Job opportunity: Informal STEAM Educator for National School Tour, Wondergy, National Travel, Based in Philadelphia, PA
Wondergy Science Education is seeking charismatic scientists who want to travel the USA presenting school assemblies. You’ll present an unscripted interactive show, engaging with students’ questions and ideas, and making it fun, educational, and exciting. You will visit over 80,000 students in over 30 states, and make a huge impact on the world. This is a full time job on the road, requiring substantial driving. This year our 18th-20th National tours will focus on the Physics and Engineering of Lasers, Skateboarding, and Drones.
For more information: http://wondergy.com/travelling-scientist/
Duties
- Present 7-11 45-minute assembly programs each week for 100-500 students per show
- Guide inquiry-driven science exploration; encourage questioning and discovery.
- Think on your feet – find joy and humor in moments, and follow your groups’ lead.
- Share your excitement about science and engineering with diverse communities
- Drive from school to school – this tour will involve very substantial solo or duo driving
- 100% Travel – National Tour begins in September and ends May/June
- Breaks for holidays and Christmas/New Year’s, and on advance request
- Pack, setup, re-pack science demo and sound equipment
- Communicate with schools before your visit
- No sales duties. You’ll be sent a schedule each week.
- Compensation is consistent per-week, not per-show.
Qualifications of an Ideal Candidate
- Science or Engineering background strongly preferred
- Charismatic, passionate, with strong communication skills.
- Electronics and computer programming experience preferred – we build the demos for you, but it helps if you can fix them on the road, with our support.
- Creative and able to improvise; you should welcome audience questions, ideas, and jokes!
- Comfortable in front of large audiences – performance, teaching, or public speaking experience preferred
- Able to articulate complex concepts in a simple yet accurate manner
- Comfortable with basic physical science concepts relating to electricity, circuits, and magnetism
- Clean, valid drivers’ license and background check
- Able to lift and carry over 50lbs
Compensation
$600.00 to $800.00/week. We provide a vehicle and a gas card. Plus full-week per diem for Hotels, Food, Tolls, paid as a stipend, not a reimbursement. You choose your housing along the way, and keep what you don’t spend.
The Shows
For academic year 2019-2020, Wondergy will be sending three interactive shows on tour across the country. These will be our 18th-20th national tours, and our 8th year of touring nationally.
- STEAM Drones (two presenters, two positions open)
- For every action, there’s an opposite and awesome reaction. Explore the science and engineering that makes drones fly, balance, and dance!
- Physics of Skateboarding (two presenters, two positions open)
- Crash into the physics of safety by lying across a bed of nails. Find the physics of balance by levitating students. Make pigs fly to explore how big-air tricks and jumps work. Bring the science of the Ollie to life!
- LaserShow Science – (solo, one position open)
- Explore how the science of light, lasers, and human vision come together to make laser shows possible. Play with persistence of vision. Fog a gym and see how light travels. Excite hundreds of students about energy!