Part-Time Youth Instructor — No Boatbuilding Experience Required

Part-Time Youth Program Instructor

$30/hour | New York City | 2026–27 School Year

No Boatbuilding Experience Required

About Brooklyn Boatworks

Mission:

Harnessing the unique craft of wooden boatbuilding and maritime-centered exploration, Brooklyn Boatworks inspires young people to uncover the confidence, skills, and courage to chart pathways to their own success in and outside the classroom.

Brooklyn Boatworks teaches and promotes the value of hands-on learning among New York City students who stand to benefit most from it.

Our flagship Boat Building Program takes place in middle schools throughout New York City, both during and after the school day. Beginning with three sheets of marine plywood, students spend the school year planning and constructing a full-sized, seaworthy Optimist pram (sailboat), which they launch and sail with their fellow Boatworks students at the end of the year.

Along the way, Brooklyn Boatworks instructors use the boatbuilding process to teach STEM concepts while helping students develop self efficacy, confidence, collaboration, problem solving, grit, and other skills that extend well beyond the classroom.

Students who complete our Boat Building Program are eligible to continue with Brooklyn Boatworks through our Explorers Program, a three-year progression of hands-on STEM, sailing, maritime experiences, and career exploration.

At Brooklyn Boatworks, we meet students where they are. We believe young people learn by doing, and our instructors play an important role in helping students discover what they are capable of.

The Position

Brooklyn Boatworks is seeking Part-Time Youth Program Instructors to work directly with young people in our school-based, workshop, and waterfront programs.

This is primarily an education and youth-development role. You do not need to be an experienced boatbuilder. If you have experience working with young people, basic familiarity with hand tools, and an interest in hands-on learning, we will teach you the boatbuilding skills you need.

You may be a great fit if you:

• Have experience working directly with young people
• Enjoy teaching and creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences
• Have basic familiarity with hand tools and are eager to learn more
• Are dependable, flexible, and comfortable working as part of a team

Interested? Send your resume and cover letter to inquiries@brooklynboatworks.org with the subject line “Part-Time Instructor.”

Responsibilities

Instructors will:

• Lead hands-on lessons with students, primarily ages 10–18, using wooden boatbuilding to teach STEM concepts and practical skills
• Work alongside a co-instructor, school staff, and/or volunteers to deliver engaging, hands-on programming
• Teach from Brooklyn Boatworks' established curriculum and boatbuilding plans
• Help students learn to use hand tools properly and develop increasingly independent building skills
• Adapt lessons and teaching approaches to engage students with different learning styles, abilities, and levels of experience
• Prepare materials and set up classrooms before programming and return spaces to their original condition following each session
• Maintain student rosters and complete required program assessments and surveys
• Document occasional student quotes, photos, feedback, and notable moments from programming
• Communicate professionally with students, school staff, partner organizations, and Brooklyn Boatworks colleagues
• Serve as an ambassador for Brooklyn Boatworks at schools and partner sites
• Participate in paid staff trainings and weekly program meetings as scheduled
• Carry and lift items weighing up to 50 pounds
• Work in indoor, outdoor, workshop, and waterfront environments throughout the year
• Additional duties as required

Qualifications

We're looking for candidates who have:

• Experience teaching, mentoring, coaching, counseling, or otherwise working directly with young people, ideally ages 10–18
• Strong group-management skills and an ability to connect with and engage young people
• Reliability, professionalism, and strong communication skills
• Basic familiarity with hand tools and a willingness to develop additional building skills
• The ability to follow an established curriculum and detailed build plans
• Flexibility and the ability to adjust instruction based on what's happening in the classroom
• A collaborative mindset and willingness to work closely with co-instructors, school staff, and the Brooklyn Boatworks team
• Enthusiasm for Brooklyn Boatworks' mission and hands-on approach to learning

Helpful, but not required:

• Experience working in New York City public schools or afterschool programs
• Experience with woodworking, making, construction, boatbuilding, or another hands-on trade
• Familiarity with STEM education
• Experience with Google Workspace, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Forms

Boatbuilding expertise is not required. Brooklyn Boatworks provides training in our curriculum, instructional approach, tool use and safety, and the boatbuilding process.

Where We Work

Brooklyn Boatworks programming takes place throughout New York City in schools, at our workshop, outdoors, and along the waterfront.

Programming includes:

• School-year Boat Building Programs
• One-time boatbuilding and STEM workshops
• Sailing and other on-water programming
• Maritime and STEM-related field trips
• Career exploration activities

Instructors should be comfortable traveling to program sites throughout New York City.

Schedule & Term

This position is for the 2026–27 school year through June 2027. Instructors must be available to:

• Attending training(s) in late-September/early October
• Beginning programming in-schools in early/mid October

Programming takes place during and after the school day. Specific schedules and weekly hours will depend on program assignments and instructor availability.

Additional work beyond June 2027, including summer programming, may be available based on program needs and instructor availability.

Compensation

$30/hour

All required trainings and program meetings are paid.

To Apply:

Please email the following to inquiries@brooklynboatworks.org with the subject line “Part-Time Instructor”:

• Resume
• Cover letter

Please, no phone calls.