Careers

Temporary Program Facilitator, FirstHand™

The University City 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 twice 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(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.

This Temporary Program Facilitator position will be responsible for organizing, facilitating, and leading 3-5 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. The Program Facilitator will report directly to the Program Manager, FirstHand and participate in department activities as necessary. This is a modified full-time position, working a maximum of 30 hours per week.

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 facilitation, and maintain relationships with partners. 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 represent the Science Center professionally. This temporary Program Facilitator has access to sensitive Science Center information and is expected to handle such information with integrity and professionalism. This is a temporary role, commencing in August 2025 and concluding in June 2026. Contingent upon available funding, there is potential for the position to become permanent, full-time.

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Essential Functions

STEM Program Implementation and Coordination
  • Works with the FirstHand Program Manager to plan, coordinate, and facilitate approximately 3-5 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 Program Manager on recruiting and maintaining relationships with STEM mentors from the startup and entrepreneurial community in Philadelphia.
STEM Curriculum Design
  • Works with Program Manager and other FirstHand staff to refine and develop industry-relevant STEM curriculum, documenting internal curriculum.
  • Documents and revises curricular outlines as well as student and mentor activities for internal and external use. Adheres to internal document sharing protocols (i.e. SharePoint).
  • Engages with STEM Mentors to create dynamic activities that showcase workplace skills and career pathways for FirstHand students. This includes activity orientation, one-on-one activity planning and coaching, and planning mentor recruitment events with the Program Manager and rest of Facilitation team.
Supporting Organizational Systems
  • Attends relevant staff meetings to promote communication and execution of goals.
  • Participates in reporting and evaluation activities to include scheduled site visits with funders, maintaining student attendance and mentor volunteer records, follows program budget protocols, and ensures appropriate grant compliance.
  • Supports Science Center marketing teams by promoting FirstHand via social media and networking functions.
  • Completes special projects specific to the function of the department or as needed for the department under the guidance of the managers.
  • Adheres to Science Center’s security guidelines and ensures the appropriate handling of sensitive information.
  • Facilitates and attends relevant staff meetings to promote communication and execution of goals.
  • Other duties as assigned within the scope of position expectations.

What you’ll need to succeed

Confident and Passionate Educator
  • Ability to confidently manage middle and high school classrooms with agility and attention to student needs.
  • Ability to engage different types of learners in hands-on curricula.
  • In-depth knowledge and experience leading youth programs in formal or informal STEM settings. Experience with culturally relevant pedagogy and project-based learning is a plus.
Problem solver and Lifelong learner
  • Enthusiastic about hands-on, STEM learning, and has a general interest in gaining more knowledge in STEM subjects and topics related to FirstHand curricular content.
  • A hands-on attitude towards new technology and systems, willingness to learn the technology required.
  • Ability to demonstrate self-initiative and work effectively independently.
Strong Communicator and Team Player
  • Demonstrated ability to work with other people through a cooperative effort.
  • Thrives on a small team that collaborates regularly.
  • Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, about arts, science and technology initiatives with the Science Center management team, staff, and a wide variety of external stakeholders.
  • Possesses strong interpersonal skills and exemplifies the Science Center's values of unity, open communication, integrity, equity & inclusion, impact, and innovation in action.
  • Demonstrated ability to execute goals by carefully setting priorities, meeting deadlines, delegating appropriately, and scheduling time efficiently, and ability to organize multiple tasks in an efficient manner and follow-up and follow-through with strong attention to detail.
  • Adheres to all Science Center and departmental policies and procedures.

Experience, Education, and Licensure

Minimum Experience
  • 1-3 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 Spanish 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 preferred.

Location and Work Environment

FirstHand is a place-based program that takes place at our "learning lab,” which mirrors a professional lab and is embedded in the uCity Square innovation district. Students are immersed in and share all aspects of the space with professionals –the elevators, hallways, lab supplies, etc. The Program Facilitator should be comfortable in workshop and lab environments and with many different populations.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
  • Although work is primarily indoors in an office environment, or in a remote or virtual working space, you will be required to travel outside to Science Center and community locations.
  • Position may require occasional trips to attend conferences, seminars, and meetings.
  • May require working non-traditional hours based on event schedules or other operational needs.

Physical Demands

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.?

  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee will frequently stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or equipment; reach with hands and arms; balance; talk or hear. The employee will occasionally climb stairs; stoop; kneel; crouch or crawl; taste or smell.
  • The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
  • Operate standard office equipment.
  • Move and set up equipment and related items for events.
  • Specific vision abilities required by the job include frequent reading and close vision; distance vision; color vision; peripheral vision; depth perception; and the ability to adjust focus.
Science Center Values
  • Unity: Promotes one Science Center, united and guided by our mission.
  • Open Communication: We make space in our work for people to be seen and heard while expanding our empathy and mutual respect of each other’s boundaries, experiences, and person.
  • Integrity: Creates an environment of trust and integrity. We are honest and ethical in everything we do.
  • Impact: Works to make a meaningful and measurable difference in the lives of others.
  • Equity & Inclusion: Fosters an environment that embraces the strength in the diversity of our team and our community.
  • Innovation in Action: Committed to continuous learning and open to new ideas that drive positive change.
About the Science Center

The Science Center is Philadelphia’s premier catalyst of entrepreneurial activity, healthcare innovation, and economic growth. Established in 1963, the nonprofit has been recognized by The Brookings Institution as a best-in-class investor, mentor, and economic development partner for young technology companies. Working alongside industry partners and leading research and academic institutions across the globe, the Science Center has supported hundreds of early-stage companies that have a combined $7.8B annual economic impact on Greater Philadelphia. Today, the organization advances healthcare innovation from idea to the marketplace through startup support services and building STEM pathways for Philadelphia youth. For more information visit sciencecenter.org or follow us at @UCScienceCenter.

submit resume and complete application