Youth Initiatives Coordinator
For over 150 years, the American Museum of Natural History in NYC has been dedicated to discovering, interpreting, and disseminating – through scientific research and education – knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe. Our Museum is seeking a Coordinator of Youth Initiatives (YI), a division of the Museum’s Department of Education).
The YI group is dedicated to STEM workforce development and science enrichment for youth ages 10 to 24. In YI, we aspire to be a hub and model for youth science learning and engagement that responds to institutional and societal discrimination that prevents full participation in science by all young people. We are looking for candidates committed to this vision in working with our team to build a more just and equitable community of STEM learners and leaders.
The Coordinator of Youth Initiatives is directly responsible for day-to-day operations of our Lang Science Scholars program (7th to 12th grade), and our science enrichment program, Science Alliance (6 – 8th grade). Both programs serve a diverse community of learners, including students whose families are non-English-speaking
● Lang Science Program is an intensive 6-year science program spanning middle and high school for students who have demonstrated a curiosity about the world and are eager to expand their knowledge. We work with Lang students to nurture this curiosity and joy, guide them to become responsible contributors to and consumers of science, and to prepare students for STEM careers. The Lang experience consists of collection and lab-based exploration, meaningful interactions with scientists and Museum professionals, team-based science research, internships throughout the museum, and field trips to natural areas and cultural institutions. Lang serves 140 students on Saturdays throughout the year, and 4 weeks in the summer. Lang is an application-based program.
● Science Alliance provides STEM-enrichment opportunities for students to discover and explore their science interests across a diversity of content areas including anthropology, astrophysics, conservation science, earth & planetary science, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Science Alliance experiences increasingly are multi-disciplinary (e.g. the astronomy of Mesoamerican societies) and/or embed opportunities for students to practice computer science & computational thinking skills (e.g. computer modeling of disease transmission). Science Alliance currently serves 360 students after school, Saturdays, holiday breaks, and during the summer. Science Alliance has open, rolling enrollment with no application.
Position Summary
The Coordinator reports to the Manager of Youth Initiatives, and works closely with the educator team (4 full-time teachers; 5-7 part-time teachers, and 8-12 teaching assistants). The Coordinator has no direct reports, but will organize activities of teaching assistants to support day-to-day classroom operations.
The Coordinator of Youth Initiatives is directly responsible for 1) managing ticketing for classes, enrollment & rosters, and participating in admissions processes, 2) overseeing all class logistics, prepping for classes & ongoing material management, 3) onsite, day-of support of students, educators and teaching assistants, 4) routine and frequent communication with students and families throughout the week
Job Responsibilities include, but not limited to:
- Ticketing, enrollment, rosters & admissions:
- Handle ticket sales and generate ticketing reports for paid programming
- Participate in Lang admission process, evaluate applications & conduct interviews
- Oversee enrollment, onboarding, exiting: Develop and distribute welcome and enrollment packets, create rosters, prepare attendance, and completion data for pipeline database
- Class logistics, prepare for class & events, and material management:
- Gather materials, print-outs, and computers for class and special events
- Work with operations to book halls, AV needs, and food orders
- Maintain and organize supplies, communicate with educators with regard to material needs, coordinate with operations on ordering
- Direct part-time teaching assistants to assist in all material management and student needs
- Onsite, Day-of:
- Oversee pick-up and drop-off, be on call for all emergencies
- Track and document and respond to issues of student behavior or chronic absence
- Alert Manager to student behavior issues that impact student safety, well-being, and experience
- Partner with educators and teaching assistants, communicate expectations and norms, monitor student engagement and experience, behavior, and growth
- Participate in and co-lead community building activities with youth
- Advise on and execute one-day events such as SciChat, Community Nights and Graduation\
4. Communication with students and families:
- First line of contact and response for students, families, and teachers
- Regularly monitor email accounts
- Work alongside educators to communicate expectations and norms
This position is a Tuesday thru Saturday position.
Required Qualifications:
- B.A. or equivalent degree in education, science, museum studies, social work, or relevant field experience with program coordination (Class of 2022 graduates are welcome to apply, but must be ready to start work by May 15)
- Demonstrate passion for youth education and prior experience working with youth ages 11 to 18
- Ability to work self-sufficiently on assigned tasks, but also the ability and confidence to request help and direction
- Commitment to issues of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
- Ability to adapt diverse communication styles suitable to different audiences (e.g. middle school students, high school students, educators, parents, non-Education Museum staff)
- Multitask on a daily basis (e.g. responsive by email, phone, and slack while programs are running) within a fast-paced, distracting environment
- Detail oriented and meticulous record keeping (e.g. enrollment forms, permission slips, etc).
- A track record of being organized and efficient in managing spreadsheets of data, supply inventories and equipment
- Ability to learn new software and systems quickly. Position will use MS Office, Tessitura, Slack, Zoom, Canva and more
- Commit to a Tuesday through Saturday work week and peak programming in summer
- Able to commit to an 11 am to 7 pm schedule at least 3 weekdays / week
Preferred Qualifications:
- Fluent in Spanish (Oral and Written)
- Experience working in STEM informal education
- Experience in physical or natural science fieldwork or a laboratory setting
- Enthusiastic about the natural world and a “lifelong learner” of science