About the STEM Youth Development Internship:
The Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation, dba Children's Science Center Lab, conducts internship and youth leadership programs for high school and college students to learn professional skills and to embed these skills in their everyday behavior. The STEM Youth Development Internship will focus on facilitating meaningful and educational experiences for children aged 2-12 and caregivers at the Children’s Science Center Lab. Since 2015, the Children's Science Center has engaged over 400 high school and college-aged youth in the Lab and community outreach programs.
The Children’s Science Center Lab, is seeking six (6) adaptable, energetic, creative, articulate, dynamic, dependable and highly motivated individuals to join our team in the role of STEM Youth Development Intern. The STEM Youth Development Intern will work alongside the Science Center’s STEM Educators supporting hands-on and exploratory activities throughout the Lab. Interns will gain experience in public speaking, organizational skills, and customer service skills.
Intern Responsibilities:
Interns will:
- Greet visitors in a friendly and positive way; respond to questions and needs in a positive and supportive manner;
- Learn about museum program activities, exhibits, and display competency in STEM topics demonstrated in activities and exhibits; be able to answer questions about the activity or topic; facilitate educational activities; participate in science demonstrations (training provided); be an ambassador to the public at all times;
- Set up activities and activity spaces and follow the established guidelines and schedule for activities;
- Maintain control of event space and visitors/students;
- Make safety a priority;
- Actively engage the audience;
- Help with basic facility maintenance to ensure a clean and attractive environment; and
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
The ideal intern candidate will:
- Possess a “can do” attitude with a “will do” work ethic;
- Understand and communicate the mission and vision of the Children’s Science Center;
- Demonstrate interest in elementary education, STEM subjects, and/or informal education;
- Have excellent leadership, communication, and presentation skills;
Have a passion for working with elementary aged students;
- Engage effectively with various ages and groups of individuals including children, parents and/or guardians, STEM mentors, and general audiences;
- Be detail oriented and a quick and independent learner; and
- Have excellent communication and audience interaction skills.
Requirements:
- Be 16 years or older;
- High school student in good academic standing;
- Available for a 14-week, weekend internship at the Children’s Science Center Lab located in the Fair Oaks Mall;
- Underrepresented in STEM. This can include women, persons with disabilities, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Physical Demands of Job:
These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an intern to successfully perform the essential functions of this internship. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions
Frequently required to:
- Speak and hear;
- Stand upright and/or walk on feet for up to five (5) hours at a time;
Sit for up to five (5) hours at a time;
- Reach with arms and hands, including to raise arms overhead to move and lift up to thirty-five (35) pounds;
- Stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl;
- Move or lift at least fifty (50) pounds;
- Use hands and digits to manipulate, handle, and feel.
- Vision abilities required by this internship include close vision (close vision at 20 inches or less), distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more), color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors), peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point), depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships), and ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus).
Occasionally required to:
- Smell;
- Perform repetitive motions;
- Use eye, hand, and foot coordination.
Work Environment
While performing the responsibilities of the internship, these work environment characteristics are representative of the environment the STEM Youth Development Intern encounters. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the internship.
While performing the duties of this internship, the intern is occasionally exposed to outdoor weather conditions, and may be required to wear a protective lab coat, protective glasses, and/or protective gloves. Interns may be required to use chemicals with Material Safety Data Sheets provided. Interns may need to use very hot or very cold liquids. Interns may be required to utilize light tools and equipment in the performance of duties. The noise level in the internship environment is typically moderate to loud.
The STEM Youth Development internship includes a stipend of $1540 upon successful completion of the internship.