Faculty, BEAM Summer Away

About BEAM

The mission of BEAM is to create pathways for students from low-income and underserved communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. Led by staff with these same technical backgrounds, BEAM believes that pathways to STEM careers are created through community, individual support, and access to advanced work that typically lies outside most school curricula. We work to directly support students and to transition them to other supportive enrichment programs that enable their future success.

BEAM's model provides continuous support from middle school through college graduation, including intense academic summer programs for middle school students (after 6th and 7th grade), weekend classes and mentoring, and STEM-focused support through college. Our program includes not just access to learning advanced math but also support finding and applying to other opportunities, including support with college admissions and financial aid. In addition to our academic content, bringing students into community is a key part of our mission and all of our work is designed to support that goal.

BEAM has grown from a small summer program serving 17 students in the summer of 2011 to a year-round, national program, serving 420+ students at six summer program sites and 600+ students in year-round programming in New York City and Los Angeles this school year. In addition, our BEAM National pilot program now reaches over 500 elementary-aged students in seven different states, working to create a new nationwide pathway modeled on our local work.

With our strategic plan, our team has committed to transforming the organization from a successful startup to a more mature and scalable organization that can drive change across the country.

 

BEAM Summer Away Faculty

BEAM Summer Away is a cornerstone of BEAM’s 10-year Pathway Program, providing a residential math experience where students grow as problem solvers, learners, and community members.

As a faculty member, you will help students discover powerful mathematical ideas, build confidence, and see themselves as mathematicians.

Learn more about our 10-year program.

 

What Our Classrooms Look Like

Our classrooms are student-centered, lively, and discussion-rich. Students explore patterns, debate conjectures, justify their reasoning, and collaborate on open-ended problems. Teachers guide thinking through purposeful questions, models, and structures that promote productive struggle. We affirm students’ strengths and identities and help them grow as confident, capable problem solvers.

About the Courses You Will Teach

Faculty teach courses in one of BEAM’s four signature areas:

• Pure Topics: Abstract ideas such as graph theory, combinatorics, number theory, tessellations, and symmetry. Focus is on reasoning, proofs, and stretching mathematical imagination.
• Applied Topics: Connect math to the real world through circuits, programming, data, voting theory, or modeling. Show students how math explains and solves practical challenges.
• Strategic Math Thinking: Contest-style puzzling that builds creative problem-solving techniques, pattern recognition, and systematic reasoning.
• Solving Big Problems: Deep, collaborative problem sets that build endurance, pattern hunting, case analysis, and introductory proof structures. (This is BEAM’s only semi-scripted course.)

 

About the Role

We are looking for math and STEM educators who love working with middle schoolers and are excited to join a residential community. This role encompasses teaching, community engagement, and partnership with counselors and site leadership. Faculty design and teach their own courses, participate fully in camp life, collaborate with academic coaches, and help maintain a supportive, structured environment.

 

Core Responsibilities (You Will…)

Instruction and Curriculum Design

• Design engaging, student-centered math courses aligned to BEAM Summer Away offerings.
• Prepare daily lesson plans, problem solutions, and materials in advance.
• Adapt instruction for the specific learners in your classroom.
• Incorporate practices that support multilingual learners using visuals, structured reasoning, and language-accessible explanations.
• Maintain pacing expectations and collaborate with coaches when adjustments are needed.

Classroom Leadership

• Establish and maintain classroom norms and routines that promote student inquiry, persistence, and collaboration.
• Use restorative, respectful redirection aligned with BEAM’s behavior expectations.
• Partner with TAs during class for student support, behavior management, and transitions.
• Apply the BEAM behavior escalation process and involve leadership when needed.

Collaboration and Coaching

• Participate in coaching cycles including observations, debrief meetings, and implementing feedback.
• Attend academic collaboration sessions to align on pacing, goals, and instructional priorities.
• Work closely with TAs, Academic Director, and faculty peers to create a coherent and supportive learning environment.

Student Support

• Identify academic or social-emotional concerns and communicate them to the appropriate leadership team member following documentation protocols.
• Build positive relationships with students through classroom interactions, meals, activities, and trips.

