Maker Education Fabricator: Prototyping and Experience Design (NYC, Full-Time)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Maker Education Fabricator: Prototyping and Experience Design

Company: NORY

Location: New York, United States

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Operations (Education Technology & Curriculum Development)

Date Posted: 2026-06-01

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and fabricate innovative, hands-on STEM camp projects for children aged 3-12, focusing on robotics, engineering, and woodworking.

• Develop immersive, thematic learning experiences that rival the engagement of industry leaders like Disney World, integrating storytelling and interdisciplinary learning.

• Empower and train NORY teachers across all campuses to effectively deliver designed curriculum and utilize fabricated materials.

• Apply deep understanding of child development to ensure projects are age-appropriate, engaging, and educationally impactful for Generation Alpha.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title "Maker Education Fabricator" is specific to education, the operational aspects of curriculum design, teacher training, and experience creation align with GTM (Go-To-Market) enablement and operational strategy roles within a growing organization. The emphasis on scaling impact across multiple campuses and ensuring consistent delivery suggests a need for robust operational planning and execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and fabricate a diverse range of STEM camp projects, including robotics kits, engineering challenges, and woodworking crafts, ensuring they are safe, engaging, and aligned with NORY's educational philosophy.

• Develop detailed project guides, assembly instructions, and video tutorials to facilitate seamless replication of learning experiences by teachers across NORY's network of campuses.

• Conduct teacher training sessions and provide ongoing coaching to ensure educators are proficient in using fabricated materials, delivering curriculum effectively, and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in campers.

• Integrate interdisciplinary learning domains, such as coding, storytelling, and design thinking, into project designs to create holistic and impactful educational experiences.

• Maintain and manage the fabrication lab, including inventory of materials, tools, and equipment, ensuring a safe and efficient working environment for prototyping and production.

• Collaborate with the NORY curriculum development team to align fabricated projects with overarching learning objectives and pedagogical approaches.

• Continuously research and evaluate new technologies, materials, and educational methodologies to enhance the innovation and effectiveness of NORY's STEM programs.

• Gather feedback from teachers and campers on project efficacy and engagement, using this data to iterate and improve future designs and curriculum iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility to "Empower teachers across all NORY campuses to consistently deliver your vision, using your strong multi-channel communication skills, particularly in video formats" highlights a critical operational function analogous to GTM enablement. This involves creating scalable training materials and ensuring consistent execution of a "product" (the curriculum/project) across distributed "channels" (campuses).

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 2-5 years of experience in maker education, curriculum development, product design, or a related hands-on creative field.

Required Skills:

• Prototyping & Fabrication: Expertise in designing and building physical prototypes using electronics (circuits, motors), woodworking, 3D printing, and laser cutting.

• Mechatronics & Robotics: Proficiency with computing controllers and platforms such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and Microbits, including basic coding for robotics.

• Design Thinking & Experience Design: Ability to apply design thinking principles to create engaging, user-centered learning experiences.

• Curriculum Integration: Skill in seamlessly integrating STEM concepts with interdisciplinary subjects like storytelling and coding.

• Teacher Training & Enablement: Proven ability to train and coach educators, effectively transferring knowledge and skills.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a strong emphasis on creating clear, concise video tutorials and instructional content.

• Child Development: Deep understanding of the developmental stages and learning styles of children aged 3-12.

Preferred Skills:

• Coding Proficiency: Experience with visual programming languages like Scratch and text-based languages for more advanced projects.

• Woodworking Expertise: Advanced skills in woodworking techniques and tool usage for creating durable and intricate projects.

• Storytelling & Thematic Design: Ability to conceptualize and develop educational content with strong narrative elements.

• Project Management: Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously from concept to completion.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Teacher Empathy" and "Teacher Training" suggests that beyond technical fabrication skills, the ability to understand and support the end-users of the created curriculum (teachers) is paramount. This aligns with operations roles that focus on user adoption and enablement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of maker projects, with a strong emphasis on:
  • Electronics & Mechatronics: Demonstrations of circuit design, motor integration, and the use of platforms like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or Microbits.
  • Fabrication Techniques: Examples of work created using 3D printing, laser cutting, and woodworking.
  • Educational Application: Clear explanations of the purpose, educational potential, and target age group for each creation.
  • Problem-Solving: Case studies or descriptions of how projects address specific learning challenges or objectives.

Process Documentation:

• Ability to document fabrication processes, assembly instructions, and training materials in a clear, scalable format, suitable for distribution to multiple campuses.

• Experience in creating video tutorials or other multi-channel communication assets to support remote learning and teacher enablement.

