AI Studio Coach, Break Through Tech (NYC) - Part-Time, Remote, Temporary

Part-Time, Remote, Temporary: August 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025

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 undergraduate students the technical skills training, professional readiness support, and real-world project experiences to break into influential tech roles-enabling them to write the rules that will shape the future of all of us.

Break Through Tech's AI Studio program is an innovative work-embedded learning program that matches undergraduate Fellows from across the United States ("Break Through Tech Fellows") with industry volunteers ("Challenge Advisors" and "Mentors") to complete machine learning "Challenge Projects" in the Fall and Spring semesters. Fellows work in teams of 5-6 to review real-world business challenges leveraging publicly available data sets. Working in teams, Fellows create project plans and build open source machine learning models that address the challenge while gaining valuable technical and professional skills.

Position Summary

Break Through Tech is seeking AI Studio Coaches to support and guide undergraduate teams through industry-sponsored machine learning projects during the AI Studio Fall semester. This virtual position plays a critical role in ensuring successful project completion while fostering Fellow engagement and growth. Working with approximately 40-60 Fellows across ~8-10 teams, the Coach will provide both technical guidance and project management support to drive successful outcomes.

Essential Functions Include

Project Management & Team Support (25%)

• Facilitate successful planning, execution, and tracking of team projects
• Review industry-sponsored project descriptions and milestones, and support the development of project plans with specific sub-tasks and goals
• Help teams create and manage task lists, ensuring clear ownership and timely completion
• Ensure teams maintain detailed project documentation
• Conduct regular asynchronous progress check-ins with teams between meetings
• Guide teams in identifying and addressing technical and interpersonal blockers to ensure project goals are met
• Work closely with Challenge Advisors (CAs), Mentors, and Program staff to ensure alignment and maximize team success

Facilitation & Assessment (50%)

• Facilitate live virtual team check-in meetings via Zoom
• Help teams prepare for virtual meetings with industry advisors; attend meetings as an observer as needed
• Plan and facilitate virtual team work sessions during online Maker Days (one Saturday per month)
• Provide technical support and guidance to Fellows; design and deliver virtual mini-lessons on technical topics as needed
• Grade group assignments and presentations, providing meaningful feedback
• Conduct code reviews and support pair programming sessions as needed
• Maintain detailed attendance records for all program activities

Fellow Engagement and Participation (25%)

• Ensure equitable participation and active engagement by all team members throughout the project duration
• Actively monitor and participate in team collaboration tools including Notion, GitHub and Slack
• Intervene to address issues with Fellow engagement and participation, providing coaching and support to Fellows as needed
• Flag concerns to and partner with program staff to manage unresolved issues
• Support Fellow development and personal goals in partnership with Mentors and Challenge Advisors

Required Qualifications

• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to support the success and well-being of undergraduate students from all lived experiences
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
• Strong technical project management experience in an industry setting
• Proficient understanding of ML concepts (LLMs, Neural networks, Generative AI, Image classification) sufficient to address technical questions and guide Fellows to appropriate resources
• Experience in teaching, coaching, or mentoring, or demonstrated ability to learn these skills
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills
• Ability to thrive in a virtual work environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior Break Through Tech and/or ML Foundations experience
• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field
• Experience with virtual instruction or team facilitation

Important Notes

• This is a part-time, remote, temporary position beginning on August 1, 2025 and ending on December 31, 2025. AI Studio Coaches with strong performance may be able to apply to extend contracts through April 30, 2026.
• The position is expected to require 20-30 hours per week and 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
• For tax purposes, the work location is NYC regardless of actual remote location
• AI Studio Coaches will be required to participate in about 15-20 hours of pre-program training during August.
• AI Studio Coaches will be required to work the following key dates (times TBC) to support program events:
  • Bridge to Studio (August 12-14, 2025)
  • Maker Days (September 6, October 4, November 1, 2025)
  • Final Presentations (December 6, 2025)
• In addition to these dates, AI Studio Coaches will be expected to lead two (2) 60-minute Check-In Meetings with their teams per month. Coaches will be empowered to select meeting times and dates that work for them from a list of possible options, but meetings generally take place after 6 pm local time.
• Coaches will also meet at least biweekly with Program staff for check-ins and trainings

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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