About the Lab

Desk Job is a design lab and community space in Industry City committed to making prototyping and learning to build accessible and fun for everybody.

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Our Mission

  • Learn by doing

    We believe the best way to learn is hands-on, so every workshop is project-based and designed to send you home with something real you built.

  • Make design fun

    At Desk Job, design is meant to be playful. Each workshop encourages experimentation, mistakes, and joy so the process is as fun as the outcome.

  • All are welcome

    Creativity thrives in community, which is why our workshops stay open to everyone—no experience required, just curiosity and a willingness to try.
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Meet the Team

Founder & TEACHER

Ari Zade

Ari is a self-taught engineer, designer, and prototyper whose work spans building data platforms for the US Census, AI tooling at Apple, mobile apps at SF startups like Samsara and Eaze, and creative physical fabrication projects like a fried egg table with a yolk lamp.

Operations & Curriculum

Sylvia Gentile

Sylvia leads operations and curriculum at Desk Job Design Lab, focusing on youth programs that build curiosity and confidence. A former school administrator and special education teacher, she brings over two decades of experience making STEM learning accessible, creative, and fun.

ENGINEERING CONSULTANT

Alexandra Israel

Alexandra is a structural engineer at TYLin with experience in research, design, and large-scale infrastructure. She brings technical expertise and creativity to Desk Job Design Lab, helping students explore how curiosity and persistence shape the built world.