Description
About Urban Arts
Urban Arts is a national nonprofit that teaches digital game design as a pathway to college and career. We operate across 16 states and we annually serve 4,000+ students from low-income communities who don’t always see themselves in tech. Game design is our hook to open doors into computer science, STEM careers, and college.
Our programs include:
- Game On - AP Computer Science Principles curriculum that utilizes Unity, paired with professional development for educators
- Game Academy - flagship out-of-school time game design program for high school students
- Creative Coders - Middle school Minecraft-based computer science curriculum paired with professional development for educators
- Community Schools - K–12 schools across New York, where we help identify and coordinate wraparound services while also providing arts and technology based programming
About the Role
We are looking for a strategic, creative thinker at the intersection of artificial intelligence, computer science education, and learning design to help shape the future of how students experience CS at Urban Arts. The role will be responsible for driving the strategic integration of AI into the teaching and learning ecosystem, ensuring ethical AI use, academic integrity and deep learning, and a strong awareness of skills students need to succeed in their educational journeys and careers.
Central to this work is programming such as Game On, Urban Arts’ high school curriculum for computer science. This program is at an inflection point as the CS education landscape evolves rapidly around AI, and this person will help ensure Game On stays ahead of that curve. In addition to being a core thought partner and curriculum partner to Game On, you will be a resource across Urban Arts programs: helping us build CS learning experiences that are rigorous, relevant, and designed for students from communities who have historically been left out of tech.
This role requires deep CS education expertise, a strong grasp of how AI is changing education and society, and the ability to translate both into experiences that work for real teachers and real students, using firsthand educator perspective. You will be the voice in the room that keeps our work grounded in pedagogical reality: what students actually need, what teachers can actually use, and what works when lesson plans meet a real class.
Integration & Innovation
- Serve as Urban Arts’ key thought partner on how AI can and should be meaningfully integrated into CS learning for students and teachers alike, with a special focus on Game On
- Identify high-impact AI use cases grounded in the diverse needs of public schools across the United States
- Prototype lightweight AI-powered classroom experiences, resources and tools, as appropriate
- Support teacher professional development, helping educators understand and integrate AI and CS concepts with confidence
- Stay current on the AI landscape and help Urban Arts make thoughtful, strategic decisions about where to invest
- Bridge the gap between vision and what’s practical, engaging, and effective for students and teachers on the ground
Pedagogical Leadership
- Serve as the pedagogical advisor for Urban Arts curriculum with a focus on AI/CS
- Audit Urban Arts curriculum to identify opportunities for AI integration, and partner on the design and continuous improvement of learning experiences across Urban Arts pathways, focusing on Game On (AP CSP through Unity) with additional supports for Creative Coders (middle school CS through Minecraft), Game Academy, Community Schools, and any new programs
- Identify opportunities to deepen engagement, accessibility, and real-world relevance across the curriculum
- Collaborate with educators, students, and program staff to prototype, test, and iterate
- Build trust and credibility with the teachers and school partners we work with
- Ensure all work centers equity and the needs of students from communities historically underrepresented in tech
Cross-Program Collaboration
- Support broader Urban Arts programs in thinking about how CS and AI intersect with game design and student pathways
- Build shared frameworks, resources, and practices that can scale across the organization
Required
- Classroom experience: you have taught, and that informs everything you do (teaching certification a plus)
- Deep experience in computer science education through curriculum design, teaching, or program leadership
- Strong understanding and experience with AI tools and capabilities, particularly their application in education
- Experience designing project-based, student-centered learning experiences
- Comfort moving from idea → prototype → classroom testing, with an enthusiasm for iteration
- Strong communication skills; able to build trust with educators while also speaking the language of program and product teams
- Strong communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical teams
- Commitment to equity and expanding access in CS education
- Ability to receive and process deliveries of materials weighing up to 25 lbs
- Willingness to travel for site visits as appropriate
- Must be able to complete and pass an NYC DOE background check
Preferred
- Familiarity with game design tools and environments such as Unity
- Experience supporting teacher professional development or coaching
What Success Looks Like
- CS learning experiences that are even more engaging and relevant for Urban Arts students
- Teachers around the country feel supported, confident, and equipped to bring CS and AI into their classrooms
- Validated AI use cases grounded in real classrooms and real student needs
- Scalable concepts ready to grow with our programs
- Students who feel more capable, more confident, and more like they belong in CS
Why This Role Matters
Urban Arts has always believed that the right entry point changes everything. Game design opened a door that traditional CS education left closed. This role ensures we keep building on that foundation with the educator credibility, AI fluency, and learning design expertise necessary to make sure our programs remain as effective.
Why Work at Urban Arts?
- Hybrid work environment (WFH + Office or Assigned School/Location)
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Short and Long Term Disability Insurance
- Generous PTO benefits
- 401k Retirement Plan + Company Match
To Apply, email a cover letter, resume, and a sample lesson plan or curriculum samples that you have personally developed to programjobs@urbanarts.org.
Urban Arts is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, people with disabilities, and others who are underrepresented in the technology and education sectors.
Must be eligible to work in the U.S.
Requirements
Required
- Classroom experience: you have taught, and that informs everything you do (teaching certification a plus)
- Deep experience in computer science education through curriculum design, teaching, or program leadership
- Strong understanding and experience with AI tools and capabilities, particularly their application in education
- Experience designing project-based, student-centered learning experiences
- Comfort moving from idea → prototype → classroom testing, with an enthusiasm for iteration
- Strong communication skills; able to build trust with educators while also speaking the language of program and product teams
- Strong communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical teams
- Commitment to equity and expanding access in CS education
- Ability to receive and process deliveries of materials weighing up to 25 lbs
- Willingness to travel for site visits as appropriate
- Must be able to complete and pass an NYC DOE background check
Preferred
- Familiarity with game design tools and environments such as Unity
- Experience supporting teacher professional development or coaching
