Program Facilitator, FirstHand?

Description : Position Summary

About the Science Center

For 60 years, the West Philadelphia-based Science Center has been a leader and partner in innovation-driven regional economic development.  Located at the heart of the uCity Square campus, home to over 200 businesses, the Science Center operates at the intersection of startups, healthcare, and community to drive inclusive growth across Greater Philadelphia and beyond.

About FirstHand ?

The Science Center launched FirstHand in 2014 to provide equitable, high-quality STEM experiences to Philadelphia students in middle and high school.  FirstHand offers a suite of free, industry-informed STEM curricula with no tests, grades, or homework through which students engage in the same hands-on tasks as professionals. Middle school students participate as a cohort and travel once a week, during school hours, for ten weeks (20 hours) to the FirstHand lab with a school chaperone. High school students participate in 8-week (approximately 16-hour), targeted career-exposure programs called ?Sprints? that are co-developed and co-delivered by STEM professionals, and students are paid achievement-based stipends. All FirstHand cohorts are 16 students or less.

The Program Facilitator, FirstHand, will lead several of the University City Science Center?s (UCSC) FirstHand youth lab-based programs. This position will be responsible for organizing, facilitating, and leading 4 - 6 programs a week for middle school & high school Philadelphia youth that will run during normal business hours with occasional exceptions in the Science Center?s FirstHand Lab.

This is a hands-on program lead position, requiring the capacities to inspire and manage youth, coordinate in-person course delivery schedules, deliver high-quality STEM program facilitation, and maintain relationships with partners. The Program Facilitator should be comfortable in workshop and lab environments and engaging with students of diverse backgrounds and learning styles.

The Program Facilitator will collaborate with external partners and industry professionals to design new industry-aligned curricula and refine the existing curricula to continue to meet the needs of the 21st-century workforce. Additionally, this position works closely with the Director and Program Manager to develop and maintain partnerships that advance the Science Center?s role in youth education and programming.

This position has regular contact with community members and is expected to professionally represent the Science Center. The Program Facilitator, FirstHand has internal contacts with the entire staff of UCSC and external contact with scientists, designers, technologists, entrepreneurs, and the wider Philadelphia community. This position has access to sensitive UCSC information and is expected to handle such information with integrity and professionalism. The Program Facilitator is expected to follow Science Center policies and work cross-functionally with team members across UCSC.

The Program Facilitator will report directly to the Senior Manager, STEM Education Initiatives and participate in department activities as necessary.

Essential Functions

STEM Program Implementation and Coordination

• Works with the FirstHand Senior Manager to plan, coordinate, and facilitate approximately 4-6 multi-week youth programs in the FirstHand Lab which includes communicating with teachers and administration, coordinating transportation, and other related duties.
• Serves as a support role for FirstHand classes when not leading.
• Serves as point-of-contact for school chaperones from local youth-serving organizations, including schools and community-based organizations to ensure student participation.
• Works with the Senior Manager on recruiting and maintaining relationships with STEM mentors from the startup and entrepreneurial community in Philadelphia.

STEM Curriculum Design

Supporting Organizational Systems

Requirements :

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Confident and Passionate Educator

Problem solver and Lifelong learner

Strong Communicator and Team Player

Experience, Education, and Licensure

Minimum Experience : 2-3 years of experience working in direct service / education of middle and / or high school-aged youth. Teaching experience in Informal Science and STEM education program development is preferred. Experience working in Philadelphia middle or high schools is a plus. Fluency in in an additional language is also a plus.

Minimum Education : BA / BD / BS degree from an accredited college or university in Education or STEM field or other related field of study or equivalent.

Minimum Salary : $54,000 per year

Maximum Salary : $57,000 per year

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PI278985653

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