College Instructor Job Description

A secondary school teacher delivers a curriculum written elsewhere, while a college instructor owns the learning goals and course design for each cohort of students enrolled and answers for what they learn. Groups stay small, with 20 to 25 scholars in a college preparatory class and up to 30 students in a summer transition program. Many of those students are first-generation or low-income and are meeting college expectations for the first time, whether online or during a residential week. Retention is the benchmark.

You will own the learning experience of a college-preparatory or transition cohort, serving as the College Instructor who turns program goals into measurable gains in student readiness. Program directors and start-up teams set the framework, and the instructor answers to them for outcomes, working alongside co-instructors and outside partners on a shared curriculum.

Career Impact: Running a summer college transition cohort adds a documented record in first-year work with underrepresented students.

Business Impact: Individual support from the instructor moves student satisfaction ratings and keeps more enrolled students in the program.

Growth Opportunity: Adding a master's degree or professional license, both named as advantages, moves instructors toward curriculum development and program director roles.

Company Value: Instructors can work part-time during the planning phase and full-time for 8 to 10 weeks in summer.

• Lead whole-group and small-group sessions built around workshop materials, tailoring instruction to individual learning differences within each class.
• Design curriculum, learning goals, and cross-disciplinary projects that reinforce core academic competencies, including writing, public deliberation, and data analysis.
• Monitor student engagement and homework in class, documenting progress to identify learners who need additional support.
• Deliver targeted intervention to struggling students in a specific content area through one-on-one office hours and small-group support.
• Check understanding throughout each lesson by reinforcing learning goals and expectations, adjusting practice as students take on more responsibility.
• Coordinate with program staff and directors on student progress, academic concerns, and discipline issues through regular notes and progress reports.
• Review emerging instructional approaches and educational technology to improve learning outcomes, applying proven methods to lesson planning and delivery.
• Assess student outcomes with the program team and apply the findings to future course design.

• Bachelor's degree in the subject area taught or a closely related field such as liberal arts.
• 1 or more years of college or secondary teaching experience, with demonstrated command of teaching methodologies and strategies.
• Proficiency in delivering student-centered instruction to individuals and small groups across varied learning needs and abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for working with students, colleagues, program staff, and directors.
• Subject-matter expertise in the discipline taught, such as humanities, STEM, or computer science.
• Ability to design curriculum and learning goals that promote critical thinking, collaboration, and self-reflection among students.
• Ability to monitor student engagement, assess learning, and deliver intervention support to struggling students.
• Commitment to working with diverse student populations, including students of color, low-income students, and first-generation college students.

• Master's or other advanced degree in a related field, held alongside a professional license.
• Experience with educational technology and online classroom management that improves learning outcomes for remote and in-person students.
• Knowledge of best practices for first-year college transitions among underrepresented students, including residential and co-curricular programming.
• Proficiency in a language other than English, such as Filipino, for teaching multilingual student groups.

• Student retention rate, in percent, reflecting how many enrolled students stay through course completion.
• Student satisfaction rating, as a survey score, showing how learners rate the instruction.
• Percentage of struggling students reaching target scores after intervention, showing whether extra support works.
• Homework completion rate, in percent, showing how consistently students engage between sessions.
• Days to report academic concerns to program staff, reflecting how quickly issues are escalated.

• Base Salary Range: $55,000 to $80,000 per year for full-time roles, with adjuncts often paid per course
• Bonus: Uncommon, though stipends for summer sessions or program work are occasionally offered
• Equity: Not typically offered in education roles
• Health Benefits: Employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision coverage for full-time staff, with shared premiums
• PTO: 10 to 15 paid days plus academic calendar breaks
• Common Perks: Tuition remission, retirement plan matching, and professional development funding

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States, and employment is contingent on a satisfactory background check. Qualified individuals with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act at any point in the hiring process. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status, as protected under federal, state, and local law.

