Instructor (Green Construction, Building Electrification, HVAC, Solar PV)

Valid8 Financial, Inc.; Beech (OH); Hybrid; USD 103,320 - 137,760; Part time

Job summary

Valid8 Financial, Inc. is seeking an Instructor for its Workforce Training program. The position involves delivering courses in energy efficiency and green construction, with responsibilities including teaching hands-on courses, tracking student progress, and adapting to various schedules. Candidates should possess a strong background in the clean energy sector and industry-recognized certifications. The role offers a hybrid work model and focuses on promoting sustainability to diverse, underserved communities.

Qualifications

• 3+ years teaching or field experience in green construction.
• Strong background in clean energy sector.
• Interest in teaching sustainability concepts to underserved communities.

Responsibilities

• Deliver training programs on energy efficiency and building trades.
• Track and record classroom activities in Salesforce.
• Adapt to changing schedules as needed.

Skills

Teaching experience in green construction

Field experience in solar PV installation

HVAC maintenance and repair skills

Problem-solving ability

Strong verbal and written communication

Education

Industry-recognized certifications (BPI, GPRO, NABCEP, LEED)

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

Instructor (Workforce Training)

Type: Independent Contractor (Hybrid, NYC Based)

Salary: $75- $100 (per hour, based on experience)

Start: May 2026

About Solar One

Solar One is a 501c(3) organization that empowers communities in the New York City metro area to thrive in the face of the challenges brought on by climate change, and to embrace a world that is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.

Originally founded in 2004 to manage Stuyvesant Cove Park, a two-acre native plant park and a small environmental education center, Solar One has grown into an award-winning organization with a thriving array of programs. Solar One's mission is to design and deliver innovative education, training, and technical assistance that fosters sustainability and resiliency in diverse urban environments. Solar One empowers learning that changes the way people think about energy, sustainability, and resilience by engaging and educating a diverse set of stakeholders and beneficiaries.

Job Summary

Solar One’s Green Workforce program trains students in hard skills that align with the broader clean energy sector, including green construction, green building operations and maintenance, building electrification, HVAC, solar PV, and more. Solar One is seeking an Independent Contractor who will be responsible for delivering Solar One’s workforce development courses focused on energy efficiency, renewables, construction, and the building trades. Training is delivered in hands‑on, interactive formats in our classrooms and hands‑on training lab, as well as off‑site at partner locations throughout New York City and parts of New Jersey. The Instructor will report to the Manager of Green Workforce Training.

The Instructor will first learn and co‑teach with existing staff, and eventually lead workforce development programs for adults. Teaching is delivered in‑person while computer‑based work can be done at home or at our office space in Long Island City, Queens.

Primary Job Responsibilities

Deliver Solar One training programs to our workforce development clients. Programs include but are not limited to green construction (introductory carpentry, electrical and plumbing), green building operations and maintenance, solar PV installation, and HVAC maintenance and repair. There will be times that client‑facing responsibilities are expected of the Instructor, and they should be relied upon to positively represent Solar One in the field.

Being the primary instructor for off‑site programming, including but not limited to NYPA environmental workshops in the New York metro area and potentially across the State; New Jersey BPU community solar workforce development programs across New Jersey State; and off‑site fee‑for‑service programs at partner locations throughout New York City. It is also expected that this role will be willing to travel within both New York and New Jersey for additional future programs, if awarded.

Tracking and recording activities in the classroom, including attendance, grades, and qualitative student feedback in Salesforce.

The right candidate for this role will be willing and able to adapt to a changing schedule, which may include an unplanned need for a substitute instructor at an existing program.

Qualifications and Skills

• At least three or more years of field and/or teaching experience in two or more of the following areas: green construction (introductory carpentry, electrical and plumbing), green building operations and maintenance, solar PV installation, or HVAC maintenance and repair.
• The ability to learn new curriculum and material in a primarily independent environment. This includes ongoing research in the subject matter areas listed above, with a willingness to further educate themselves about technological and sector updates.
• Strong background and content knowledge in the broader clean energy sector (in the field, as an educator, or both), with at least eight years or more or experience in two or more of the following areas: construction basics (carpentry, electrical and plumbing); energy‑efficiency building maintenance (HVAC and boiler experience highly desirable); multifamily residential and commercial energy auditing; electrical retrofitting.
• A strong aptitude to continually learn new material and curriculum, with a willingness to independently upskill to remain fluent in current technological trends and training methodology.
• Industry‑recognized certifications extremely desirable, such as BPI, GPRO, NABCEP, LEED, or related.
• Interest and passion in teaching about sustainability, energy efficiency, and renewable technologies to underserved communities historically marginalized by climate‑change effects.
• Ability to work independently and problem‑solve in an unsupervised setting. Think on the feet, use quality judgement, and make informed decisions.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Suite products. Ability to learn how to use Salesforce for tracking student data.
• Verbal communication, strong writing skills, project and time management, attention to detail, adaptability.
• Demonstrated success in communicating with internal and external stakeholders to build and maintain strong partnerships; must be a team player who works well in a collaborative environment.

Solar One is an equal‑opportunity employer. Solar One strives to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of renewable energy and resilience and people in a rapidly changing world. Solar One recruits and employs through a lens of equity and encourages people of all races, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law to apply.