STEM Justice Intern

STEM Justice Interns prepare and facilitate interactive learning experiences on 4 STEM Content Tracks*; with Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center participants and partner communities. Interns will apply content knowledge, skills and tools to provide interactive activities to make positive impacts on social justice issues and to build STEM literate communities disconnected in STEM. This is a summer position that works primarily offsite at partner organizations, with occasional meetings at the Science Museum of Minnesota. 

This is a seasonal summer position.

*STEM Content Tracks: 

• Environmental Studies & Sustainability: Understand the interconnectedness of humans and the environment to address environmental injustices. 
• Engineering & Design: Understand how engineering and design principles can be used to address critical community issues. 
• Media & Technology: Understand how media and technology can be used to shape narratives, shift consciousness, and mediate our relationship with the world. 
• Human Biology & Public Health: Connect personal health and human biology to the health and well-being of the world and develop solutions to address disproportionate health impacts in marginalized communities.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Research STEM education issues, specifically those that relate to Twin Cities communities. 
2. Ability to work independently, managing projects and deadlines with limited support. 
3. Visit with local researchers to learn the science behind related issues. 
4. Plan and lead hands-on STEM activities for groups of 5-30 elementary and/or middle school aged students at local youth serving organizations and at the Science Museum. 
5. Meet weekly to plan for the sessions – research and develop activities, document facilitation plans, engage in reflection after sessions. 
6. Monitor students to ensure they are grasping activity concepts while encouraging student participation and monitor behavior. 
7. Model behavior expectations and help create a positive, inclusive learning environment. 
8. Plan and facilitate team building activities. 
9. Participate in leadership training, facilitation training and informal science education training. 
10. Participate in planning and facilitation of KAYSC and community engagement events. 
11. Share program and activity information with other program area staff. 
12. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Competencies:

1. Communication: Expresses oneself clearly in conversations and interactions with others and ensures that information is shared with others who should be informed.
2. Collaboration: Develops, maintains, and strengthens partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support. 
3. Customer Service: Demonstrates an understanding of the SMM mission by ensuring that their own interactions with internal and external customers consistently support the mission. 
4. Fostering an Inclusive Community: Contributes to a museum environment, and people, that reflect and respond to the diverse needs and cultures of our community (internal and external). 
5. Results Orientation: Focuses on providing a best in class visitor experience through work outcomes by meeting personal and organizational work objectives.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Education: High school Diploma or GED
2. Experience: 
   • Experience working with staff teams or participants from demographic backgrounds underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers.
   • Utilizing and teaching STEM content for academic or leisure purposes 
   • Framing science, technology, engineering and math with a social justice lens 
3. Certifications: N/A 
4. Work Environment: Traveling throughout the twin cities area with own vehicle or on public transportation. Necessary to work in all climate types.

Compensation: $17.72 per hour

The job duties describe the general nature and level of work assigned to this position and is not an exhaustive list. For some positions, detailed procedures may be outlined in supplemental documents.

We exist to turn on the science and inspire learning, inform policy and improve lives. We envision a world in which all people have the power to use science to make lives better. We value science as an essential literacy and strive for inclusion inside and out so that our museum and our people reflect and respond to the diverse needs and cultures of our community. It is the museum’s policy and practice to hire and promote qualified job seekers from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Salary : $18