Department Chair, Secondary Science

Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay) is an accredited not-for-profit institution of higher education serving thousands of educators from across the country, from pre-service teachers to system-level leaders. Our mission is to ensure that all students are taught by excellent educators, in order to build a more just world where every student has a clear path to a fulfilling life.

The Teacher Preparation Instructional Team at Relay Graduate School of Education is dedicated to fostering pedagogical excellence and providing comprehensive student support for both pre-service and in-service teachers. The division oversees academic programs, faculty, and student support across all licensure- and degree-granting components. 

The Department Chair, Secondary Science is a key leader at Relay, responsible for driving high-quality, practice-based preparation of Secondary Science educators. Reporting to the Dean, Teacher Preparation, this role will ensure that all educators in the Secondary Science department are developing the knowledge, mindsets, and pedagogical skills to improve the academic, social-emotional, and student experience outcomes of their middle and high school students. The Department Chair, Secondary Science will collaborate with department chairs and faculty across content departments to provide critical input to Relay’s overall approach to teacher preparation and advance Relay’s mission of educational equity. 

The essential responsibilities of this position, while not limited to the following, will include: 

• Inform the vision and strategy for the Secondary Science department 
• Align department vision and curriculum with best practices and research in the field of Science education
• Lead collaborative design processes aligned to institutional and team priorities
• Contribute to accreditation and regulatory reporting by organizing program-level evidence, synthesizing data, and drafting supporting documentation under the direction of the Dean.
• Develop and implement strategies to create positive and supportive learning environments in all department courses and programs.
• Use data to inform continuous improvement of the program and courses

• Manage and develop Professor, Design, Secondary Science to ensure high-quality coursework design
• Manage adjunct faculty to ensure consistent and high-quality instruction and student support
• Provide coaching, professional development, and performance reviews to department faculty

• →Teach 2-3 courses (up to 6 credits) per term, delivering engaging and effective instruction to classes of up to 50 students in each course. 
• →Provide culturally responsive, inclusive, actionable, and timely feedback to students

• Serve the institution through committee, working group, and/or board membership.

Note: The percentages represent averages across an entire academic year. The actual time spent in each responsibility per term may fluctuate, as priorities shift in different windows of time. 

First and foremost, the Department Chair, Secondary Science must share the Relay community’s commitment to working together to improve student growth and achievement through phenomenal teacher preparation grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. This includes providing teacher preparation programs that set novice teachers up to succeed in the classroom from day one; leadership programs that train new and veteran school and district leaders to best serve their school communities; and teacher-facing professional education that provides ongoing learning to educators. Additionally, for this position we’re looking for candidates that possess a combination of the following skills:

• Minimum 5 years of classroom teaching experience in Secondary Science (Grades 7-12).
• Graduate degree (masters and/or doctorate) in a relevant educational field. 
• Knowledge of current research and best practices in Secondary Science.
• Experience teaching or coaching adult learners through collegiate courses or professional development.
• Evidence observing, coaching, and developing middle or secondary level teachers.
• Experience designing learning experiences for adult learners.
• Proven project management skills, including the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources.
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to build collegial relationships with diverse individuals and teams.
• Experience in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism initiatives, including a commitment to ongoing self-assessment and professional development.
• Availability to teach and/or observe faculty two nights a week and potentially one Saturday a month. 

• Experience with online teaching and/or curriculum design.
• Experience using or supporting teachers with implementing sensemaking in Science classrooms.
• Knowledge of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
• Evidence of or potential for, active involvement in national organizations in the field of education.

Relay prepares teachers and school leaders to teach students of all identities and backgrounds in order to push toward a time when this country no longer faces stark educational inequities. We recruit, develop, support, and retain a diverse staff, faculty, and graduate student body because we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and actively anti-racist institution. We know, and the data supports, that diversity, equity, and inclusion cultivate an environment in which people of all backgrounds can thrive and this is critical to achieving our mission of educational excellence and equity.

To fulfill that commitment, Relay encourages applicants of all backgrounds and identities to apply for roles that align with their own interests and career trajectory. If you meet a majority of the qualifications and see yourself in this role, we would love to see your application!

Employees must have a primary work location within the U.S., where they are legally authorized to work. Relay is a registered employer in the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington State and Washington DC. Please note that Relay Graduate School of Education's headquarters are in New York City. Employees who choose to perform work from states not listed here will be subject to NYC state withholdings.

Relay requires that all staff be fully vaccinated with an FDA or WHO authorized vaccine (or approved for an exemption as a reasonable accommodation due to a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief). Relay abides by each state’s requirements, and acknowledges those may change over time. If moved forward to the phone screen stage, you will have the chance to ask your recruiter more about this requirement