Cell Biology – Academic Director or Associate Academic Director

Reporting to:
Senior Director of Academic Affairs

Schedule:

Temporary full-time (6 weeks in June/July/August)

Location:

Varies by program and host campus availability, with housing provided

Travel Required:

• SSPI's required faculty training weekend for senior Summer Science Program faculty will be held April 23-25, 2027, 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 for 6 weeks during Summer 2027 (June/July/August).
  • On-campus housing accommodations are provided by our campus partners. SSPI must comply with all housing policies, and some institutions restrict who may reside in or access these accommodations. Requiring housing accommodations outside of those permitted on campus may have reduced placement options and may affect hiring outcomes.
  • Alternative accommodation requests for off-campus housing for non-local faculty are approved in limited circumstances, must be disclosed and approved during the hiring process, 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.

Salary range:
Starting salaries for 2026 were $21,000 for Academic Directors (ADs) and $17,000 for Associate Academic Directors (AADs) and may be subject to budgetary increases for 2027.

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. Program 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 5,000+ alumni of all ages.

More information can be found .org .
The senior teaching faculty (AD and AAD roles) will work with the program’s four teaching and residential mentors (TARMs) on the academic side of the Summer Science Program experience. SSPI provides lecture materials, lab guides/slides, lab protocols, and overall program schedules for academic directors to optimize and customize to match their style and specific campus needs. ADs 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.

All 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.

The 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. AADs may also have an assigned focus that could include leading lab/research preparations and/or grading/feedback.

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, AAD(s), and participants. The AD is responsible for…