Light Lab Director

Friends’ Central School, an independent, coeducational, Quaker day school founded in 1845 and serving 800 students in Nursery through grade 12, seeks a Light Lab Director to lead our Nursery through 5th Grade creative and collaborative learning makerspace. The Light Lab consists of four studios: Fabrication, Design, Media, and Natural Sciences. Ideal candidates will have experience managing a makerspace as well as classroom teaching experience. The position requires dedication to the School’s Quaker heritage, the ability to collaborate and inspire, and a sense of humor.

Responsibilities:

• Create opportunities and programming for new Make Space Building including partnering with outside organizations.
• Facilitate hands-on projects with students as well as team-teach with classroom and specials teachers. This requires proven experience with interdisciplinary and innovative curricular design and partnership.
• Manage the scheduling, inventory, and equipment upkeep in the Light Lab’s four studios: Fabrication, Design, Media, and Natural Sciences.
• Develop curriculum and teach coding to Lower School students.
• Plan and lead professional development programming and workshops for faculty.
• Assist with Lower School clubs and other extra-curricular programming (occasional weekend and evening commitments as needed).
• Must be flexible and collaborative team member who can support, inspire, and motivate others as well as forge decisions effectively.
• Other duties as assigned by the Lower School Principal.

Qualifications:

• You can identify as a teacher, designer, inventor, scientist, or scholar–any combination–as long as you make things that matter.
• Bachelors degree, although a Masters degree is preferred. Preference for specialty in education or STEAM related field.
• Candidates should have a strong record of research and practice, a willingness to take risks, a desire to look beyond traditional disciplines, and a dedication to making a difference in the world.
• Experience working with young children.
• Enthusiasm for exploring new trends and tools for learning.
• Experience using media, design, and digital fabrication tools and software.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in direct instruction, inquiry-based learning, and cooperative learning with a focus on a student-centered approach.
• Understanding of developmental stages of children aged 3 - 12.

Friends’ Central School seeks candidates with a commitment to fostering an inclusive learning community, who will address issues of diversity, as well as enhance the Philosophy of Inclusivity and Awareness articulated in our Diversity Statement.