Design Lab Education Technician

ABOUT THE ROLE:The Possible Zone (TPZ), a nonprofit organization, seeks a Design Lab Education Technician to support TPZ’s four classroom Design Labs. The ideal candidate has a strong track record of maker education and is passionate about closing the opportunity gap. This is an on-site role based in our Boston Innovation Center, with the expectation of working 5 days per week in our Boston office.Making, design thinking, and STEAM education are deeply embedded within The Possible Zone’s entrepreneurship and social enterprise programs. The Design Lab Education Technician will serve as dedicated caretaker and in-house expert for our four classroom Design Labs, overseeing maintenance, safety protocols, tutorial development, troubleshooting, and training. These Design Labs are used primarily by our entrepreneurship students and their educators as they design and fabricate product prototypes aligned with their areas of interest. Each Design Lab is equipped with desktop fabrication tools, including a Glowforge laser cutter, Nomad 3 milling machine, Cricut vinyl cutter, sewing machines, desktop fume hood, laptops, and iPads, as well as shared access to two direct to garment printers and a 3D printer farm. TPZ’s Design Lab equipment primarily employs Adobe Illustrator for 2D design and TinkerCAD for 3D design.The Design Lab Education Technician will be responsible for ensuring our educators have the training and resources they need to use the Design Lab equipment independently and will assist educators as they scope students’ projects. Additional responsibilities include leading workshops and creative sessions, developing tutorials for fun Design Lab projects to inspire students, providing hands-on assistance in classes to offer direct support to students, and mentoring students, staff, and community members in bringing their creative visions to life.RESPONSIBILITIES:Serve as passionate and dedicated care-taker of TPZ’s Design Lab equipment, tools, and related resources, including oversight of daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance; troubleshooting; and coordination with equipment manufacturers for servicing.Create, implement, and enforce safety protocols for Design Lab equipment including hand tools, blades, Glowforge laser cutters, Nomad milling machines, Cricut vinyl cutters, sewing machines, and desktop fume hoods.Cross-collaborate with other TPZ technicians, Fab Lab Manager, and STEAM and Program teams to help shape interdisciplinary projects and curricula.Provide direct support to students and educators in TPZ’s entrepreneurship and deep dive classes.Develop documentation, tutorials, guides, trainings, and workshops utilizing TPZ’s Design Lab equipment and associated design software.In collaboration with Fab Lab Manager, develop and implement training and certification for Design Lab equipment.Consult with students and educators about design and fabrication approaches and processes.Train and oversee student assistants and TAs.Oversee related inventory, maintenance tracking, user credentialing, and small equipment check-in/check-out.In collaboration with members of the STEAM team, teach workshops and classes for staff, students, community members and other stakeholders.Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.And other duties as required.QUALIFICATIONS:3+ years experience working with digital fabrication equipment and design software.Prior teaching/mentoring experience in a makerspace environment.Prior experience making with creative technologies beyond the Design Lab, including creative coding, electronics, embroidery, and/or large-format printing and machining.Ability to quickly learn new pieces of technology, including digital fabrication equipment and design software.Ability to work with a diverse audience of varying numbers and experience levels.Creative spirit and collaborative nature.Ability to take initiative, work independently, and troubleshoot in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.Very high attention to detail.Fluency with Adobe Illustrator and TinkerCAD.Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.Strong organizational and time management skills.Passion for and understanding of the mission and vision of TPZ.Commitment to live the values of Diversity, Equity and inclusion.Bilingual in Spanish, Portuguese, or Haitian Creole a plus.Compensation & Benefits:Salary range:

$65,000 - 75,000 , and

dependent upon experience . The Possible Zone provides eligible employees with a comprehensive health and insurance package that covers them and their families. We pay 80% of the premium for Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance and 100% of the premium for Basic Life insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability for employees. We also offer robust mental health and wellness resources through partnerships with Calm and Wellable. Additionally, employees will receive a commuting stipend that can be used for walking, biking, transit, or gas; employer contributions to their 401(k); paid parental leave; an average of 20 paid holidays per year; up to 25 days of paid time off per year; opportunities for internal and external professional development which include learning what our students learn in our state of the art STEAM Makespace/FabLab; and performance-based compensation with merit and bonus potential. Our Compensation philosophy is designed with checks and balances to ensure pay equity and to fairly recognize and reward employees' contributions.

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