KATS Instructor

Job Opportunity
Kids and Teens (KATs) is the Palo Alto Art Center’s afterschool and summer studio art program for children ages 18 months to 18 years, serving approximately 2,500 children each year. Classes are offered in all media, including ceramics, drawing, and painting, as well as in specialized arts such as digital photography and stop motion animation.
Art Center Kids and Teen classes are held on weekdays and weekends; Saturday availability is a requirement for this position.This position independently prepares classes, programs and camp curriculum, presents classes, and provides direction and mentoring for Instructor I & IIs, and volunteers, in a leadership role. This role works within the education team reporting to the Kids, Teens and Family Programs Director, and collaborating with both staff and contract instructors and other colleagues.

• Instruction: Plan and teach fine arts programs including ceramics classes three days a week (including Saturdays) and lead occasional weekend or weeknight workshops. This includes instructing two sessions (4 weeks total) of summer camps annually. Ceramics wheel throwing instructional knowledge required.
• Studio Maintenance and Technical Operations: Maintain studio spaces and equipment using proper studio cleaning procedures. Perform basic maintenance on wheels, kilns, and other equipment. Perform all firing stages, including loading, unloading, and programming mainly electric kilns daily while on-site. Responsible for glaze trouble shooting, clay reclaim and maintaining organized kiln schedules.
• Collaboration & Communication: Collaborate with a team and participate in required team meetings. Propose programmatic ideas, lead workshops, supervise volunteers, and provide high-level customer service.

You are a great fit if you...

• Have an in-depth knowledge of fine arts disciplines and instruction, including ceramics, glaze chemistry, and technical processes; practicing artists preferred.
• Your Technical Skills include proficiency in programming electric kilns and maintaining studio equipment.

• Experience: Requires at least 4 years of teaching experience. Proven experience teaching fine arts to youth (ages 5–18) and prior experience working in a high-volume educational studio.
• Physical: May require lifting up to 15 pounds.

This is an SEIU Hourly (limited benefits) position that is budgeted to not exceed 1,000 hours per fiscal year. The number of hours per week and schedule will be determined based on assignment.



The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO). In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both perspective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.