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FAO Schwarz Fellowship in Social Impact at The Franklin Institute

Application deadline: February 1, 2027 at 9pm ET

Please note that the application deadline for the Fellowship is February 1, 2027 at 9pm ET. We will refresh our Handshake posting for the Fellowship each month until the deadline.

ABOUT THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE FELLOWSHIP PHILADELPHIA

The FAO Schwarz Fellowship is an intensive, transformative two-year experience in the world of social impact. Fellows work at leading nonprofit organizations in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. Each organization is deeply valued in their communities and has a strong record of delivering high-quality services that address critical issues of social inequity and producing consistent results. The Fellowship is a two-year commitment that pays $50,000 in year one (includes $2,000 start of Fellowship bonus) and $55,000 in year two (includes $3,000 end of Fellowship bonus).

DIRECT SERVICE

The FAO Schwarz Fellow will support student programming for high school students in The Franklin Institute's STEM Scholars program and provide mentorship in communication and skills development to prepare students for internships, college, and careers.

The Fellow will also facilitate STEM activities for youth and family audiences at community events, focusing on hands-on experimentation that encourages asking questions, scientific thinking, making connections, and cultivating dialogue.

The Fellow will:

Build STEM Scholars cohort relationships among students through mentorship and program support, alongside the Youth Programs team: support ongoing delivery of bi-weekly PACTS and weekly STEM Scholars workshops, guide participation in a collaborative youth challenge project, spend consistent time with students to build strong personal rapport, and lead community building activities for each cohort.
Work with STEM Scholars and Ambassadors on developing effective communication skills, both for public outreach and professional presentations: assist in leading new Ambassador trainings focused on building workforce development skills, reinforced through practice in weekly meetings.
Present hands-on, interactive STEM activities for youth and families at community outreach events.
Facilitate summer programming around science research design and technical skills for STEM Scholars, leading discussions and lessons on building scientific research skills, and reviewing and providing feedback on ongoing student research projects (Year 2).

STRATEGIC PROJECT

Based on feedback from recent STEM Scholars program alumni, the Fellow will assist the Institute's Youth Programs team to build, activate, and sustain a STEM Scholars Alumni Council.

The Fellow will also be responsible for strategic components of a youth-focused network project and for developing a sustainable STEM activity toolkit for future training and use at Franklin Institute community events.

The Fellow will:

Build and activate a STEM Scholars Alumni Council: research best practices for alumni engagement within out-of-school time programs (Year 1); determine methods for member selection, membership expectations, and select Council members; determine focus areas through discussions with Council members; develop and deliver at least one alumni engagement or professional development opportunity; and implement a robust alumni database and communication plan, including collecting alumni stories for student connections, public communications, and donor stewardship.
Develop communications and training assets, participate in professional development, and work with project evaluators to provide feedback on a museum network project (Year 1).
Develop a community outreach toolkit in collaboration with Science & Education team members, with STEM activities informed by Direct Service experience and aligned to the needs, goals, and focus of community partners (Year 2).

TYPICAL WORK SCHEDULE

Typical work hours are Tuesday–Saturday, with some evening hours during the Academic Year (September–May/June), and Monday-Friday during Summer (July, August). The position may include occasional weekend community engagement events, and work hours are adjusted for evening programming. The position is based on site at The Franklin Institute, with the allowance of one remote workday per week.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must be college seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities at the time of application and be eligible to work in the United States for the duration of the two-year Fellowship.

For more about what we are seeking, please see What We’re Looking For. Please visit our website for more information about the new positions.

To apply, visit our website where you’ll see detailed instructions. You will be asked to answer some questions about yourself, upload your resume, and respond to four short answer questions by February 1, 2027 at 9:00 pm ET. You may apply to more than one host, but you must submit a different application for each host you’re applying to.

The deadline to apply is February 1, 2027 at 9:00 pm ET. Host organizations will select applicants for interviews and make their decisions by the end of April 2027. Fellowships begin in the summer of 2027.

QUESTIONS?

Visit our website to research the opportunity, and attend an info session if you can. If you have any additional questions, reach out to us: contact@faoschwarzfellowship.org.