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STEM Food Systems Coordinator

Digital Ready
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Digital Ready invites you to apply for the role of STEM Food Systems Coordinator to lead the expansion of our community garden into a comprehensive STEM Food Systems Lab. The Manager will oversee the design, implementation, and daily operations of our indoor hydroponic systems and outdoor community garden, facilitating a "living classroom" where technology meets sustainable agriculture. 

OUR MISSION 

Digital Ready activates the creative potential of high school students, especially Black and Latinx youth, to build tangible pathways to economic opportunities in Boston’s innovation economy. 

Being Digital Ready means being ready for the complexity of a constantly evolving economy and society and requires students to weave together ethnography, engineering, design, and code to solve incredibly gnarly 21st-century problems. At Digital Ready, we utilize the city as a lab for learning striving to make the boundaries between school and the world less strict and more permeable. Our mission is to create tangible economic pathways for students that are driven by students’ interests, local employer needs, and the community’s unique assets. Our students learn by doing. In our studio, students practice habits of creative problem-solving in a safe and supportive environment, where they can take risks to learn, ask difficult questions, and develop themselves as creative leaders. 

OUR VALUES 

  • We actively fight against the status quo that allows injustices to be perpetuated without accountability; 
  • We use our political power, social capital, and networks to create access to high-quality education opportunities for students; 
  • We value diverse perspectives, which we believe leads to more identity-affirming and innovative learning experiences for students; 
  • We are committed to being an anti-racist organization that prioritizes the voices of students and communities of color; 
  • We intentionally support the redesign of policies and structures or systemic racism that continues to exclude and harm communities of color; 
  • We actively interrogate schools' curricula, industries' hiring practices, and other institutional practices that limit who has access to Boston's innovation economy. 

SPRING STUDIO 

The Digital Ready Spring session is a 25 week, in-person program running from January 14th through June 30th. 

As the STEM Food Systems Coordinator, you will be primarily responsible for helping to design, implement, and oversee an independent spring project focused on the expansion of Digital Ready’s community garden into a comprehensive STEM Food Systems Lab. This includes supervising youth participation in project activities, with support from Lab Leaders and Digital Ready staff. 

The Coordinator will be the lead to the design, installation, and maintenance of hydroponic systems and the outdoor garden, while supporting the development of responsibility, collaboration, and leadership skills.

 

SCHEDULE 

  • STEM Food Systems Coordinator Schedule: 

             - 10 hours a week, including 1 hour of team planning time. 

             - Location: 3377 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, Boston, 02130 

             - Onsite, in-person work is required for this position. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Project Planning & Implementation 

  • Lead the expansion of the existing FarmBot-powered garden into a fully operational, year-round hydroponic STEM Food Systems Lab. 
  • Develop and manage a project timeline that aligns with academic calendars, pathway schedules, and seasonal growing cycles. 
  • Coordinate installation, testing, and maintenance of hydroponic systems, including water, lighting, automation, and monitoring tools. 
  • Manage materials, vendors, and budgets to ensure project sustainability and successful execution. 

Cross-Pathway Coordination 

  • Collaboration among Computer Science, Engineering, Architecture, and Green Tech pathways to ensure exposure to curriculum. 
  • Support students in designing and building automated systems for irrigation, lighting, and environmental controls. 
  • Work with instructional staff to align hands-on lab activities with pathway-specific learning objectives and technical competencies. 
  • Ensure the lab functions as a shared learning space that supports multiple disciplines simultaneously. 
  • Collaborate with the operations team to make sure the budget is on track and supplies are ordered on time. 

Curriculum & Learning Design 

  • Support the integration of the STEM Food Systems Lab into existing coursework and project-based learning.
  • Collaborate with instructors to develop applied learning modules related to sustainable agriculture, food systems, and technology. 
  • Coordinate rotational chef partnerships to connect food production to nutrition, wellness, and cultural food practices. 
  • Ensure learning experiences highlight systems thinking, iteration, and real-world problem solving. 
  • Connect student learning to career pathways in STEM, food systems, sustainability, and civic innovation. 

Community Engagement & Outreach 

  • Coordinate community workshops, and public learning events at the Future of Work Lab. 
  • Support students in teaching local residents how to set up in-situ hydroponic systems and cook with fresh produce. 
  • Build partnerships with community organizations, chefs, and food justice advocates to extend the lab’s impact. 
  • Ensure the project advances conversations around food access, nutrition, and equity. 


Operations, Evaluation & Sustainability 

  • Oversee day-to-day operations of the lab to ensure safety, functionality, and consistency. 
  • Track outcomes related to student participation, learning, leadership development, and community impact.
  • Document processes, student work, and project milestones for reporting, storytelling, and future replication.
  • Contribute to long-term sustainability planning, including maintenance, funding alignment, and program growth. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

  • Currently pursuing or completed a Master’s degree in or related to Environmental Studies, Sustainable Agriculture, Architecture and Design, or any related field; 
  • Bachelors in Environmental Studies or related Field; 
  • Experience with teaching, mentoring, or tutoring young adults between the ages of 16-25;
  • Fluency in Spanish is preferred; 
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills; 
  • Passion for education and empowering students; 
  • High level of organization and attention to detail; 


REQUIREMENTS 

  • Must be available to work in person 10 hours per week from January 14th to June 30th, 2026. 
  • All staff are subject to background checks as stipulated by MA law when working with students under the age of 18. 

COMPENSATION 

This is a stipend position. 

How can I apply? 

Applications including a resume should be submitted online by using the following submission link: https://form.typeform.com/to/lYSDdhd4