Community and Camp Life

• Support evening free time, independent study, relays, and other activities at least 5 days per week.
• Attend meals with students to foster community.
• Attend assigned field trips such as hiking, field day, or regional excursions.
• Participate in 2 to 3 weekly staff meetings for PD, alignment, and community building.
• Provide emergency coverage for supervising students as needed.

Training, Wrap Up, and Communication

• Attend all pre-camp training sessions and complete required pre-work.
• Participate in camp wrap-up sessions including feedback surveys, reflection activities, and documentation.
• Use BEAM communication tools such as radios, shared drives, and schedules.

What You Bring (You Have…)

• Course Design Experience: Experience designing inquiry-based lessons where students take the lead in exploring and justifying mathematical ideas.
• Preferred Experience: Worked with middle school and/or high school students.
• Classroom Leadership Experience: At least 3 years as a primary instructor in schools, enrichment programs, colleges, math circles, or similar settings.
• A Commitment to Equity: You create affirming, rigorous classrooms where all students, including multilingual and historically marginalized learners, can grow as mathematicians.
• STEM or Mathematical Expertise: A strong understanding of mathematical reasoning, proofs (for pure classes), or applied mathematical contexts (for applied classes).
• Growth Mindset and Collaboration Skills: Openness to feedback and enthusiasm for working with a diverse team of educators.
• Clear, Compassionate Communication: Ability to communicate expectations, redirect calmly, and collaborate effectively with counselors, faculty peers, and camp leadership.

Requirements

• Authorized to work for any employer in the US.
• International graduate students with CPT or OPT are welcome to apply.

Exceptional candidates will have:

• Experience teaching enrichment math or science.
• Experience working with low-income or historically marginalized students.
• Experience supporting multilingual learners or students with diverse needs.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a seasonal employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this role:

• Frequent sitting, talking and listening and occasional walking, bending, stooping, and pulling.
• Ability to handle and operate computers, tools or controls.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Moderate noise level.
• Work in an indoor classroom environment that may not have air conditioning in the summer.
• For residential roles: live in a dormitory at the campus in which the program takes place.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• All-Inclusive Stay: Room and board is covered by BEAM for the duration of the summer program.
• Travel Covered: Travel from and to the camp site is covered by BEAM within BEAM’s approved travel guidelines.
• Small Class Sizes: Enjoy small classes with 10–15 students and 2 adults.
• Deep Connections: The camp setting allows you to truly get to know the extraordinary people that students are.
• Support & Growth: Professional development is provided before camp to set you up for success.
• Curriculum Freedom: The opportunity to teach exciting math to middle school students, with the freedom to design your own curriculum, set the arc and goals for your class, and explore student ideas deeply as they arise.
• Collaborative Team: A collaborative, supportive team of educators and staff, bringing together diverse backgrounds—academia, middle school, high school, and more—to create an environment where everyone learns and grows together.

Locations

• BSA CA: Harvey Mudd College
• BSA NY: Marist College 

Program Dates (2026)

Program	All Staff Pre-camp Training	Camp	Wrap-up
BSA CA	June 24 – 27 (Arrive by 3 pm on travel day)	June 28 – July 19	July 20 – 22
BSA NY	July 1 – 4 (Arrive by 3pm on travel day)	July 5 – 26	July 27 – 29

 

Compensation

$6,500 for the duration of the program.

Application Process

1. First Round Interview
2. Project 
3. Final Interview 
4. Reference checks & offer!

For more information and to apply, please contact us at Bruce@beammath.org.

 

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Beyond a commitment to nondiscrimination, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 

BEAM is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of an individual’s race (including traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protected hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), ethnicity, religion (including clothing or facial hair worn in accordance with the religious tenets), color, sex, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, breastfeeding, gender (including actual or perceived sex, gender identity, and gender expression including a person’s actual or perceived gender-related self-image, appearance, behavior, expression, or other gender-related characteristic, regardless of the sex assigned to that person at birth), sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health decisions, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, status as a veteran, active military service member, or uniform service member, marital or partnership status, familial status, caregiver status, age (18 or older), predisposing genetic characteristics, disability, creed, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, unemployment status, salary history, credit history, an individual’s status as having a known relationship or association with a member or members of a protected category, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination. 

All personnel decisions will be made in accordance with the principles of equal employment opportunity and subject only to valid (job-related) requirements for employment, benefits, or promotional opportunities.