Title: ʻĀina Informatics Network Coordinator

Job Status: Full-time, Exempt, Year-round, 12-month 

Salary Range: $65,000 to $72,000 annually based on experience

Department: Community Science

Reports to: John Kay Teaching Chair and Director of Community Science

‘Iolani School’s Office of Community Science and ʻĀina Informatics Network (AIN) offers opportunities to work with students, educators, researchers, and community partners across Hawaiʻi while advancing innovative STEM education, community science, and place-based research experiences.

They play a central role in coordinating AIN's statewide network of schools, researchers, and community partners while also delivering hands-on STEM learning experiences directly to students. This position manages partnerships, educational programs, and project logistics across the network and regularly travels to partner schools to facilitate mobile laboratory experiences. Working with teachers and students, this role leads molecular biology activities such as DNA extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis as part of authentic environmental and community science research projects.

The position is highly collaborative and field-based, with a substantial portion of time spent working directly with teachers and students in classrooms, laboratories, and field settings throughout Hawaiʻi. They support student research, teacher professional development, curriculum development, data management, and collaborative research initiatives.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Coordinate AIN educational programs and statewide partnerships with schools, researchers, and community organizations.

• Schedule and facilitate mobile laboratory visits and classroom-based learning experiences.

• Lead hands-on molecular biology and genomics activities with students, including DNA extraction, PCR, DNA sequencing, and bioinformatics investigations.

• Travel to partner schools and organizations across Hawaiʻi to support program implementation, teacher engagement, and student learning experiences.

• Support student independent research projects and mentor students participating in network activities.

• Develop and refine curriculum, instructional materials, and project resources.

• Communicate with teachers and partners to support successful project implementation.

• Coordinate project logistics, supplies, equipment, scheduling, and documentation.

• Assist with data management, reporting, grant deliverables, and program evaluation.

• Support teacher professional development and training opportunities.

• Contribute to outreach efforts, newsletters, website updates, and public communication about network activities.

• Participate in the development and implementation of new educational and research initiatives.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Experience with molecular biology or genetics laboratory techniques, such as DNA extraction, PCR, DNA sequencing, or related laboratory workflows.

• Experience coordinating projects, educational programs, or community partnerships.

• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively with students, educators, researchers, and community partners.

• Proficiency with common digital productivity and data management tools.

• Ability to organize complex programs, building relationships with educators and partners, and engaging students in meaningful scientific investigation through field- and laboratory-based learning.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience in STEM education, environmental science, genomics, bioinformatics, or related fields.

• Teaching, mentoring, or curriculum development experience.

• Experience with environmental DNA (eDNA), DNA barcoding, or nanopore sequencing technologies.

• Familiarity with scientific data management and analysis.

• Knowledge of Hawaiʻi’s communities, environments, and educational landscape.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Ability to see and hear within normal parameters with or without correction.

• Full range of head, neck, and back movement; unrestricted ability to bend knees, raise arms above the head, and to move hands, fingers, and wrists.

• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds without difficulty.

• Ability to sit, stand, and/or walk for sustained periods of time.

• Requires regular travel to partner schools and project sites on Oʻahu and the Neighbor Islands.

• Must successfully pass fingerprint background check and provide TB clearance due to working in proximity to children.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.