• Understanding of how to measure the effectiveness and engagement of fabricated projects through feedback mechanisms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio with "clear explanations of the purpose, educational potential, and target age group for each creation" and "documentation of the design process" is directly analogous to operations roles that require demonstrating the impact and methodology behind process improvements or system implementations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $70,000 - $90,000 per year

Benefits:

Working Hours:

• Approximately 40 hours per week, full-time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range of $70,000-$90,000 for a contractor role in NYC, with 2-5 years of experience, is competitive and aligns with industry standards for specialized creative and technical roles. This range reflects the demand for expertise in fabrication, educational design, and curriculum development, especially within a growing organization. The lack of traditional benefits is common for contractor positions but should be weighed against the overall compensation package.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology, STEM Education, EdTech

Company Size: Small to Medium (estimated 50-200 employees based on typical growth trajectories for successful STEM camp providers)

Founded: NORY was founded with a mission to transform STEM education, aiming to create impactful learning journeys for children. The "Disney World of STEM" analogy suggests a focus on creating magical, memorable, and highly engaging experiences.

Team Structure:

• The Maker Education Fabricator will likely be part of a core curriculum development or program design team.

• This team will collaborate closely with camp directors, lead educators, and potentially a dedicated fabrication lab manager or team.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: NORY emphasizes grounding decisions in data and logic, suggesting a systematic approach to curriculum design, project evaluation, and teacher feedback analysis.

• Iterative Improvement: The "ask 'how to make it work'" and "actively seek feedback" values point to a culture of continuous improvement and agile development of educational offerings.

• Purposeful Action: A focus on "why" behind actions encourages a deep understanding of pedagogical goals and the impact of fabricated projects.

Company Website: https://www.nory.co/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values ("Ways of Being") are critical for understanding the operational culture. Values like "purposeful in our actions," "ask 'how to make it work'," "decisions are grounded in data and logic," and "actively seek feedback" are foundational to a strong operations-focused environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role sits at the intersection of creative development and operational enablement. It's an individual contributor role with significant influence over program delivery and scalability. It's suitable for someone looking to deepen their expertise in educational fabrication and curriculum design while contributing to a growing organization's operational success.

Reporting Structure: The Maker Education Fabricator likely reports to a Head of Curriculum, Director of Program Development, or a similar leadership role responsible for educational content and innovation.

Operations Impact: The role's impact is measured by the quality and scalability of the STEM learning experiences delivered to thousands of campers. This includes:

• The effectiveness of fabricated projects in achieving learning objectives.

• The ability of teachers to consistently implement these projects across multiple locations.

• The overall engagement and satisfaction of campers with the STEM activities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific fabrication techniques (e.g., advanced robotics, sustainable materials) or educational methodologies.

• Program Leadership: Transition into roles managing specific curriculum areas, leading a fabrication team, or overseeing program development for new NORY initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Roles: Move into areas like educational technology integration, operational efficiency in program delivery, or even GTM enablement for new educational products.

• Influence on Scale: As NORY expands, opportunities to influence the design and operational rollout of programs nationally or internationally.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's potential for impact on scaling a successful educational model aligns with operations roles focused on building and optimizing repeatable processes that drive organizational growth.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, likely involving a dedicated makerspace or fabrication lab environment. This will be a hands-on role requiring physical presence for design, prototyping, and fabrication.

Office Location(s): New York, United States. This implies working within the vibrant ecosystem of NYC, potentially with access to maker communities and resources.

Workspace Context:

• Hands-On Environment: Expect to work with tools, machinery, and materials in a workshop setting. Safety protocols will be paramount.

• Collaborative Hub: The role involves close collaboration with fellow designers, educators, and potentially NORY leadership, fostering a creative and dynamic atmosphere.

• Resource Availability: Access to a well-equipped fabrication lab, including 3D printers, laser cutters, woodworking tools, electronics stations, and computing resources.

Work Schedule: Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. While a standard schedule is expected, the dynamic nature of educational programming might occasionally require flexibility, especially during peak camp seasons or for specific project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "on-site" requirement for a fabrication role is critical and dictates the nature of the work environment, emphasizing practical, hands-on engagement.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Review: Screening of resumes and, crucially, the submitted portfolio. A strong portfolio is the gateway.

• Portfolio Deep Dive & Skills Assessment: Likely a more in-depth discussion with the hiring manager (Peter) about specific projects, design choices, fabrication methods, and educational intent. This might include practical demonstrations or problem-solving exercises related to fabrication or curriculum design.

• Teacher Training Simulation: A potential exercise or discussion focused on how the candidate would train teachers, demonstrating their communication and enablement skills.

• Values Alignment Interview: Discussion focused on NORY's "Ways of Being" to ensure cultural fit and alignment with the company's mission.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with other team members or NORY leadership to discuss strategic fit and long-term contributions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Curate a visually compelling portfolio with high-quality photos and videos of your projects.

• Explain the "Why": For each project, clearly articulate the educational problem it solves, the target audience, and the learning outcomes.

• Detail Your Process: Include sketches, CAD models, prototyping stages, and descriptions of challenges encountered and overcome.

• Highlight Scalability: For this role, demonstrate how your designs can be replicated efficiently and effectively by multiple instructors.

• Video is Key: Since video tutorials are a core responsibility, include examples of instructional videos or clearly explain how you would approach creating them.

Challenge Preparation:

• Fabrication Scenario: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach a specific fabrication challenge or design a project given certain constraints (e.g., budget, materials, age group).

• Teacher Training Scenario: Practice explaining a complex technical concept or project to a non-technical audience (teachers) in a clear, encouraging, and actionable way.

