Design Instructor

Community Craft Works (CCW) is a newly formed, Harlem-based nonprofit launching its pilot year program in September 2026 at Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem. CCW delivers free, hands‑on woodworking, digital fabrication, and design programming for teens ages 13 to 18, pairing craftsmanship with modern digital tools and a commitment to career‑connected learning. Every student earns an OSHA 10 safety credential, completes a professional portfolio, and has access to paid apprenticeship or internship opportunities.

CCW is committed to equity, access, and long‑term economic opportunity for Harlem youth.

CCW is seeking a Lead Instructor – Design to lead the Design Pathway of our Foundations of Wood & Design program. This role offers the chance to take Harlem teens from sketching fundamentals through professional CAD/CAM digital fabrication workflows, shaping a brand‑new curriculum from the ground up as part of CCW's founding pilot cohort.

This is a 0.875 FTE role aligned with the school year, launching in September 2026, and bridging both the in‑class and after‑school programs. Instruction is delivered twice weekly (90‑minute sessions) as part of a 7‑hour work day, across two 18‑week semesters spanning the full academic year. The Lead Instructor – Design will work in close partnership with the Lead Instructor – Woodshop and report to the Program Director.

• Deliver the CCW Design Pathway curriculum in 90‑minute sessions twice weekly, following the established scope and sequence across both semesters
• Teach sketching fundamentals, orthographic drawing, scaled and multi‑view drawing (plan / front / side), exploded views, and annotation conventions
• Instruct students in CAD/CAM tools — Sketch Up, Autodesk Fusion 360, and Illustrator — including blueprint production, cut lists, tolerances, and CAM toolpaths for CNC, laser, and 3D printing workflows
• Teach material and feasibility research (wood species selection, cost vs. strength tradeoffs) and structural design concepts (compression vs. tension, triangulation, load and stability)

• Guide students through core deliverables: scaled drawings, a digital portfolio, CAD‑to‑CAM files, and design presentations, culminating in pursuit of the Autodesk Certified User (Fusion 360) credential
• Administer and document Portfolio Checkpoints (CP1, CP2, CP3), Career Plan updates, and the Community Showcase assessment
• Coach students on presentation skills, including concept presentations and final portfolio presentations to an evaluation committee
• Partner with the Lead Instructor – Woodshop on two Intersection Projects per semester, providing design drawings and CAD files, and facilitating structured feasibility critique between Design and Woodshop teams

• Track attendance and CDOS hour documentation, and implement the Catch‑Up Plan (peer mentoring, catch‑up packets, open workshop time) for students who miss sessions
• Support students in earning the Autodesk Certified User credential
• Participate in required professional development: pre‑program curriculum and safety orientation, IEP/ELL roster review, semester‑end debriefs, and annual credential updates

Required

• Associate degree or higher; OR documented industry credentials/experience equivalent to postsecondary training (in‑school placements). For after‑school placements, an Associate degree or minimum 5 years documented professional experience in woodworking, design, or fabrication
• Minimum 3 years paid professional experience in digital design, CAD/CAM, fabrication, or a related field
• Demonstrated proficiency in Sketch Up and Autodesk Fusion 360
• Must pass a background check prior to first day (DOE‑standard fingerprinting for in‑school; background check appropriate to working with minors for after‑school)

Preferred

• Experience teaching or instructing in an educational setting (classroom, after‑school, or workforce training)
• For after‑school placements: minimum 1 year of experience working with youth ages 13–18 in an educational, community, or workforce context

Work is performed primarily in a classroom or design lab setting…