Position title: Associate Academic Director (AAD)
Schedule: Temporary full-time (6 weeks in
June/July/August)
Location: Varies by program and host campus availability, with housing provided
Position overview
SSP International, Inc. (SSPI) is an independent non-profit that offers
teens an exhilarating and inspiring immersion into hands-on experimental
science during its Summer Science Program. 8 faculty and 36 participants form a
supportive “living and learning community” over ~6 weeks (~5 for participants).
Each participant team completes an authentic research project, taking and
analyzing original data. Afterward, they join a worldwide network of 4,200+
alumni of all ages. More information can be found at www.ssp.org.
The Academic Director (AD) and Associate Academic Directors (AADs) work
with the four teaching and residential mentors (TARMs) on the academic side of
the Summer Science Program experience. SSPI provides lecture slides, lab
guides/slides, lab protocols, and overall program schedules for academic
directors to optimize and customize to match their style and specific campus
needs. The AD and AADs will oversee the academic and research portions of the
program while ensuring participants are supported as they enter the world of
research science. Academic faculty will also attend weekly faculty meetings and
contribute to the discussion of each participant’s academic and personal growth
and/or accomplishments. They are also responsible for monitoring and supporting
the social, emotional, and physical well-being of the program participants. In
cases of unsafe acts, behaviors, or conditions – all faculty have a
responsibility to report to the SD and SSPI staff as soon as possible. Outside
of the summer requirements, the AD and AADs have a shared responsibility to
complete letters of recommendation (when appropriate) for participants’ college
applications.
Each AAD’s primary duties are to share the responsibilities of 1)
mentoring participants and TARMs, 2) leading lecture and laboratory sessions,
3) preparing the laboratory or research spaces (during startup week and for
each lab), and 4) bringing their expertise to the AD to support them in making
research and curricular decisions.
Travel Required
Live on or adjacent to your assigned
SSPI host campus for 6 weeks during Summer 2026 (June/July/August). On-campus
accommodations are provided. Special requests for off-campus housing for
non-local faculty must be made and approved in advance and will only be
reimbursed up to the cost of on-campus housing. SSPI will also cover domestic
travel to and from campus in addition to meals in accordance with policy.
SSPI's required faculty training
weekend for senior Summer Science Program faculty will be held April 17-19,
2026, in Denver, Colorado. SSPI will cover domestic travel to and
from the meeting with the hotel stay and meals being provided or reimbursed in
accordance with policy.
Salary range: The starting salary for 2025
Associate Academic Directors was $17,000 and may be subject to budgetary
increases for 2026.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Live
on or near campus for 6 weeks, eat most meals with participants each day
of the program, and participate in occasional field trips and social
activities.
- Work
in a close-knit, flexible, and adaptable team that includes the AD, SD,
AADs, four TARMs, and any technicians hired by SSPI.
- Teach
junior/senior university-level topics relevant to the research project to
a group of 36 high-potential high school students in a fast-paced
university environment.
- Present
background material required for the research projects using lecture
outlines, problem sets, laboratory procedures, and other resources
provided by SSPI as a starting point. These will be split ~evenly between
the three senior teaching faculty.
- Attend
after-dinner ‘participant study hours’ 1-2 nights per week (as needed).
- Ensure
the research project is successful by troubleshooting equipment, adjusting
protocols as needed, and preparing materials for lab sessions (aliquoting,
sterilization, etc.)
- Monitor
the emotional, mental, social, and physical health and wellbeing of
participants, reporting and responding to concerns in collaboration with
other Program faculty and SSPI staff.
- Report
any unsafe acts, behaviors, or conditions, as well as any instances that
might risk serious injury or harm to participants or faculty, to fellow
faculty and SSPI staff as soon as possible.
- While
responsibilities are split between the three senior academic faculty, SSPI
estimates that faculty will be actively engaged with participants and/or
other faculty for the majority of the week, including evenings and
weekends. This does not include preparation time.
- Consistently
operate within, and be measured with respect to, SSPI’s Mission and the
SSP Honor Code. This includes supporting a positive work environment with
respect and consideration for team members and working toward resolving
conflicts in a timely manner.
- Other
duties as assigned by SSPI’s VP of Academic Affairs or SSPI’s Director of
Astrophysics.
Education: ADs and AADs will
supervise students in observing near-Earth asteroids and using Python code and
orbital mechanics equations to determine the asteroid’s orbit given
measurements of its position. As such, a PhD in physics, astronomy,
astrophysics, planetary science, or a closely related field is required for
both positions. In 2026, priority will be given to those with formal or
informal Python teaching experience.
Skills and Abilities:
- Has worked as
an instructor of record for one or more of the following courses (or
similar) at a college level and/or has extensive research
experience in the following topic areas:
- Programming in
Python
- Calculus-based
physics
- Astronomy
- Celestial
mechanics
- Expert
interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills are required
- Intermediate
computer skills are required.
- Experience
with a suite of productivity apps (Microsoft Office preferred)
- Experience
with a course LMS (Canvas preferred)
- Supervision
of undergraduate research students, especially in the framework of a
Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE), is desirable.
- Experience
providing supportive and critical feedback on undergraduate
‘assignments’, particularly those focusing on academic writing, is
desirable
- Consider the access and equity issues that
historically underrepresented populations face in STEM fields as part of
reflective decision-making and when engaging in crucial conversations with
Summer Science Program community members.
- The
ability to remain composed and make sound decisions during times of
participant and faculty stress and provide mental and emotional support as
needed.
- Use
good judgment and critical thinking skills to make decisions that are in
the best interest of all parties, especially in high stress and rapid
response situations.
- Willingness
to work collaboratively and compromise with others to achieve program
goals.
Working Conditions: The working conditions
described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to
successfully perform the essential functions of this job:
·
In-person, immersive residential
program with routine, expected, and unexpected evening and weekend
responsibilities.
·
Live on or adjacent to campus, eat
most meals with participants each day of the program, attend evening work
sessions as instructed, and take on-call assignments (typically
evenings/nights) per schedule.
·
Attend weekly team meetings and
training; additional meetings may occur outside typical hours.
·
Navigate campus buildings and
learning/lab spaces throughout each day; participate and attend field trips and
community activities.
·
SSPI estimates that faculty will be actively engaged with
participants and/or other faculty for the majority of the week, including
evenings and weekends.
Physical
Job Requirements: Applicants should be able to perform the following
physical job requirements with or without reasonable accommodation:
·
May need to sit, stand, and walk and assume a variety of
positions (i.e. bending, kneeling, squatting, crawling, crouching, climbing,
carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching at or above shoulder level, and reaching
overhead).
·
Move from building to building on campus several times
every day.
·
May be required to lift or move up to 50 pounds.
·
May need to maintain near and far visual acuity.
·
Must be physically present at the assigned campus/location
throughout the program.
·
Must hear, understand, and distinguish speech or other
sounds.
Clearance
Requirements
- Authorization
to work in the United States
- Ability
to pass a background check and pre-employment screening
SSPI is
committed to increasing diversity among program participants as well as faculty
staff. Faculty candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences are
encouraged to apply.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification. SSPI values a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with all the qualifications, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other opportunities
