Team Leader, Edinburgh Science Festival 2026

Pay: £13.65 per hour + holiday pay
Hours: Full-time/ Short-term contracts (festival period)
Location: National Museum of Scotland

We are looking Team Leaders to join our Festival Team from 12 – 23 April 2026!

Apply now

About the role:

As a Team Leader with Edinburgh Science Festival, you will play a key role in delivering the Festival’s family programme at our flagship venue, the National Museum of Scotland. High-quality science communication is at the heart of Edinburgh Science, and our science communication team are our ambassadors.

You will lead a team of 2–5 Science Communicators during workshops in the second half of the Festival and school sessions. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Overseeing all aspects of your designated event and its physical space.

  • Ensuring workshops are delivered to Edinburgh Science’s high standards.

  • Delivering engaging science communication and excellent customer service.
     

About you:

You will have confident communication skills, a passion for excellent customer service and be a quick learner, comfortable with scientific information. You will have an outgoing, friendly approach and enjoy working with children aged 3-15 and their families. Experience in Science Communication with family audiences in a festival setting or science centre context is essential.  Some supervisory or team management experience is highly desirable. A background in theatre or performing arts would also be beneficial and a flexible, energetic approach to managing small teams is key. 

You must be available to work full-time for all of the following the dates:

  • Science communication training: Saturday 28 Mar 2026 (subject to change)
  • Event training: Sunday 12 Apr 2026
  • Festival live: Monday 13 – Sunday 19 Apr 2026
  • Schools Programme: Tuesday 21 Apr – Thursday 23 Apr 2026

 

How to apply:

To view the full job description visit: Job Description

 

Click the link below to visit our dedicated careers portal. Please note that only applications submitted via our careers portal will be considered.

The closing date for applications is: Sunday 1 February, 11:59PM

Interview period from: Monday 9 Feb – Wednesday 18 Feb 2026

 

Please note:  By the start of any employment with Edinburgh Science, you must have the right to work in the UK and documentary evidence to support this.

At Edinburgh Science we welcome applications from all backgrounds because we believe that bringing together people with different perspectives, ideas and experiences always leads to better discussions, decisions and results.

 

 

Apply now

Opportunities

  • Science Communicators, Edinburgh Science Festival 2026
    Apply before 11:59pm on Sunday, 1st February 2026

    Pay: £12.60 per hour + holiday pay
    Hours: full-time / short term contracts (festival period, including weekends)
    Location: National Museum of Scotland

    We are looking for enthusiastic Science Communicators to join our Festival Team from 4 -23 April 2026

    Find out more

  • Event crew and Technicians - Edinburgh Science Festival 2026

    Pay: Industry competitive salary
    Hours: Part Time
    Duration: Temporary, fixed-term contracts, 1 February - 5 June 2026
    Start: 1 February 2026 onwards
    Work Location: Edinburgh Science offices, warehouses, venues across Edinburgh

    We are seeking interest and CVs from crew, technicians, and production staff with experience in preparation, installation, de-rig, and live operations within a festival and live event setting. As part of our network of contractors, you will support Edinburgh Science as we deliver our multi-disciplinary programme, including our flagship festival in April 2026 and our Generation Science schools touring program. Additional work is also available supporting the general operations of the organisation.

    Find out more

Edinburgh Science

Edinburgh Science Foundation is an educational charity that inspires people of all ages and backgrounds around the world to experience the wonder of science and technology. Best known for Edinburgh’s annual Science Festival – the world’s first science festival and still one of the world’s largest – and for our Learning programmes that sees Generation Science tour Scotland and bring science to life in classrooms throughout the year and promotes STEM careers to teens through initiatives such as Careers Hive. An increasing worldwide element shares our content, passion and expertise more widely through an extensive portfolio of international projects.

Our mission is to inspire, encourage and challenge people of all ages and backgrounds to explore, understand and engage with the world around them and to communicate the educational, social and economic benefits of science and technology.

 

Our language is that of live experiences that amaze, inform and entertain in equal measure. We put the customer first whether they are the public, school teacher or pupil. We want to be the best before we are the largest. We thrive on creativity, rely upon professionalism and insist on accuracy. We believe in testing what we do assuming that rarely can an event not be improved. We respect and nurture the partnerships on which we depend for support, people and ideas. We know we are only as good as the people we work with and so value them all, here and abroad.