Spring AI Studio Coach (Standard WiDS Track), Break Through Tech (NYC)

About Cornell Tech

Cornell Tech is Cornell University's state-of-the-art campus in New York City that develops leaders and technologies for the AI era through foundational and applied research, graduate education, and new ventures. Located on Roosevelt Island, the growing campus was founded in partnership with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and in close collaboration with the NYC Economic Development Corporation after Cornell won a worldwide competition initiated by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's administration to create an applied sciences campus in New York City. More than 1,000 Cornell students are now educated annually on the campus, including 700 in Cornell Tech programs. Since opening in 2012, nearly 120 new companies have spun out from startup programs at Cornell Tech, and 95 percent of them are based in New York City. Cornell Tech continues to have a transformative economic impact on the region's tech sector.

About Break Through Tech AI Studio

Break Through Tech is changing the path to power in tech by propelling undergraduate talent that is all too often underestimated and overlooked into fields that are defining the future. Founded in 2016 by Dr. Judith Spitz, former CIO of Verizon, Break Through Tech empowers, trains, and connects undergraduate students from different lived experiences to professional opportunities in tech across sectors. Our innovative programs offer students the technical training, professional readiness, and real-world experience to break into influential roles--enabling them to write the rules that will shape the future for all of us.

The Spring 2026 AI Studio includes two specialization tracks:

• Agentic AI Track: Fellows design and deploy AI agents using LLM-based frameworks.
• Standard WiDS Track: Fellows participate in the WiDS Global Datathon challenge, gaining experience in real-world data science workflows while building professional skills, community connections, and applied AI literacy.

About the Program

Spring 2026 AI Studio is structured around three Maker Days (January-March) and four Mentor Meetings (January-April). Each Mentor Meeting focuses on a professional development theme that aligns with the upcoming Maker Day--such as professional introductions, collaboration, or presentation skills.

During the program:

• All fellows participate in the WiDS Datathon hosted on Kaggle, choosing to work individually or in small teams.
• Fellows register for the competition at Maker Day 1 (January 31), complete their projects by Maker Day 2 (February 28), and showcase progress and reflection at Maker Day 3 (March 28).
• The February Hackathon serves as the central applied experience of the term, culminating in Kaggle submissions and recognition for top-performing teams.
• Maker Day facilitation is led by Break Through Tech staff, with Coaches supporting community engagement, attendance, and student experience across all events.

About the Position

Break Through Tech is seeking AI Studio Coaches (Standard WiDS Track) to guide and support undergraduate fellows through the Spring 2026 AI Studio. Coaches will foster engagement, facilitate community, and provide light-touch technical and professional guidance during the WiDS Datathon and monthly Maker Days.

This is a fully remote role requiring flexible evening and weekend availability to support national program events. Each Coach will be assigned a case load of approximately 100 fellows, serve as a primary point of contact for questions, and lead community-building and mentorship activities across Slack, Zoom, and program events.

Essential Functions Include
Fellow Support & Engagement (40%)

• Facilitate 45-60 minute breakout activities on topics aligned with the WIDS Datathon.
• Lead team introductions and community-building during the onboarding period (January 17-30).
• Maintain a strong, positive presence in Slack channels to answer questions, share updates, and foster community.
• Conduct at-risk fellow outreach and 1:1 check-ins for students experiencing participation or engagement challenges.
• Host weekly virtual office hours or AMA sessions to provide general program and technical support.

Technical & Project Support (40%)

• Guide fellows through WiDS Datathon onboarding on January 31, ensuring successful registration and team formation on Kaggle.
• Offer light-touch technical guidance on data science workflows, including dataset exploration, notebooks, and submission processes.
• Provide hands-on support during the 36-hour Hackathon (February 28) by visiting breakout rooms and assisting teams as needed.
• Direct fellows to appropriate resources or forums (e.g., WiDS Global Hub, Kaggle Discussions).
• Review fellow submissions for completion and engagement milestones, ensuring all participants make at least one Kaggle submission.

Program Operations & Collaboration (20%)

• Take attendance and report engagement during Maker Days and other program events.
• Attend pre- and post-Maker Day huddles with staff and other coaches to align on facilitation roles and lessons learned.
• Participate in biweekly Community of Practice (CoP) meetings to share strategies and improve the fellow experience.
• Collaborate with the Break Through Tech team to identify student trends, engagement gaps, or community highlights.
• Support ad hoc program events such as the Closing Celebration (April) and community spotlights throughout the term.

Required Qualifications

• Experience supporting or mentoring undergraduate students in academic or technical programs.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate inclusive, equitable, and encouraging learning environments.
• Strong proficiency in machine learning concepts (LLMs, neural networks, generative AI, image classification) sufficient to address technical questions and guide fellows to appropriate resources.
• Strong proficiency with Python-based data science workflows (Pandas, scikit-learn, notebooks) and demonstrated experience applying these tools in AI/ML contexts.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills across Slack, Zoom, and virtual learning tools.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple teams in a fast-paced remote environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior Break Through Tech experience (ML Foundations, AI Studio, or WiDS).
• Experience with data competitions (e.g., Kaggle, WiDS Datathon).
• Background in data science, computer science, or analytics.
• Experience in coaching, teaching, or peer mentorship roles.

Important Notes

- This is a part-time, remote, temporary position beginning on January 12, 2026 and ending on April 25, 2026.

- The position is expected to require an average of 6 hours per week, with weekly hours ranging from 4-10 hours per week depending on program activities.

- This role is not eligible for benefits.

- These roles are open to any eligible candidates across the US.

- Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

- Pay rate: $35 per hour

- Key Dates (Required Attendance)

• Coach Onboarding: January 14-16
• Team Introductions: January 17-30
• Maker Day 1: Saturday, January 31 (12-4 PM ET)
• Maker Day 2 (Hackathon): Saturday, February 28 (12-4 PM ET)
• Maker Day 3: Saturday, March 28 (12-4 PM ET)
• Closing Celebration: Late April (date TBA)

- Coaches are also expected to:

• Attend biweekly Community of Practice sessions
• Host weekly office hours
• Conduct at-risk outreach and mentorship
• Attend Maker Day pre/post huddles

Culture of Inclusion and Community Standards

As a university founded to be a place where "...any person can find instruction in any study," inclusion and belonging are at the core of our values and mission. We strive to be a welcoming, caring, healthy, and equitable community where students, faculty, and staff with different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn, innovate, and work in an environment of respect, and feel empowered to engage in any community conversation. As a member of the Cornell University community, it is important to recognize our shared responsibility to each other to cultivate a culture of inclusion for all. Cornell Core values

As an individual contributor you will model and support a culture of inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing and continually seek to understand how your role, behaviors, and actions impact the success of this culture.

While position responsibilities vary greatly, the Skills for Success and Leadership Skills for Success are foundational to what is expected of every employee and leader working at Cornell. These skills are essential for individual and organizational success. Staff Skills for Success; Leadership Skills for Success

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