Junior Faculty, BEAM Summer

Overview

The mission of BEAM is to create pathways for students from low-income and underserved communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. BEAM provides continuous support from middle school through college graduation, with summer programs, weekend classes, mentoring, and STEM-focused support through college. The program helps students access advanced math, apply to opportunities, including college admissions and financial aid, and to build a supportive community to enable future success.

BEAM has grown from a small summer program to a year-round, national program serving 420+ students at six summer sites and 600+ students in year-round programming in New York City and Los Angeles. Our BEAM National pilot reaches over 500 elementary-aged students in seven states, modeling a nationwide pathway based on our local work.

With our strategic plan, our team aims to transform BEAM into a more mature and scalable organization that can drive change across the country.

Junior Faculty design and teach their own courses in one of BEAM’s signature course areas.

• Pure Topics – Abstract mathematics, such as:
  • Graph Theory
  • Number Theory
  • Symmetry and Tessellations

Students explore reasoning, proofs, and the fundamental structure of mathematical ideas.

• Applied Topics – Math connected to real-world contexts, including:
  • Programming
  • Voting Theory
  • Biology or Data

Students see how mathematical thinking shapes the world around them.

• Strategic Math Thinking – Students build flexible problem-solving strategies through contest-style puzzles, developing casework, pattern recognition, and creativity.

• Solving Big Problems – Students collaborate on deep, challenging problems to strengthen stamina, pattern seeking, and introductory proof structures. (
  
  Note:
  
  This is the only semi-scripted course with specific required problems.)

We seek early-career educators and graduate students in mathematics, science, or education who love working with middle schoolers and want to develop their teaching practice in a supportive, hands-on summer program.

Junior Faculty design and teach their own courses with mentorship from Senior Faculty and coaching from BEAM staff. You will be part of a collaborative academic team and a vibrant residential community.

• Design and teach student-centered math courses; work with a Senior Faculty mentor to plan and refine your course; prepare lesson plans and materials; adapt lessons to student needs, promote inquiry and productive struggle; incorporate support for multilingual learners.
• Establish and maintain norms for inquiry and participation; use calm, restorative redirection; partner with TAs to support engagement, behavior management and transitions.
• Meet regularly with your Senior Faculty mentor for support and reflection; participate in coaching cycles (observations, debriefs); collaborate with TAs, Academic Director, and peer faculty during planning.

• Build strong relationships with students; notice and communicate academic or social-emotional concerns using BEAM protocols; work with leadership to support student well-being.

• Support evening activities (free time, independent study, relays) at least five days a week; eat meals with students and colleagues; participate in assigned field trips (hiking, amusement parks); attend staff meetings 2-3 times weekly; provide emergency coverage for supervising students as needed.

• Attend all pre-camp training and complete onboarding requirements; use BEAM communication tools; participate in end-of-camp wrap-up, feedback, and documentation.

• Curriculum Design Potential: Ideas for student-centered activities where middle schoolers explore, question, and justify reasoning. Excitement to design lessons with mentorship.
• Classroom Leadership
  
  Experience:
  
  At least one year of experience leading a classroom or learning environment (e.g., school, enrichment program, math circle, tutoring, undergraduate instruction).
• Preferred Experience: Worked with middle school and/or high school students.
• Commitment to…