Technology Facilitator

i.c.stars•Chicago, IL

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

i.c.stars is seeking qualified independent contractors to serve as tech instructors for each of our three program cities. The Technology Facilitator is responsible for helping interns build foundational technical awareness and growth, scope and execute on a client tech project that can be successfully executed in 13 weeks, and develop the skills/mindset to be a continuous tech learner. This position prioritizes interns’ learning processes and deliverables. The instructor guides interns to understand fundamental concepts, ask insightful questions, and overcome obstacles. The Tech Facilitator works alongside—but is distinct from—the Technology Fellow, who supports client project delivery and sprint execution, foundational tech learning, and small group differentiated learning supports. These roles coordinate closely. i.c.stars interns are emerging professionals from underestimated communities participating in an intensive 14-week training program to develop technical, business, and leadership skills for entry-level careers.

Requirements

Strong technical foundation in relevant technologies (e.g., JavaScript, SQL, APIs, web development fundamentals)
Experience teaching or coaching beginning adult learners in technical domains
Ability to explain complex ideas simply and clearly
Patience, emotional intelligence, and calm under pressure
Comfort setting boundaries and resisting the urge to rescue learners from productive struggle
Alignment with adult learning and strengths-based instructional models
Ability and willingness to learn

Nice To Haves

Experience in community college instruction, workforce development education/training/preparation
Familiarity with JavaScript, databases, and API development
Experience supporting nontraditional or adult learners in technical environments
Experience with project-based technical teams

Responsibilities

Deliver foundational technical instruction aligned to i.c.stars’ curriculum and program standards
Reinforce core concepts including programming logic, data fundamentals, and APIs
Teach interns how to read documentation, debug effectively, and break down unfamiliar problems
Establish explicit quality benchmarks, clearly differentiating baseline competency from advanced or exemplary performance across each phase of learning
Serve as the primary technical liaison with the project client; Manage scope and expectations to protect learner experience
Provide targeted coaching to tech fellows who are early in their career, with special attention/care to responsive tech learning facilitation
Normalize confusion and learning curves without lowering expectations
Help interns develop question-asking skills, persistence strategies, and technical confidence
Avoid rescuing or solving problems for interns—support their capacity to work through challenges with scaffolded support
Explicitly teach learning strategies such as time-boxing, distinguishing practice from perfection, and using peers as resources
Help interns recognize patterns in their own learning
Support reflection on growth over time so interns can articulate how they learned, not just what they built
Lead tech instructional planning in collaboration with the technology fellow
Align foundational instruction with the needs of active client projects
Use consistent language, expectations, and feedback approaches
Share insights about tech fellow and intern learning strengths and areas of growth
Avoid duplicative or conflicting guidance; ensure alignment between Tech Facilitator and Tech Fellow is strong
Participate in weekly/biweekly 1:1 and team check-ins
Track and communicate intern learning progress
Support responsive interventions in coordination with program leadership
Align learning supports to program-wide expectations and timelines
Submit a simple monthly activity log documenting hours worked, instruction delivered, and coaching activities; a template will be provided by i.c.stars