SMASH Academy - Design Thinking Workshop Facilitator; Northeastern

2026 SMASH Academy - Design Thinking Workshop Facilitator (Northeastern)

About SMASH

At SMASH, we aim to build a strong STEM workforce through academic learning and experiential engagement for high school and college students. We empower dedicated students in STEM fields through intensive education, rigorous coursework, and access to resources, aiming to cultivate success in college and careers. Our vision is to create a STEM ecosystem where every student can thrive in the global economy.

By providing opportunities, we seek to enrich our communities and workplaces with well-prepared, competitive leaders.

This is a pivotal time for SMASH as SMASH builds on the success of our programs. Working at SMASH is about rapid growth, grit, personal commitment, accountability, and courage to challenge the status quo. If you have what it takes to change the STEM landscape, we want to hear from you.

SMASH is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization operating under the umbrella of the Kapor Center family of organizations.

Position Description

Reporting to the Program Director, the Design Thinking Workshop Facilitator will play an integral role in delivering and sustaining the transformative learning experience that SMASH Scholars need to pursue, persist, and succeed in STEM. Game Design Workshop Facilitators will co‑facilitate with one other facilitator, guiding a group of around 25 scholars through project‑based learning.

The Game Design Workshop Facilitator will lead scholars through an engaging, hands‑on exploration of game design and development. Facilitators will guide groups of scholars as they learn key concepts in gameplay mechanics, storytelling, and game aesthetics while creating their own playable games.

Facilitators will support scholars in both whole‑group and small‑group settings, fostering a collaborative learning environment centered on the pedagogy of Play, Create, Share, and Reflect. The ideal facilitator will empower scholars to take ownership of their learning journey, encouraging discovery and problem‑solving rather than providing direct answers. In addition to supporting technical skill development, facilitators will help scholars build project management abilities, strengthen creative agency, and develop collaborative skills through activities like play testing and peer feedback.

Strong Game Design Workshop Facilitators will:

• Create an inclusive, engaging learning environment where scholars feel comfortable experimenting and taking creative risks
• Balance constructive feedback with positive encouragement
• Guide scholars through the complete game development process, from initial concept to finished product
• Support scholars in developing game design documents and pitch presentations
• Foster discussions about inclusivity and diversity in game design
• Implement effective classroom management strategies while maintaining a fun, collaborative atmosphere

Facilitators do not need to be game designers to teach the workshop. Training, detailed session guides, and game design resources are available to support facilitators and learners as they navigate through the workshop. The most important qualities are a passion for supporting young learners, curiosity about game design, and willingness to problem‑solve alongside scholars.

Summer learning will culminate in a final project presentation and the chance to win a national competition consisting of competitors from all regions.

This is a 3-week assignment, with an additional commitment of training prior to launch, and a virtual close out after SMASH Academy (see chart below for dates). Facilitators will be working with scholars both in person and virtually and will need to embrace and model flexibility, adaptability, and a solution‑oriented mindset.

As this role has a virtual component, we expect staff to provide the following -- their own personal computer (desktop or laptop) that has a working webcam, speaker and microphone for video conferencing capabilities (i.e. Zoom, Google Hangouts, Cisco Webex); reliable Internet connection (at least 25 Mbps download speed); and quiet work space for virtual programming. If you cannot provide your own equipment, please speak…