Jonathan Bijur
Are you passionate about making and tinkering? About combining art and engineering? About using materials sustainably? About facilitating children's journeys as makers as much as teaching them skills and knowledge?
As a reDiscover Center Lead Tinkering Facilitator, you will develop and lead STEAM educational programming using hands-on tools and materials for children ages 5-12. You will launch off of existing reDiscover Center curriculum and collaborate with enthusiastic faculty at our host schools to independently facilitate in-school makerspace programming four days a week during the school year. You will teach in reDiscover’s Tinkering School LA camp, develop and facilitate after school programs, document work for social media and publication, and develop new programs in collaboration with other reDiscover staff. You will be trained in reDiscover’s programs in crafting, woodworking, engineering, and sculpture, drawing on the organization’s 15 years experience facilitating assemblage art, mechanical sculpture, biomimicry engineering, playground equipment construction, and catapults, among other topics. You will be part of a kind and collaborative team that teaches 10,000 children a year to work at scales from wire bending and buttons to construction with full sheets of plywood and dimensional lumber.
Full time non-exempt
40 hours/week
2 weeks paid vacation/year, 10 federal holidays, 5 personal/sick days
Gold level health insurance, 100% for employee, 0% for dependents
3% match SIMPLE IRA retirement savings starting 1/1/19
Work schedule to include at least one week during the winter holidays
Salary range: $48-55,000
About reDiscover Center:
reDiscover Center develops children’s creativity through hands-on making with sustainable materials. We believe making and tinkering with real materials are fundamental experiences all children should have for their own personal development and to connect them with the community and the environment.
Founded in 2004, reDiscover Center works with local businesses and households to divert materials from the trash stream and use them in art, environmental education, and tinkering programs. With “rediscovered” materials at the core of its programs, reDiscover offers STEAM education programs that incorporate play, exploration, and child-centered project-based learning. Our programs include teacher professional development, classroom activities, makerspace consulting, Tinkering School LA camps, after school activities, festival activities, and workshops to children ages 3-18 and adults. We give children power tools, empower them to make, and support them to tinker with their projects towards gaining deep understanding of the topics at hand. reDiscover works with community partners, notably schools, libraries, and non-profits throughout the Los Angeles area to provide educational programs in art, sustainability, and tinkering to over 10,000 children per year. http://rediscovercenter.org/
Lead Tinkering Facilitator Job Duties:
Plan, prep, and lead educational STEAM programs, including Tinker Lab programming, after school programs, Tinkering School LA day camps, and occasional programs at reDiscover Center and offsite.
Document programs and conduct evaluations of program quality and impact.
Develop curricula, lesson plans, activity guides, and similar documents for internal use and publication.
Source, build, and maintain furniture, tools, equipment, and materials for Tinker Labs.
Represent reDiscover in professional and public maker/tinkerer communities; present reDiscover’s program offerings to schools, community organizations, and individual clients.
Research regional and national trends and best practices in STEAM education, sustainability education, and makerspaces.
Contribute to special projects and ad hoc working groups at reDiscover and offsite.
Schedule of Program Delivery:
32 weeks of offsite school day Tinker Lab facilitation at a Westside school: 14 teaching hours/week, 4 days a week on site.
20 weeks/year, 2 days a week after school classes on Westside.
11 weeks/year day camp facilitation: 1 winter break week, 1-2 spring break weeks, and 8-9 summer weeks.
Occasionally assist with major events and substitute coverage as available.
Requirements:
Excellent independence and time management skills.
Experience teaching STEAM education programs to youth ages 5-12.
Manual skills in areas such as crafting, cardboard prototyping, basic woodworking, and assemblage sculpture.
Familiarity with the engineering design process and Next Generation Science Standards.
Ability to make cross-curricular connections at the elementary school level that integrate art/engineering/tinkering/making with projects in various academic disciplines.
Facility with digital document creation, including text, photo, video, and social media.
Ability to write and edit publishable copy.
Experience on work teams that include teachers and/or facilitators.
Must possess valid CA Driver’s License.
Ability to lift 25 lbs.
Employment will be contingent on completion of a TB test and LiveScan background check showing eligibility to work with children.
To Apply:
Address a resume/CV and cover letter to Jonathan Bijur, Executive Director, and email to h...@rediscovercenter.org by July 20, 2018. Target start date is September 1, or earlier.