Entry Level Human Centered Design Jobs in Silver Spring, MD

Salary : $50,581.23 - $88,517.10 Annually
Location : NEIGHBORHOOD and COMMUNITY SERVICES - MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 26-01220
Department: Neighborhood & Community Svcs
Opening Date: 08/08/2026
Closing Date: 8/21/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S17
Posting Type: Open to General Public
Job Announcement
This announcement may be used to fill positions located within Region 4 area of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) at the following locations:

• Green Briar East Elementary School (15109 Carlbern Dr, Centreville, VA 20120)
• Navy Elementary School (3500 West Ox Rd, Fairfax, VA 22033)
• Oak View Elementary School (5004 Sideburn Road, Fairfax, VA 22032)
• Orange Hunt Elementary School (6820 Sydenstricker Rd, Springfield, VA 22152)

Join our team at the department and help support our mission to partner with communities, families, and individuals to provide opportunities to access a continuum of resources that promote equity and create positive outcomes for people of all ages and abilities. Our vision is to see connected communities where all individuals and families are supported and empowered to thrive.
Work as part of the Culture, Recreation, and Community Connections (CRCC) Division to deliver out-of-school-time care, recreation, and culturally enriching programs and daily hands-on activities for school-age youth with diverse functional, inclusive, cultural, and economic needs at assigned location(s), using human-centered and human development practices in a school-based setting. Exercises human-centered design principles to support participants' experience and create access to opportunity through the creation of positive developmental relationships based on the individualized needs of school-age youth. Organizes, coordinates, and facilitates scheduled programs at a school-based site to implement equitable, culturally appropriate programs and activities that are age appropriate and meet the needs of participants, using human-centered and human development practices. Provides programming support by developing and coordinating specialized programs and events. Leads key service areas and assist in supporting operations, events, and activities. Supports and promotes equity-based programs and practices that address needs and equitable access to opportunities that enhance well-being and community inclusion. Provides support to all children in the program, including children with special needs. Works actively and is engaged with staff and children daily.
This position is scheduled to work between the hours of 6:45 a.m. - 6:15 p.m. This position is scheduled to work 52 weeks per year and requires a split shift schedule Monday through Friday. Please note the job offer is calculated and based on a 32.5 hour per week/52 week per year schedule. Additionally, this position requires full day work (6.5 or more consecutive hours) when FCPS is out of school (Teacher Workdays, Winter Break, Spring break, Summer).
Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including ) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.
Learn more about the work we do in NCS
Illustrative Duties
(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)

• Provides access to in-person and virtual universal programs with targeted strategies that ensure an inclusive approach to service delivery;
• Establishes and maintains positive relationships with participants, parents, staff, school officials, and citizen groups in a variety of settings;
• Delivers, coordinates, and adapts equitable programs and activities to meet the needs of the population served;
• Increase access to programming by transporting community members and participants to programs and events;
• Supervises participants during programs and actively promotes positive behavior intervention and positive developmental relationships;
• Assists in the administration of facility operations, program planning and participant and staff oversight;
• Supports with recruitment, hiring, training and evaluation of staff and volunteers;
• Adheres to revenue and expense limits;
• Ensures staff compliance with operating procedures and safety/security standards and community awareness of facility rules and regulations;
• Assists in the development and implementation of community outreach plans and targeted interventions of underserved populations to increase overall program participation and engagement.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities
(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list).

• Knowledge of Human-centered and human development practices;
• Knowledge of fiscal record keeping and inventory procedures;
• Knowledge of health, safety and first aid methods, and the ability to assume administrative responsibilities for assigned areas;
• Ability to direct and coordinate the work of subordinate staff and volunteers and supervisor program activities and engagement;
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to establish and maintain a warm and supportive relationship with participants, parents, staff, school officials, and citizen groups, in a group or individual setting;
• Ability to provide a wide variety of experiences to meet a participant's individual intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs.

Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited college or university with an associate's degree in human development, social work, early childhood education, recreation, or a human services *related field; plus, one year of child-related programmatic experience or human services *related experience.
*A related field/experience is based solely on the position description.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:First Aid/CPR certifications within 90 days of appointment.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and a Child Protective Services Registry check to the satisfaction of the employer. A Tuberculosis (TB) screening upon hire.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in a child-related field such as elementary education, nursing, or recreation
• Two years of child-related programmatic experience with one year in a staff supervisory capacity
• Certification of qualification from an internationally or nationally recognized Montessori organization; or Child Development Credential; or One-year early childhood certificate from a college or university; or Other childcare related Virginia State license
• Experience working in a school-age childcare setting with children who have special needs
• Experience working in a setting that provided services to children and youth with special needs in the past two years
• Experience working with a diverse, multicultural population

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Position is active in nature. Must be able to monitor and observe the activities of program participants. Regularly moves about or positions self to supervise and interact with participants at their level. Occasionally lifts, transports, positions, push/pulls or moves up to 50 pounds. Must be sufficiently mobile and possess a range of motion to perform repetitive standing, walking, balancing, stooping, bending, crouching, crawling, sitting on the floor, reaching, squatting, kneeling, and twisting. Ability to react quickly to the physical actions of program participant. Requires the ability to apply CPR and First Aid skills as needed and respond to emergency situations. Administrative and supervisory activities will require ability to operate keyboard-driven equipment. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Sufficiently mobile to attend meetings at various locations and make presentations to county staff and community. All duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:Panel Interview and may include a practical exercise.
Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including ) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.
#LI-JT1
Merit Positions
Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees' Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click for a summary of our benefits.
NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:
For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions

1. Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.
   • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
   • Flexible Spending Program
   • Deferred Compensation
2. Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
   • No benefits

01
What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate degree

02
If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

03
Please indicate all major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.

• Human development
• Social work
• Early childhood education
• Recreation
• Human services
• Other (related field)
• Other (non-related field)
• Not applicable

04
If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
05
How many years of full-time equivalent child-related programmatic experience or human services *related experience do you possess?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

06
How many years of full-time equivalent staff supervisory experience do you have related to childcare?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

07
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with school-age children?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

08
Please indicate the age group categories you have professional experience with working. Check all that apply.

• Infant (Birth to 15 months)
• Toddler (12 to 36 months)
• Preschool (30 to 60 months; or 2.5 to 5 years)
• School age (6 to 12 years)
• Teens (13 to 18 years)
• None of the above

09
How many years of full-time equivalent child-related programmatic experience in the group care of children with special needs do you have?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

10
Have you worked in a setting that provided services to children and youth with special ne