Product Design Facilitator

Operation Breakthrough’s mission is to help children living in poverty develop to their fullest potential by providing them a safe, loving and educational environment. Operation Breakthrough strives to support and empower the children’s families through education, advocacy, emergency aid and referral services.

Join our dynamic Ignition Lab Team in providing workforce development and entrepreneurship in STEM through 2D/3D Product Design.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The STEM Fellow is responsible for facilitating innovative, hands-on 2D/3D learning experiences in which students apply problem-solving skills to learning through prototyping, sharing of ideas, productive failure, experimentation, and collaboration

As a Fellow you will:

• Design, implement, and revise inquiry-based, cross-curricular and engaging STEM-related projects and learning challenges using CAD and laser cutting and 3-D printing
• Maintain a safe, healthy, creative, supportive, and collaborative learning environment for students
• Maintain program materials and machines as appropriate
• Assist in organizing optional special events, challenges, or activities for participants and the community quarterly
• Assist in assessing student learning to evaluate program effectiveness
• Create and maintain in-house Standard Operating Procedure documentation for commonly-used materials and machines
• Create connections with local companies and non-profits to collaborate on client connected projects.
• Other duties as assigned

ATTRIBUTES:

Possess an entrepreneurial spirit; be flexible, collaborative, willing and able to lead a variety of cross-curricular projects and be willing to go above and beyond to meet the varied and constant needs of the students participating in the Ignition Lab.

Possess the ability to model positive and healthy character traits and habits, such as being organized, consistent, persistent, and understanding.

Demonstrate the ability to embrace diversity and inclusion and perform in a multicultural community

Ability and willingness to participate in events outside the workday schedule.( i.e. must be available to some work evenings and weekends throughout the year.)

An ability to recognize and change work priorities in a timely fashion

Comfortable with a hands-on approach, particularly an ability to improvise with audiences of varied skills, the use of hand tools, electronics, computer software, hardware and various other technologies;

Ability to manage one to two inclusive, diverse, safe, and creative spaces for teaching, learning, and making

Alternative or combined skills in understanding, counseling, and/or influencing people are important in achieving job objectives, causing action, understanding others, or changing behavior, skills of persuasiveness or assertiveness, as well as sensitivity to the point of view of others.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Qualified candidate should identify as a teacher, designer, inventor, scientist, or scholar – any combination, as long as you make things that matter
• A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering preferred or related experience with specialty in education or STEM-related field
• A strong record of practice, a willingness to take risks, a desire to look beyond traditional disciplines, and a dedication to making a difference in the world
• Proven experience with interdisciplinary and innovative project design across computer science, electrical technologies, engineering, robotics, “Making” or a closely related field;

• Experience working with adolescents
• Enthusiasm for exploring new trends and tools for learning
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills

SPECIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Experience using some or all of the following:

Laser Cutter/3D Printer

A variety of Computer Science Software/Coding Programs

CAD/CAM applications, and design software;

CNC Router

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

PHYSICAL: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit and climb or balance. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

WORKING CONDITIONS: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts; fumes or airborne particles. The employee is frequently exposed to vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.