Education Support Specialist

Description:
Since opening in October 2014, Le Laboratoire Cambridge has offered exhibitions, seminars, events, and culinary experiences to the greater Boston area. Modeled on Le Laboratoire Paris, which was located in the heart of Paris, France from 2007 – 2015, Le Laboratoire Cambridge is the new home of the Cloud ArtScience Foundation. This foundation is the cultural innovation organization that in recent years has placed original works of art and design in museum collections and stores around the world, run the international education program the ArtScience Prize, inspired Café ArtScience (the fine dining restaurant and experimental bar located opposite our gallery), and more. A crucial part of Le Lab’s mission is its innovative, interdisciplinary education programs. We seek an Education Support Specialist to support Le Lab’s ongoing development and national/international education programming.

All of the education experiments and platforms that are housed and managed at Le Laboratoire are founded on the idea that learners can be most innovative and creative when they are given the space to explore interdisciplinary approaches and pursue projects that are driven by their own passion to make a difference in the world. The majority of our education programs are focused on development of innovative ideas and solutions for the world, working across disciplines, and themes that are found in current exhibitions at Le Lab that involve collaborating artists, scientists, and designers.Unlike other educational models that focus exclusively on the arts or sciences, our methodology helps develop learners as tomorrow’s leaders by encouraging their ability to easily shift between disciplines within the context of a scientific theme. In this “Lab” model, learners are asked to apply skills and ways of thinking common to both the aesthetic, dreamy processes of the arts and the deductive, analytical processes of the sciences and other disciplines. This fusion of disciplines, anchored by an annual scientific theme, supports and challenges learners of all ages to stretch their thinking and come up with wild, “blue-sky” ideas to address needs that exist throughout the world.

Current educational programs include:

  • The ArtScience Prize—Founded in Boston and now operating remotely in more than ten sites around the world, the ArtScience Prize is an interdisciplinary education program that supports young people as they develop groundbreaking ideas around an annual scientific theme. Program Mentors lead teams of students through a project development process and at the end of each site’s program cycle, many students receive project funding and continued mentorship for the ongoing development of their team ideas.
  • Workshops @ Le Lab—Le Lab’s education staff develops and leads one-off workshops for school and youth groups that visit the Lab. These workshops are inspired by themes and ideas explored in Le Lab’s exhibitions, commercial products, and public programs.
  • Professional Development—Professional development opportunities are offered periodically at Le Lab for ArtScience Prize educators and for others in fields including education, entrepreneurship, and business.
  • Other Education Projects—As a constantly evolving entity, Le Lab continually develops new projects and partnerships in education that engage audiences of varying ages, cultural backgrounds, and educational environments in Le Lab’s work. For more information, visit lelabcambridge.com/education.

We seek a dynamic new team member with a background in formal and informal education to support the ongoing development of Le Lab’s education work. The Education Support Specialist will be part of a small education team at Le Lab that works on the development of educational platforms that arise from the organization. Currently, this includes the development and execution of youth workshops that are inspired by current exhibitions in Le Lab’s gallery; ongoing support of the ArtScience Prize satellite programs, including curriculum and activity development, science-related research, and site visits to program replication sites; and administrative tasks within our DIY culture. Additionally, this position will grow with new educational projects as they develop within the organization—efforts that may range from the hyper-local to the broadly international in scope. The Education Support Specialist will collaborate with, report to, and receive guidance from Le Lab’s Executive Director and its Education staff team.

Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will be a seasoned, creative, and energetic individual who has a deep commitment to education, youth, and creativity. Successful candidates will possess the majority of the following attributes:

  • A self-starter with a strong work ethic who is comfortable with multitasking; ability to take leadership over complex projects and work well as part of a small team is a must.
  • Impressive background including a mixture of formal and informal youth/learning environments.
  • BA/BS in education or related field required; Master’s preferred, PhD’s welcome.
  • 3-5 years of related, professional work experience.
  • Commitment to youth programming and the needs of youth of varying ages and backgrounds.
  • Some teaching and curriculum/activity development required.
  • Enthusiasm for learning new skills and exploring unfamiliar concepts.
  • Experience in staff/educator curriculum development.
  • Informal education experience in an urban setting preferred.
  • Strong public speaking, organizational, and written/communication skills.
  • Strong relationship with technology a must; web design experience a plus.
  • Mac proficient.
  • Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) and database experience preferred.
  • Ability to travel at various times in the year.
  • Personal creative practice in any discipline is a plus!
How To Apply:
Please submit the following via e-mail to kris@artscienceprize.org and note in the email subject line “Education Support Specialist”:

  • Résumé
  • Bio of up to 150 words
  • Statement of purpose (400 words or less) describing your philosophy of education, youth work, and your interest in this position

Deadline for applications: Ongoing—this position will be filled as soon as we find the right person for this unique opportunity. Applicants should apply as soon as possible.

Please contact kris@artscienceprize.org with any questions about applying for this position.

No phone calls, please.

Any application materials will not be returned.
For more information, please visitwww.artscienceprize.org and www.lelabcambridge.com

Apply by:
January 31, 2016