Instructional Assistant, Cloud & DevOps Support (Temporary)

Department: Talent Operations Status/FLSA: Temporary, Hourly (Independent Contractor, 1099) Reports to: Vice President, Talent Operations Compensation: $30/hour for all preparation, classroom and evaluation hours Location: Candidates must live in the St. Louis area. Preparation and evaluation work is remote; classroom work is in person at a client office in downtown St. Louis, MO. Engagement: Approximately 5 weeks, starting about 1 week before the cohort begins (start date to be confirmed): about 1 week of remote preparation before the cohort begins, about 3 weeks of in-person classroom support, and about 1 week of remote work after the cohort ends to help with final evaluation. The cohort is anticipated to begin on or before December 10, 2026 (exact date to be confirmed). Hours for remote weeks and classroom days: [to be confirmed].   he Teaching Assistant, Cloud & DevOps Support at LaunchCode connects talent to opportunity by helping adult learners succeed in an intensive, 17-day course that prepares employees of an employer partner for tier-0 and tier-1 technical support roles. Working alongside the Technical Instructor, the Teaching Assistant supports learners during hands-on labs in Linux, Git, networking, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS and CI/CD, answering questions and helping learners get unstuck so the whole class keeps pace. Before the course, the Teaching Assistant helps prepare and test materials remotely; after it ends, they help organize learner results for the final evaluation. This role suits someone with a solid technical foundation who enjoys helping others learn, and is a strong opportunity to build instructional experience in a fast-paced, real-world setting. Essential Duties/Responsibilities: Preparation (remote, about 1 week before the cohort) Work through course labs and exercises ahead of learners, flagging unclear steps, errors or gaps to the Technical Instructor and curriculum team Help test the lab environment and learner access so the first day of class runs smoothly Help prepare classroom materials and resources as directed by the Technical Instructor Classroom support (in person 3 weeks + 2 virtual days) Support the Technical Instructor during instruction, labs, troubleshooting practice and Q&A Circulate during hands-on labs to answer questions and help learners get unstuck with commands, errors and tool setup Guide learners toward answers with questions and hints rather than solving problems for them Provide one-on-one or small-group help for learners who fall behind, and alert the Technical Instructor when a learner needs more support Help track learner progress on hands-on exercises and share observations with the Technical Instructor Help manage classroom logistics such as attendance, lab access and materials Final evaluation (remote, about 1 week after the cohort) Help compile and organize learner scores, exercise results and observations for the final evaluation Support the Technical Instructor in preparing the ranked results and learner summaries Throughout Represent LaunchCode professionally on site at the employer partner's office and handle learner performance information with discretion   Required Skills/Abilities: Technical Comfort using the Linux command line and basic Git Understanding of basic networking concepts (IP addresses, ports, DNS) Familiarity with containers such as Docker Ability to read error messages and logs and work through a problem step by step Willingness to learn Kubernetes, AWS and CI/CD concepts quickly ahead of the course Non-technical Patience and empathy when helping adult learners who are new to technical work Ability to explain concepts clearly and simply, one-on-one Strong listening skills and comfort asking questions to find where a learner is stuck Reliability, punctuality and the stamina for 8-hour, in-person classroom days Ability to take direction and work as a team with the Technical Instructor Professionalism and discretion when working on site at a client's office Required Experience: Hands-on experience with Linux and at least one other tool covered in the course (Git, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS or CI/CD), gained through work, school, a bootcamp, certification study or personal projects Experience helping others learn in any setting, such as tutoring, peer mentoring, teaching assistance, training or help desk work Availability for the full engagement: about 1 week remote before the cohort, about 3 weeks in person during the cohort, and about 1 week remote after it ends Preferred Experience: Experience in IT support, help desk or technical support roles Prior work as a teaching assistant, tutor or mentor in a coding bootcamp or technical training program Hands-on exposure to Kubernetes, AWS or CI/CD tools Completion of a technical training program or bootcamp, or certifications such as CompTIA Linux+, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or similar Experience making a career change into tech, and the perspective that brings to supporting learners doing the same Candidates who meet most, but not all, of these qualifications are encouraged to apply. Skills will be evaluated during the interview process. Physical Requirements/Travel Requirements: Must reside in the St. Louis area and be able to work on site at a client office in downtown St. Louis for the full in-person classroom period Prolonged periods of standing and moving around a classroom to support learners during labs, alternating with periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer Visual acuity for focusing on computer screens, projected displays and documents, as well as manual dexterity for operating standard office equipment Occasional lifting of light to moderate objects up to 15 pounds No travel outside the St. Louis area is expected