The College Instructor delivers remote instruction to groups of 20 to 25 scholars in the 10th or 11th grade, leading small group discussions and monitoring homework to keep learners on track. Reporting to program staff, the College Instructor keeps open lines of communication about academic and discipline issues, so the college preparatory program can see how each scholar is progressing.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitate synchronous whole-group and/or half-group sessions with guest presenters and scholars on college preparatory topics.
• Lead small group discussions and curricular activities based on workshop materials.
• Monitor, document, and assess scholars' in-class engagement and homework to assess learning and provide interventions to struggling scholars.
• Ensure scholars are fully and consistently engaged during class time.
• Deliver interventional support to scholars in specific content areas both 1:1 office hours and in a small-group setting.
• Maintain open lines of communication with staff about academic and discipline issues through various mediums, including phone calls, notes, progress reports, etc.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Liberal Arts field.
• 2 or more years of experience providing college advising.
• Experience or background with diverse populations.
• Experience with middle and high school scholars.
• Excellent administrative skills and proficiency in online classroom management.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.

Reporting to the school, the College Instructor leads computer science instruction that addresses individual learning differences and uses guided practice to shift responsibility to students. Partnering with peers through seminars and peer coaching, the College Instructor keeps the target student retention rate on course through high student satisfaction ratings.

Primary Duties

• Ensure high quality of education through learning innovation and scientific research.
• Keep the target student retention rate through high student satisfaction ratings.
• Promote student learning by addressing individual learning differences.
• Use instructional technologies to enhance student learning.
• Communicate with the students to check for understanding through reinforcing learning goals and expectations throughout the lesson.
• Maximize instructional learning time by working with students individually or in groups.
• Provide guided practice that will eventually be shifted to students' responsibility.
• Obtain professional license and/or enrol in continuing professional studies.
• Use all learning resources to attain outstanding student performance.
• Maintain load quality that optimizes teaching and student performance.
• Ensure that the subject taught is aligned with a college education.
• Review and recommend new technologies that will be useful in the delivery of the learning process.
• Continue the learning process through attendance in seminars and training and re-echo this back to the school for peer coaching.

Skills & Qualifications

• Degree in Information Technology or any Computer Science-related courses; a Master's degree is a distinct advantage.
• 1 or more years of in-depth experience in both teaching methodologies and teaching strategies.
• Experience teaching current and relevant Programming Languages as well as other Computer Science-related courses such as Networking, Database Management, and the like.
• Extensive knowledge of the subject to be taught.
• Ability to be assertive and accommodating in class.
• Excellent command of both the English and Filipino languages (both written and verbal).

Embedded within the college transition program team, the College Instructor shapes cross-disciplinary projects and learning goals that strengthen writing, public deliberation, and data analysis for up to 30 students in a summer pilot. Working closely with the Program Director and the start-up team, the College Instructor assesses outcomes and folds what is learned into future program designs, so future versions of the program reflect what worked.

Core Functions

• Agree on learning goals, curriculum design, and cross-disciplinary projects that incorporate culturally responsive teaching practices and promote critical thinking, collaborative learning, self-reflection, etc.
• Work in collaboration with the Program Director, Instructors, and outside thought partners to research, identify, and integrate innovative and effective approaches that result in deeper learning.
• Reinforce core academic competencies with a focus on writing, public deliberation, data analysis, time management, self-advocacy, etc.
• Work closely with the College Transition Program team to develop and implement systems, programming, and community culture as an integrated experience with the academic components.
• Work with the Program Director and start-up team to assess outcomes and incorporate learnings into future program designs.
• Assist with orienting and supporting student and family participants.
• Provide support with off-campus trips and co-curricular activities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in a related field preferred.
• 5 to 10 years in teaching and/or curriculum development at the college or secondary school level.
• Experience in humanities and/or STEM required.
• Experience and commitment to working with diverse populations, including students of color, low-income and first-generation college students.
• Experience with or knowledge of best practices related to first-year transitions to college for underrepresented students.
• Experience with educational technology that improves learning outcomes is a plus.
• Experience in the private sector in a related field is a plus.
• Expertise in developing student-centered, hands-on academic programming, such as experiential, project-based, interdisciplinary learning.
• Committed to lifelong learning and intellectual curiosity.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills.
• Comfort with ambiguity, a positive outlook, sense of humor, and a highly adaptive approach.
• Proficiency in language/s other than English is highly desirable.