Innovation Educator

• DESCRIPTION

POSITION PURPOSE AND SUMMARY:

The Innovation Educator within The Hidden Genius Project is the fundamental driver of student programming activities with a core focus on the Intensive Immersion Program inside the classroom. Hence, they are primarily responsible for implementing the technical curriculum, including problem-solving, computer science, programming, and software design.  Additionally, they co-coordinate and oversee a team of Youth Educators to teach the entrepreneurship and leadership components.  The Hidden Genius Project seeks to effect a radical transformation in the pedagogy of computer science, entrepreneurship, and leadership, and the Innovation Educator will serve as a fundamental strategist toward this end.  Accordingly, it is vital that they continually exercise ingenuity, enthusiasm, and a deep commitment to continual learning within an exciting expanding environment.  Finally, the Innovation Educator works as part of a dynamic, communicative, and supportive team of staff, Youth Educators, and Board members committed to their success.  This is the consummate role for the educator with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit.

Please speak to why you want to serve young Black males in your cover letter. 

MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Curriculum Design: Work with the Senior Innovation Educator and Curriculum Lead/Specialist to continually re/develop and innovate an existing in/external facing curriculum that is broadly accessible, and aligned with The Hidden Genius Project Immersion Curriculum goals and values.

Curriculum Adaptation: Partner with The Hidden Genius Project instructional leadership to adapt and refine core curricula to meet the needs of the local site.

Core Instruction: Teach core curricular concepts (i.e. technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership) to the Immersion cohort during summer and school-year sessions.  Coordinate Youth Educators and lead educational activities within Catalyst programming.

Training, Technical Assistance, & Facilitation: Facilitate training and/or convenings for Genius alumni interested in becoming Youth Educators. Train the current Youth Educators on advanced programming skills, enhanced content, and methods. Train and supervise Youth Educators to support classroom and Catalyst activities, and manage them within those settings.

Other duties as assigned, including but not limited to working on other short-term and long-term projects as the need arises.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Serve as an exceptional role model and mentor to The Hidden Genius Project participants.

Communicate effectively (via email, phone, and/or postal mail) and in a timely manner with all relevant constituencies, including participants and their parents/guardians.

Act as a dynamic ambassador to The Hidden Genius Project within the community.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Required

Excellent leadership abilities

High comfort level with technology

Experience working and communicating effectively with Black youth, underrepresented youth, and/or low-income youth

Intense commitment to the life success of Black males and boys and men of color

Experience mentoring and working closely with Black male youth

“Can do” attitude and ability to work as part of a team

Experience in project management. Willingness to develop differentiated learning experiences

Ability to prioritize, organize, and delegate effectively

Ability to receive feedback and engage in continuous self-improvement

Ability to adapt to a dynamic, rapidly-changing work environment

Ability to build positive relationships with all important constituencies

Strong knowledge of youth development field and models

Firm belief in personal accountability, producing measurable outcomes, and sustaining high expectations

Desired

Bachelor’s Degree

Experience teaching problem-solving and/or math skills

Experience teaching or studying computer science, and/or programming languages, i.e. Python, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Swift, Flutter, etc.

Experience working in the technology industry

Commitment to achieving The Hidden Genius Project’s mission and vision

Ability to work more than 40 hours per week, and during the evenings and weekends, as needed

ROLE OVERVIEW: 

Role Location: Baltimore, Maryland; Detroit, Michigan; Educators pool

Reports to: Pedagogy Director  (headquarters based in Oakland, CA) or Chief Innovation Officer) 

Status: Exempt

Schedule: Full-time (minimum of 40 hours per week), onsite for the first year of employment. 

Must be able to navigate various virtual platforms such as Zoom, Hopin, Microsoft Teams, and Google Suite

BENEFITS OF THE ROLE:

Paid professional development

Dynamic, fun work environment.

Excellent opportunity to make a significant impact in the lives of numerous young people

Entrepreneurial organization; implement your own ideas and immediately see the effects

Opportunity to meet and interact with multifarious individuals in the technology industry

Opportunity to play a fundamental role in building a national organization

Opportunity to innovate in building effective models for holistic technology instruction

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

The employee may occasionally climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; the employee may frequently stand, walk, or sit; the employee may regularly grasp objects, talk, and/ or hear.

The employee will occasionally lift up to 50 pounds; the employee will regularly lift up to 10 pounds

This job requires vision abilities that ensure the safety of operating and programming spaces for all stakeholders

Travel and supervise the transportation of students as needed

National (and possibly international) travel