Program Facilitator

The School of Public Health (SPH) at the University of Maryland College Park was first accredited as a School in 2010, building on a foundation established in the 1960s with the Department of Health Education. The department offers a B.S. in Community Health, an MPH, and a PhD in Behavioral and Community Health. Located near state and national capitals, the school provides unique opportunities for faculty and students to collaborate with government health agencies, non-profits, public policy organizations, and private corporations. Undergraduates benefit from semester-long full-time internships, both domestically and internationally.

About the Role

The University of Maryland School of Public Health seeks PROGRAM FACILITATORS for an evidence-based sexual assault prevention intervention led by Dr. Sarah Peitzmeier. This role contributes to the Peitzmeier lab’s mission to evaluate impactful interventions for sexual violence prevention, aiming to create a world without gender-based violence. Facilitators will deliver a feminist intervention, adapted from Flip the Script with EAAA, for online delivery to transgender and nonbinary undergraduate students (ages 18-25) at U.S. campuses. The original program reduced the 1-year incidence of rape and attempted rape by 50% among undergraduate women. This study aims to develop one of the first interventions to reduce sexual violence against trans students.

Facilitators will recruit and enroll students in the study and deliver a five-session, 15-hour interactive group intervention via Zoom, working with a co-facilitator and support facilitator. The ideal candidate is passionate about preventing violence against trans and nonbinary individuals, ending sexual violence, and increasing access to sex-positive, trans-inclusive sexual education.

Responsibilities

• Become trained to deliver the TEA3 program, including self-defense instruction.
• Learn the theoretical and empirical basis of sexual assault prevention and resistance education.
• Deliver the online program in five 3-hour sessions during evenings and weekends from the Peitzmeier Lab on campus, working with co-facilitators.
• Conduct informed consent screening interviews with prospective participants to enroll them in the research trial (scheduled at varied times, including weekdays, weeknights, and weekends).
• Organize equipment (e.g., computers, standing desks) and program materials, and set up/clean up for each session. (Accommodations available upon request.)
• Maintain strict confidentiality of participants' identities, comments, and interactions during all phases of research and programming.
• Remind participants of upcoming program sessions via email, text, or chat.
• Use a REDCap database to view evaluations and enter interview data (training provided).
• Communicate effectively with program facilitators, supervisors, and research team members.
• Participate in regular supervision meetings with peer facilitators and supervisors.
• Assist with other duties as required, such as in-person participant recruitment.

Requirements

• Lived or professional experience in trans communities.
• Bachelor’s degree received within the last 10 years (recent familiarity with undergraduate life required).
• Comfort engaging with difficult and sensitive topics, particularly sexuality and violence against transgender and nonbinary individuals, in a supportive team setting; ability to discuss these issues frankly and sensitively.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including comfort reading aloud clearly and with emotion.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Comfort and effectiveness in managing team conflict.
• Ability to work collaboratively in delivering the program and contributing to research.
• Good judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to "think on your feet" to address unexpected participant questions or technical issues during sessions.
• Familiarity with computer technology, video conferencing, apps, and software (e.g., Word, Excel); willingness to learn new applications (e.g., REDCap, SharePoint, GroupMe).
• Detail-oriented with the ability to follow complex protocols with fidelity.
• Commitment to valuing feedback for improvement and fostering a growth mindset.
• Flexible schedule and excellent time management skills, as hours vary weekly.
• Access to a computer and private space off-site for supervision video-conferencing and project-related duties.

Schedule

Part-time employment from June 22, 2026, to April 30, 2027, with up to 375 total hours at $29/hour. Hours typically range from 5 hours/week (non-facilitation weeks) to 24 hours/week (facilitation or training weeks). An intensive 3-week summer training (40 hrs/week) is required and included in the total hours.

• Mandatory in-person training in College Park, Maryland: August 3–21, 2026 (weekdays, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.).
• Evening and weekend hours in the Peitzmeier Lab on campus to practice and deliver the program with a co-facilitator (minimum 5 weekend afternoons and 5 weeknights per semester, primarily in October/November and February/March).
• Weekly 1-hour supervision meetings via Zoom (typically during business hours).
• Availability to facilitate programs during critical periods: September–November and January–April. Vacation must be arranged outside these windows.
• Commitment to work through April 30, 2027 (no mid-year retraining possible).
• Possibility of rehiring the following year if mutually desired.

Qualifications

• Previous work or experience with issues around gender-based violence, violence against transgender and nonbinary individuals, trans health, or community empowerment (preferred).
• Previous work or volunteer experience as a program facilitator or group moderator (preferred).

Pay

$29 per hour.