Description

Summary:

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. This summer, we are offering programs in astrophysics, bacterial genomics, biochemistry, cell biology, or synthetic chemistry. In each program offering, 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 AD and 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.

In addition, the AD is the academic program lead, complemented by the Site Director (SD) on the residential-life side, and shares responsibility with the SD in leading the supervision, mentoring, evaluation, and enculturation of the TARMs, AADs, and participants. The AD is responsible for making final decisions on academic and experimental decisions, including the academic schedule, under the guidance of SSPI staff. Additionally, the AD is responsible for supervising any pre- and post-program requirements such as laboratory or project setup and letters of recommendation. 

We are currently hiring for our academic teams which includes our academic directors (PhD-holding) and teaching assistants (typically college-age or recent graduates). We encourage you to share this posting widely. 

Salary range: 

Starting salaries for 2025 were $21,000 for Academic Directors (ADs) and $17,000 for Associate Academic Directors (AADs) and may be subject to budgetary increases for 2026. To serve as an AD, at least one year of AAD experience is typically required.

Travel Required:

• 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.
• Live on or adjacent to your assigned SSPI host campus (10+ locations across the US and Canada) 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.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

ADs and AADs:

• 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 Science Directors

ADs:

• Supervise, mentor, and enculturate the AADs and TARMs.
• With guidance from SSPI staff and fellow faculty, make final academic and experimental decisions.
• Coordinate the academic and teaching faculty schedules in collaboration with the SD for all non-academic events and relevant time constraints.
• Perform any pre- and post-program requirements such as laboratory or project setup, as feasible.
• Supervise the letter of recommendation request process to ensure participant requests are recognized and responded to in an appropriate manner.

Requirements

Education:

A PhD in a project-relevant discipline is required for all academic director positions. For examples, consult the relevant page below:

• Astrophysics - Academic Director or Associate Academic Director
• Bacterial Genomics - Academic Director or Associate Academic Director
• Biochemistry - Academic Director or Associate Academic Director
• Cell Biology - Academic Director or Associate Academic Director
• Synthetic Chemistry - Academic Director or Associate Academic Director

Skills and Abilities:

• Has worked as an instructor of record for one or more relevant courses at a college level and/or has extensive research experience in a relevant field. For examples, see the project-specific links above or on SSPI's Job Opportunities page.
• 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.