High School Head VEX Robotics Coach

Applitrack; Ladue (MO); On-site; USD 62,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ladue School District seeks a High School Head VEX Robotics Coach at Ladue Horton Watkins High School to lead a student-run robotics program, manage resources, and coordinate competition calendars.

This year-round stipend role emphasizes mentorship, safety training, budgeting, sponsorships, travel logistics, and collaboration with other coaches to provide a robust STEM experience.

Reports to Athletic/Activities Coordinator; requires background checks and district compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience working with high school youth in a structured STEM, competitive robotics, or project-management capacity.
• Proven ability to manage complex, overlapping schedules, large groups of students, and multi-layered budgets.
• Ability to clear district background checks, youth protection training, and safety certifications.

Responsibilities

• Schedule Coordination: Manage complex competition calendars and build seasons.
• Volunteer Coordination: Onboard volunteers and mentors with background checks.
• Resource & Space Allocation: Oversee shared workshop space and tools.
• Program Compliance: Maintain registrations and coach certifications.
• Platform Mentorship: Mentor students on robotics platforms, hardware integration, and programming.
• Tool & Shop Safety: Enforce safety protocols in the workshop.
• Leadership Structure: Design a student leadership matrix for daily ops.
• Peer Mentorship: Foster a culture of peer guidance for sustainability.
• Career Pathways: Guide students to STEM scholarships and internships.
• Budgeting: Manage school funds, sponsorships, and grants.
• Procurement: Oversee inventory and vendor relations.
• Event & Travel Logistics: Coordinate travel and permissions for events.
• Collaboration: Coordinate with other coaches on shared space.

Skills

Program coordination

Leadership

Mentorship

Safety compliance

Budgeting

Tools

VEX robotics platform

FIRST robotics platforms

Job description

• Position Type: Athletics/Activities/ Coaching
• Date Posted: 9/28/2026
• Location: Ladue Horton Watkins High School
• Date Available: As soon as possible

High School Head VEX Robotics Coach

Provides strategic and technical leadership for a comprehensive competitive robotics program. This role manages laboratory resources, navigates complex competition calendars, and empowers student leaders to operate the program as a cohesive, student-run engineering enterprise.

• Reports To: Athletic/Activities Coordinator
• Position Type: Year-round stipend with peak commitment during competition seasons.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program & Calendar Management

• Schedule Coordination: Manage complex competition calendars. Balance iterative tournament schedules with high-intensity build seasons.
• Volunteer Coordination: Oversee the onboarding of adult volunteers and mentors, ensuring compliance with district policies and background checks.
• Resource & Space Allocation: Oversee the logistics of a shared workshop space, ensuring equitable access to tools, field perimeters, testing spaces, and storage.
• Program Compliance: Maintain active registrations, competition requirements, and coach certifications across multiple robotics organizations.

2. Technical Mentorship

• Platform Mentorship: Mentor students on industry-standard robotics platforms, focusing on structural design, hardware integration, and programming languages.
• Tool & Shop Safety: Enforce rigorous safety protocols for a diverse workshop environment, ranging from basic hand tools to specialized shop equipment.
• Leadership Structure: Design a scalable student leadership matrix that enables students to manage daily operations and program logistics.
• Peer Mentorship: Foster a program culture where experienced students help mentor newer members to build long-term sustainability.
• Career Pathways: Actively guide students in leveraging their robotics experience for STEM scholarships, internships, and university engineering programs.

4. Finance, Sponsorship, & Logistics

• Budgeting: Manage budgets combining school funds, sponsorships, and grant allocations.
• Procurement: Oversee inventory and parts ordering, managing vendor relationships and maintaining efficient supply chains.
• Event & Travel Logistics: Coordinate travel, lodging, and district permissions for local and regional competition events.
• Collaboration: Coordinate and collaborate with other VEX/FIRST coaches regarding shared space and possible equipment.

Qualifications & Skills

Required

• Experience: Experience working with high school youth in a structured STEM, competitive robotics, or project-management capacity.
• Organization Skills: Proven ability to manage complex, overlapping schedules, large groups of students, and multi-layered budgets.
• Background Screening: Ability to clear all district background checks, youth protection training, and safety certifications.

Working Conditions

• High-energy, fast-paced workshop environment.
• Significant time commitment extending across both school semesters, including evenings and weekend tournaments.
• Ability to travel for competition events.

Compensation

The stipend range for this position is $5,539 - $6,926. The successful candidate will be placed on the range according to relevant education and experience.

The Ladue School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, socioeconomic status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs or activities. Inquiries related to district programs may be directed to Title IX coordinator, 9703 Conway Road, St. Louis MO 63124; telephone number 314-994-7080.