• Curriculum Integration: Think about how to weave storytelling and coding into a physical engineering project.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "portfolio of your maker projects" and explaining "the purpose and educational potential behind your creations" is highly analogous to operations roles requiring a portfolio of process improvements, system implementations, or successful project rollouts, where demonstrating impact and methodology is key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Fabrication Equipment: 3D Printers (e.g., FDM, SLA), Laser Cutters, CNC Machines, Woodworking Tools (saws, sanders, drills), Electronics Workstations (soldering irons, oscilloscopes).

• CAD & Design Software: Autodesk Fusion 360, SolidWorks, TinkerCAD, Adobe Creative Suite (for visual assets and video editing).

• Programming/Prototyping Platforms: Arduino IDE, Raspberry Pi OS, Microbit Platform, Scratch.

• Computing Controllers: Arduino boards, Raspberry Pi, Microbits.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Basic data collection for project feedback (surveys, observation logs).

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role's core function, but understanding how NORY uses CRM for camper/teacher management might be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific mention of Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Microbits, Scratch, 3D printing, and laser cutting are critical technical skills for this role, analogous to specific CRM, ERP, or BI tools in other operations roles.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Purposeful & Data-Driven: All design and fabrication decisions should be linked to NORY's educational mission and supported by data or logical reasoning.

• Problem-Solving & Resourcefulness: A proactive "how to make it work" attitude is essential, focusing on finding solutions rather than dwelling on obstacles.

• Accountability & Discipline: Owning projects from concept to delivery and maintaining high standards in fabrication and training.

• Feedback-Oriented & Collaborative: Actively seeking and incorporating feedback from teachers and leadership to continuously improve educational offerings.

• Empathy & Unification: Fostering a supportive and caring environment, particularly when training and collaborating with teachers.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Working closely with curriculum developers, program managers, and camp staff to ensure holistic program delivery.

• Knowledge Sharing: Willingness to share expertise in fabrication and design through training sessions and documentation.

• Iterative Design Process: Collaborating with stakeholders to refine designs based on feedback and testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Ways of Being" are directly applicable to an operational mindset, emphasizing efficiency, data, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Production: Designing projects that are not only engaging but also reproducible at scale across multiple locations with varying resources and teacher skill levels.

• Balancing Complexity and Accessibility: Creating projects that are challenging enough to be stimulating but accessible to children aged 3-12 and manageable for teachers.

• Staying Current: Continuously updating knowledge on new maker technologies, educational trends, and best practices in child development.

• Teacher Adoption: Ensuring teachers are fully equipped and motivated to adopt and effectively implement new projects and curriculum.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Fabrication Techniques: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge fabrication technologies.

• Pedagogical Training: Deepen understanding of child development, STEM education theory, and innovative teaching methodologies.

• Content Creation Skills: Develop advanced video production and instructional design skills.

• Program Management: Potential to take on leadership roles in curriculum development and program rollout for NORY's expanding offerings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges listed are common in operations roles focused on scaling programs and ensuring consistent execution, requiring robust process design and stakeholder management.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex STEM project you designed and fabricated. What was the educational goal, and how did you ensure it was achievable for the target age group?" (Focus on demonstrating process, problem-solving, and pedagogical thinking.)

• "How would you approach training a group of teachers who have varying levels of technical comfort with electronics or coding?" (Assess communication, empathy, and enablement strategies.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do NORY's 'Ways of Being' resonate with your personal work philosophy, and how would you embody them in this role?" (Assess cultural fit and alignment with values.)

• "What does 'Disney World of STEM' mean to you in the context of educational programming?" (Gauges understanding of NORY's brand and vision.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structured Walkthrough: Prepare a concise presentation of your top 3-5 projects. For each, cover:

  • Problem/Objective: What learning gap or need did it address?
  • Design Process: Ideation, prototyping, materials, tools used.
  • Fabrication & Execution: Key steps, challenges overcome.
  • Educational Impact: How it teaches, target audience, potential outcomes.
  • Scalability: How it could be implemented by others.

• Visual Aids: Use high-quality images, videos, and possibly live demos if feasible.

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as solutions and learning journeys, not just technical creations.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, material selection, and how you handle feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and detailing the "process" and "impact" is a direct parallel to operations roles where demonstrating ROI, process efficiency, and project success is paramount.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this maker education position:

• Submit your application, including your resume and a link to your maker portfolio, via the provided application link or email (peter@nory.co).

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating experience with electronics, robotics, woodworking, 3D printing, and laser cutting, explicitly explaining their educational purpose and potential for children aged 3-12.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates experience in curriculum design, teacher training, and fabrication, using keywords from the job description such as "Prototyping," "Experience Design," "Mechatronics," and "Arduino." Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "developed X projects for Y campers").

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving approach, and experience in teacher enablement. Prepare to discuss how your work aligns with NORY's "Ways of Being" and their "Disney World of STEM" vision.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with NORY's mission, values, and existing programs by exploring their website and social media channels. Understand their approach to STEM education and their target demographic.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.