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Assistant Teacher — Birthday Parties & Lifelong Learning
ABOUT THE ROLE
Enjoy working with Tinker in our sunny, inspiring studio! It’s a space for connection, creativity, and community, and we can’t wait to welcome a new energetic, positive Assistant Teacher to our team.
This role has two parts. On Saturdays, you’ll be our Assistant Teacher for fast-paced Birthday Parties — working directly with children and families to create a warm, welcoming, and successful experience for the birthday child and their guests. On Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, you’ll assist with our off-site Lifelong Learning classes: one-hour after-school art classes taught inside Boulder Valley School District schools through BVSD’s Lifelong Learning (LLL) program. Both are run alongside a Lead Teacher.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Saturday Birthday Parties
- Support fun and engaging birthday parties for children
- Work directly with groups throughout a party — facilitating stations, assisting with the party project, and supporting behind-the-scenes cleanup
- Transition materials during different parts of the party, keeping everything tidy and usable
- Support children who need extra help — with patience, encouragement, and care
- Help maintain a positive, focused, age-appropriate environment
Lifelong Learning classes (off-site)
- Assist the Lead Teacher in delivering one-hour after-school art classes at BVSD schools
- Travel to and from the school site in the studio van, departing from and returning to Tinker
- Help set up before class and pack up afterward at the school site
- Support students directly and keep the group engaged, warm, and on task in an off-site setting
- On Wednesdays, take part in a brief 1:1 check-in before departing for the class
Connect with students
- Learn students’ names and build genuine connections
- Help create a safe, warm, and fun environment every single day
- Be a calm, encouraging presence that makes kids feel supported and excited about what they’re making
Setup & cleanup
- Prepare materials, stations, and the space before each party or class
- Clean and reset the studio between parties and at the end of the day
- Light studio tidying and materials management throughout your shift
WHO YOU ARE
- You have working knowledge of art materials — painting, drawing, mixed media, and a variety of other mediums, including techniques and use of materials
- You have experience working with children and genuinely enjoy it
- You’re warm, patient, and know how to connect with kids
- You can follow a Lead Teacher’s direction to best support a group
- You’re reliable, on time, and take setup and cleanup as seriously as the party or class itself
- You stay calm and positive in a busy, hands-on environment, and are comfortable working off-site at a school
- You can pass fingerprinting and a full background check (required for placement in BVSD schools)
- You can lift and move up to 50 lbs
- Previous experience in customer service, and/or experience working with adults in a professional context such as the service industry
POSITION DETAILS
- $18/hour + tips
- Training pay: $16.82/hour (see Required Training section below for details)
- Birthday parties are tipped at approximately $17-$22 per party in addition to the hourly rate (gratuity is part of our pricing structure). When all three parties are booked, the effective Saturday rate is approximately $24–$27/hour. Lifelong Learning classes are paid at the hourly rate.
- Fingerprinting and a full background check are required before working the Lifelong Learning classes
Saturday Birthday Parties schedule:
- Saturdays, 9:15am–4:45pm, with a 20-30 minute paid lunch break
- Three parties are scheduled each Saturday: 10:00–11:30am, 12:00–1:30pm, and 2:30–4:00pm
- If all three parties don’t book, work hours are reduced to reflect a single party or two back-to-back parties. If the middle party doesn’t book, the 12:00–2:00pm hours are optional — you may work on other studio tasks or take the time off. If no parties are scheduled, no Saturday work is available.
- Team members are notified of schedule changes about 10 days in advance; changes are relatively infrequent, as most weekends’ party slots fully book
- In summer months (June–August), the Saturday schedule shifts — parties are typically held every other weekend, therefore summer work hours could be reduced
Lifelong Learning schedule (Tuesdays & Wednesdays, when enrolled):
- Tuesdays: report to Tinker at 2:15pm - 2:20pm (depending on school site location) and finish around 4:15–4:30pm (exact times vary by school site)
- Wednesdays: 2:00pm start, including a brief 1:1 check-in before leaving for the school and finish around 4:15–4:30pm (exact times vary by school site)
- Classes are one hour long, held off-site at BVSD schools and reached by studio van from Tinker
- Lifelong Learning classes run only when enrollment is high enough for the class to be held. When a class doesn’t fill, those hours aren’t scheduled.
- Lifelong Learning follows a set calendar with some weeks off, and on any week that classes don't run, there are no Tuesday or Wednesday hours.
- Specific scheduling is coordinated via email
Required training:
- Prior to beginning the position: asynchronous virtual onboarding (~4-6 hours) and in-person onboarding (~2 hours)
- BVSD’s virtual training (approximately .5 - 1 hour)
- 1-2 Friday afternoon trainings observing a birthday party from 3:30 - 5:45pm within the first weeks of employment
- First in-studio Saturday: training day with support from Tinker’s GM or Owner (dates TBD)
- Additional training, depending on experience
BENEFITS
- Paid sick leave under Colorado’s Healthy Families and Workplaces Act
- Class credits toward classes and workshops at Tinker Art Studio or Clay Hub
A NOTE ON FIT
We want to be upfront about something specific to this role: this position does not include studio membership or additional studio access beyond class credits. Team members receive class credits to use toward classes or workshops at Tinker Art Studio or Clay Hub — and when participating as a student, they’re treated just like any other student, fully separate from their work role. This keeps the boundary between work and creative time healthy and clear. The right person is genuinely excited about supporting our students without needing to be part of the studio as an artist themselves.
ABOUT TINKER
Tinker Art Studio is a community-centered studio in South Boulder where students of all ages work with a wide range of art materials. We believe in connection, creativity, and creating a space where people feel genuinely welcome in community.
We are excited to meet you!
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, complete our short application form at https://forms.gle/KYj33XXoBdUEKrZP7. Please answer all questions in your own words — we read every response carefully, and AI-generated answers are easy to spot and won’t move forward.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Pay: $18.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
