Brand Mascot: Ello the Elephant

At Ello, our mission is to maximize the potential of all children. Our first product is an AI-powered reading coach that listens and engages with children as they read out loud from books. Founded by a team of experts in education, childhood development, and artificial intelligence, Ello is scaling the impact of 1:1 teaching using AI, starting with learning how to read. Together, we believe we can close literacy and educational gaps around the world. 

About the role

Ello is seeking an energetic and charismatic performer to serve as our Brand Mascot, physically embodying the spirit of Ello at various community events while wearing a lifesize costume of Ello the Elephant. This role is critical in bringing joy and excitement to our events, engaging directly with children and families to promote reading this summer. The Ello Mascot will work closely with our Community Engagement Ambassadors to create a memorable presence at family-friendly events across the Washington, D.C. area.

Ello is a public benefit corporation, and our team is motivated by the mission of helping all children succeed. An ideal candidate will feel compelled by that mission and have a passionate desire to grow Ello’s footprint and help close the literacy gap in our nation’s capital. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform the part of Ello the Elephant at events across the D.C. area, engaging and entertaining children and families in a friendly and approachable manner

• Work closely with the Community Engagement team to coordinate event activities and interactions

• Help create a positive, lasting image of Ello through enthusiastic, energetic, and compassionate interactions with families

• Maintain the Ello costume and ensure it is in excellent condition for each event

Qualifications

• Ideal height is between 5'7" and 5'10" tall to fit the mascot costume comfortably

• Strong interpersonal skills and a friendly, open demeanor

• Ability to wear a mascot costume for extended periods and perform physical activities

• Previous experience as a mascot, actor, or performer is highly desirable

• Capable of working flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate event schedules

• Enthusiastic about interacting with children and contributing to a fun and educational environment

Here are some reasons to join us

• Be part of a mission-driven startup that cares deeply about education and child development 

• Have fun getting paid to perform at events and make children smile all over DC this summer!

‍About Ello

Ello is a public benefit corporation on a mission to maximize the potential of all children.

Our team has deep expertise in artificial intelligence, K-12 education, and child development across institutions such as Stanford, Berkeley, Google, Apple, and more. We were part of Y Combinator’s W20 batch and have recently closed a $15M series A led by Goodwater Capital, with major participation from Homebrew (returning investors), Reed Hastings, Common Sense Growth, and Ravensburger. This adds to existing funding led by Project A Ventures with additional investors including Reach Capital, Khosla Ventures, WndrCo, Visible Ventures, and K9 Ventures.

We’re a small, collaborative team that takes each other’s voices very seriously. Because our mission is to support all children, it is critical that our team is representative of the wider community; we place significant emphasis on ensuring diversity in our team and inclusion in our culture.

We want to create an environment in which we can all be our best selves, use our strengths to take Ello forward, and develop our own skills. We want to have fun while working hard to do impactful things that we’re proud of – and we believe it’s possible to do both.

At Ello, we view diversity as a moral imperative and a competitive advantage. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, skin color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We plan and structure our interviews to directly assess skills and experience. If you need any accommodations throughout the interview process, reach out to your recruiter.