Job Opportunities

Lemelson-MIT is hiring an INVENTION EDUCATION MANAGER to support the Lemelson/MIT Program’s Mission to expand invention education by leading the Partners in Invention Education (PiE) initiative and related national programming. This role oversees PiE membership recruitment, agreements, and year‑round professional development, including coaching educators, facilitating collaborations, identifying needed resources, and supporting online and hybrid communities of practice. The Manager also directs planning for LMIT’s annual convening beginning in 2027, manages InvenTeams grants awarded to PiE members, and supervises a team of Invention Education Fellows who contribute to pedagogy and implementation nationwide. Additional responsibilities include contributing to program assessment, supporting research and curriculum refinement, coordinating pilot testing with educators, and assisting with communications, marketing, and general program operations.

Job Requirements

REQUIRED: Bachelor’s degree in education, computer science, engineering, multimedia, or a related field; a minimum of four years of professional experience in teaching, engineering, or computer science; demonstrated experience working with youth underrepresented in STEM; excellent communication, organizational, and writing skills; the ability to work independently and collaboratively; strong judgment and discretion; and proficiency with Microsoft Office; ability to synthesize data, coach educators, and occasionally work weekends or extended hours. PREFERRED: Master’s degree or teaching credential; experience with project‑based learning; learning management and collaboration tools; HTML or WordPress; programming languages; and devices such as Arduino, Micro:bit, or Raspberry Pi.

Position Overview:

The Lemelson-MIT Program (LMIT) is a national leader in efforts to prepare the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs. Our work focuses on the expansion of opportunities for all young people to learn ways inventors find and solve problems that matter. We are devoted to bringing invention education opportunities to all students. Our commitment to inclusion aims to promote equal opportunity for students from all backgrounds to identify problems, develop inventions, protect their intellectual property and commercialize their creations.

The part-time Invention Education Manager (IvE Manager), reporting to the Executive Director, provides strategic direction and oversight of the Lemelson-MIT Program’s (LMIT’s) Partners in Invention Education (PiE) initiative. S/he will be responsible for managing membership recruitment, professional development, year-round coaching, records and data collected in association with the initiative, and records pertaining to membership revenues and expenses.  S/he will also lead planning efforts for an annual convening commencing the summer of 2027 and each year thereafter.  This management role also includes working with a team of educators (Invention Education Fellows) to actively plan and support ongoing professional development efforts with educators at PiE member sites, educators engaged in LMIT’s regional initiative, and/or educators across the United States who facilitate the work of InvenTeams. 

This is a term hire through December 31, 2026 but may be extended if funding permits.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions**):

Management of the Partners in Invention Education (PiE) Program (up to 55%)

• Recruit PiE members and administer membership agreements.
• Organize an annual professional development workshop to orient PiE members to IvE and their work with LMIT.
• Provide ongoing consultations with educators, administrators, and staff at member institutions as they develop and implement invention education.
• Facilitate collaborations between educators working with LMIT, their institutions, and invention education champions within LMIT’s network who are willing to support educators and learners as they engage in invention education.
• Identify resources (mentors, particular expertise, technologies, instructional content, etc.) needed by collaborating sites.
• Assist with the design, development, and implementation of LMIT’s online and hybrid communities of practice (COP) meetings for educators (e.g. PiE members and educators in geographic regions collaborating with LMIT to create Pathways to Invention from the early years through college).
• Assists with adapting existing resources or the creation of new resources needed to meet the unique needs of PiE members. 

Management of LMIT’s Efforts to Cultivate Invention Education Supporters (up to 10%)

• Leads the planning and execution of LMIT’s annual convening to celebrate the accomplishments of student inventors, invention educators, and collaborators and expand the take-up of IvE by others. 
   

Manages and Oversees InvenTeams Grants Awarded to PiE Members (if any) (up to 10%)

• Provides year-round support for educators and students at PiE member sites who receive an InvenTeam grant (if any).
• Assists with planning efforts for end of year celebrations in which InvenTeams present their prototypes.
• In collaboration with the Executive Director and Finance and Grants Administrator, creates and manages the InvenTeams budget for assigned grantees (if any).
• In collaboration with the Executive Director and the Communcations Manager, plan outreach communications to the invention education community and grantees (if any).
• Provides input on proposal and grant report writing related to InvenTeams

Manage and Oversee the Invention Education Fellows (up to 10%)

• Manage a team of six-ten Invention Education Fellows who advise and assist with program pedagogy and implementation of invention education initiatives nationally.  

Invention Education Program Assessment (5%):

• Works with the Executive Director and other LMIT staff to identify desired short- and long-term impacts for learners, students, educators, projects, and schools/communities.
• Makes a significant contribution to an area of study related to the development of inventors and invention educators that is aligned with research and publishing priorities established for LMIT on an annual basis.
• Works with the Executive Director and other LMIT staff to evaluate program outcomes and design and implement improvements to existing programs.
• Coordinates with educators, schools, and other potential collaborators to pilot and give feedback on instructional resources. Gathers data and makes improvements to curricula as needed.

Communications and Marketing (5%)

• Works with LMIT Communications staff and Executive Director to develop and execute marketing and communication strategies for LMIT offerings.
• Makes presentations at conferences, workshops, webinars and other events to inform key audiences of curriculum resources, program offerings and ways educators and students can benefit from collaborative efforts with LMIT.

General Program Support (5%) 

• Contributes to the planning and execution of LMIT’s general operations.
• Assists with the development of reports required by MIT and program sponsors.
• Other duties as required.

Perform other duties as required.

Supervision Received:

Some supervision required.

Supervision Exercised:

The Invention Education Manager supervises the work of teachers (Invention Education Fellows) who receive stipends for hours dedicated to helping educators who are new to invention education. The Manager is responsible for conducting regular meetings with the Fellows and matching their strengths with the needs of other teachers. The Ive manager may also supervise the work of teachers who are InvenTeam grantees to ensure that their progress aligns with their commitments to LMIT.

Qualifications & Skills: 

• Bachelor’s degree in education, computer science, engineering, or Multi Media or a related field required; Master’s degree or teaching credential preferred.
• A minimum of four years of professional experience in computer science, engineering, or teaching.  A demonstrated ability to work creatively with young people in a hands-on, project-based environment may substitute for a teaching credential.
• Experience and demonstrated commitment to working with youth underrepresented in STEM
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with diverse constituencies, e.g.: all levels of program staff, education communities, high school students, and educators.
• Must be able to work independently and collaboratively as needed to successfully deliver results.
• Superior organizational, interpersonal, and writing skills.
• Ability to synthesize data for clear communication to diverse internal and external partners, and to effectively coach/mentor people of different ages and levels of experience.
• Demonstrated good judgment and discretion, with ability to handle confidential information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office required.  Experience with learning management systems, online survey development, online collaboration tools (e.g. OneDrive, Dropbox, Zoom, Adobe Connect), web development using HTML and WordPress, programming language(s), use of computing devices such as Arduino, Micro:bit, or Raspberry Pis desirable. 

• Some weekend work and occasional extended work hours.  

Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.

** To comply with regulations by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the principal duties in job descriptions must be essential to the job. To identify essential functions, focus on the purpose and the result of the duties rather than the manner in which they are performed. The following definition applies: a job function is essential if removal of that function would fundamentally change the job.

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