role
At the forefront of Wonderseekers’ mission, Inspirers are the faces of our science experiences — engaging, energising, and educating visitors through unforgettable live content. As explainers and presenters, they guide guests through a universe of possibilities, acting as enthusiastic role models who could spark a lifelong love of science.
Delivery is at the heart of this role. Inspirers spend most of their time face-to-face with audiences of all ages and abilities (especially 3–12 year olds), performing dynamic live science shows in our Science Theatre, running captivating demos in Science Live, leading curriculum-linked workshops for schools, flying our spectacular Planetarium shows, and roaming the Centre to support and inspire guests. No two days are ever the same.
You’ll be part of a supportive, friendly team of ten Inspirers and will work closely with the Programming Officers to bring our people-led experiences to life.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver live science shows, live Planetarium shows, hands-on activities, and roaming interactions for family audiences both indoors and outdoors, during weekends, school holidays, and events.
- Lead engaging, curriculum-linked workshops and shows for school trips (Early Years to KS3), with a focus on problem-based learning.
- Present and fly shows in our fully accessible Planetarium.
- Use dramatic tools including low-level explosives, high-voltage equipment, and live invertebrates to bring science to life (full training provided).
- Ensure all experiences are well-rehearsed, delivered on time, and spaces are promptly reset to support smooth programme transitions.
- Deliver accurate, age-appropriate information and engage audiences confidently, including knowing when to say, “I don’t know” and seek support from the appropriate person.
- Contribute to the development and testing of new content under Officer supervision.
- Follow direction from your line manager and Programming Officers to maintain consistency across delivery and uphold high-quality visitor experiences.
- Collaborate and share skills and feedback with the wider team, participate in training, and engage in peer review and performance development.
- Occasionally support the ECO team in delivering outreach sessions to schools and community groups.
- Maintain excellent health and safety standards, including understanding and rigorously following risk assessments.
- The post-holder will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check.
A quick heads-up about the interview process
For this role, there’s usually just one interview, and we promise it’ll be a friendly and welcoming chance for us to get to know each other better. As part of the process, you’ll be asked to deliver a short presentation that shows off your communication skills with a school-aged audience in mind. After that, you’ll have a chat with our interview panel. We’ll send you the questions in advance so you can come in feeling confident and fully prepared.
Ready to Apply?
Click here to visit our recruitment webpage. https://www.wonderseekers.charity/vacancies
When you’re ready, please submit your application through our recruitment portal here for this vacancy. https://app.staffologyhr.co.uk/recruit/application/apply.aspx?cid=755-20997768-4FDC-4C0F-A6FD-0348D8F832B7&VacancyID=30806-AB443460-92FE-48E8-BC70-D3859CB794A6
You’ll be asked to share your contact details and answer a few short questions so we can get to know you better. Keep your responses clear and concise – this is your chance to really shine! After that, you’ll upload your cover letter and CV.
We’re always happy to chat about the role before you apply – just reach out using the details below.
If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage of the application or interview process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We want to make sure the process works for you.
Contact Us:
Laura Ollis, Director of People and Culture
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07483 371391
(No recruitment agencies, thank you).
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £25,496.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Bereavement leave
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Flexitime
- Free flu jabs
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Paid volunteer time
- Sick pay
- Store discount
- Transport links
Language:
- English (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person