Project Coordinator

Position type: Contractor
Contract term: From the agreed start date through June 1, 2027
Location: South Carolina; remote coordination with travel to participating schools and program events
Reports to: STEM U’s designated project lead
Compensation: Negotiated based on scope, experience, and availability

Position overview

STEM U seeks a Contract Project Coordinator to organize and support implementation of the STEM Opportunity Ecosystem Model, a program expanding access to STEM learning and career exploration for rural South Carolina elementary and middle school students.

The program plans to serve approximately 6,500 students and 100 teachers through Learning Lab, the Teacher Academy, mobile VR experiences, hands-on STEM activities, business partnerships, family engagement, and STEM Explorers literacy experiences.

The coordinator will help translate the implementation plan into organized schedules, clear communication, complete documentation, and timely follow-through across participating districts and partners.

Responsibilities

Project coordination

• Maintain the master implementation calendar, task tracker, and activity schedule.
• Coordinate district onboarding, school readiness information, and designated points of contact.
• Confirm activity dates, locations, staffing, materials, technology needs, and school requirements.
• Track milestones, identify scheduling conflicts, and communicate issues requiring project leadership decisions.
• Prepare meeting agendas, document action items, and follow up on assigned tasks.

School and program support

• Coordinate logistics for Learning Lab implementation, Teacher Academy sessions, VR visits, hands-on experiences, and family events.
• Support STEM Explorers literacy activities for 1,000 students in Grades 3–5, included within the overall student target.
• Communicate preparation requirements and reminders to school liaisons, instructors, and program staff.
• Track readiness and completion of scheduled activities.

Business and community partnerships

• Coordinate partner contributions such as STEM missions, recorded or virtual career tours, student reading days, and employee career stories.
• Maintain a partner activity tracker covering contacts, commitments, materials, schedules, and follow-up.
• Coordinate with STEM U’s instructional team to prepare partner contributions for use in Learning Lab.
• Confirm school requirements for speakers, visitors, and volunteers.

Documentation and reporting

• Collect and organize attendance records, implementation logs, partner participation records, and approved feedback forms.
• Maintain consistent participant, teacher, school, and district identifiers using established project protocols.
• Support the evaluator by coordinating approved data collection and submitting complete records on schedule.
• Use the designated Early STEM Opportunity Measure for Grades K–2 and age-appropriate instruments for Grades 3–5 and 6–8.
• Handle student information according to approved privacy and data-sharing procedures.
• Prepare concise progress updates identifying completed work, upcoming activities, barriers, and decisions needed.

Expected deliverables

• Current master calendar and implementation tracker.
• Completed district onboarding and readiness records.
• Confirmed logistics for scheduled program activities.
• Current business partner engagement tracker.
• Organized activity documentation and attendance records.
• Regular progress reports at an agreed frequency.
• Final coordination summary documenting completed activities, outstanding items, and recommendations for continuation.

Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated experience coordinating projects, educational programs, community initiatives, or comparable work.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple schedules and deadlines.
• Clear professional communication with educators, business partners, families, and internal teams.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, shared calendars, document management, and virtual meeting tools.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and protect confidential information.
• Availability to travel within South Carolina for agreed activities.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in education, business, public administration, communications, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience working with rural school districts or community organizations.
• Familiarity with STEM education, career exploration, grant-supported programs, or program evaluation.
• Experience coordinating business volunteers and school-based events.

Contract scope and working arrangements

The final agreement will establish deliverables, anticipated level of effort, availability, reporting frequency, compensation, invoicing, and travel arrangements. Evening or weekend participation may be needed for scheduled family events.

The coordinator will collaborate with STEM U staff, district liaisons, instructional personnel, business partners, and the evaluator. Changes to budgets, program scope, contracts, or public commitments require approval from STEM U leadership.

How to express interest

Submit a résumé and a brief statement describing relevant coordination experience and availability to:

Pay: $26.00 - $29.00 per hour

Expected hours: 20.0 – 25.0 per week

Work Location: In person