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MIT Beaver Works E-Textile Teaching Assistant

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
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MIT Beaver Works is seeking teaching assistants (TAs) to contribute to the Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) E-Textiles and Wearable Technology course. BWSI is a rigorous, world-class STEM program for talented high school students from across the country.  The hands-on E-Textiles and Wearable Technology course, which will run for 4 weeks (July 8 – August 4, 2024) at MIT’s campus, will expose students to the world of textile-based wearable technology, including how textiles are made, innovations in advanced functional fabrics, how to create soft circuits, and how to prototype using Arduino. Tours of local innovation labs and presentations from guest speakers will occur throughout the program, which will culminate in a final project where students ideate, design, and prototype their own wearable tech creations. For more information on the BWSI program visit: https://beaverworks.ll.mit.edu/CMS/bw/bwsi.

Approximately 15 students are expected to take this class, which is being run for the first time this year. TAs will complete training and learn prerequisite material for the course prior to the students’ arrival. During the course, TAs will be expected to help with occasional lectures, assist students with technical questions, guide students as needed through their final projects, and be a resource ready to step in and assist the students with anything they may need to successfully participate in the course. Since this course will be multidisciplinary in nature, we are seeking TAs with various backgrounds. Experience working in textile-based wearable technology is a plus, but if you don’t have this specific experience but do have experience in any of its subfields (i.e. textile/apparel design or electrical engineering), please apply!
 

Tasks for the TA include the following:

  • Monitor students during lab sessions and help them troubleshoot and debug their designs (which could include assisting with apparel pattern making, circuit design, or code debugging)
  • Present lecture materials on topics including the design process, textile design, apparel design, wearable technology innovations, and electronic prototyping 
  • Provide feedback on course content and suggest future improvements
  • Co-instruction of course material to top high school students from across the nation

 

Job Requirements:

  • Current undergraduate student studying Textile Design, Apparel Design, Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, coupled with the demonstrated ability to apply talents to new fields
  • Good communication skills and the ability to convey technical concepts in a clear, concise manner to bright students with limited prior exposure to the course content
  • Interest in wearable technology, course development, and educational instruction
  • Eagerness to learn new skills (you might be an electrical engineer who will have to learn about textile design, or vice versa)
  • Ability to rapidly assess technical situations and faults and to develop practical solutions
  • Ability to be in-person on MIT’s campus for the duration of the course (July 8 -August 4, 2024, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) and availability prior to the course start date (there can be some flexibility here) to get up to speed with course content and technical demonstrations

 

Desired Skills:

  • Knowledge of textile fabrication methods (weaving/knitting, by hand and/or machine)
  • Apparel design/construction
  • Electronic prototyping
  • Working with the Arduino environment
  • Creating soft circuits and integrating electronics into textiles
  • Familiarity with design processes and rapid prototyping

 

If interested in applying fill out application at the following website:

https://mit-bwsi.formstack.com/forms/beaverworks_job_application_2024 

 

A brief resume will also need to be attached to the application. Highlighting any hands-on project or teaching experience would be very helpful.

 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against applicants due to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. You must be a U.S. Citizen or have authority to work in the U.S. in order to be considered for this position.