Job Description

Founded in 1786, Friends Seminary, the oldest continually operating coeducational, independent Quaker school in New York City, seeks applications for a dynamic and experienced Upper School Biology and Chemistry teacher beginning in Fall 2025.

The individual’s primary responsibilities will be to teach four sections of science and serve as an advisor to a small group of Upper School students. Qualified candidates should show evidence of using a hands-on laboratory approach. The Friends science program is a physics-first sequence that emphasizes student-centered pedagogy, with the goal to expand our inquiry-based curriculum, self-paced learning, and project-based learning components. The Science Department at Friends Seminary values teacher collaboration, thoughtful reflection of pedagogy, and innovative teaching practices.

Responsibilities

• Instruction: Develop and deliver engaging and rigorous lessons in biology and chemistry, aligning with the department’s curriculum and mission.
• Curriculum Development: Contribute to the development and implementation of innovative and challenging curricula that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Laboratory Instruction: Design and conduct safe and effective laboratory experiments to enhance student learning.
• Student Assessment: Create and administer assessments to measure student progress and provide timely feedback.
• Student Support: Provide individual and group support to students, including tutoring and academic advising.
• Professional Development: Participate in professional development opportunities to stay current with best practices in science education.
• School Community: Collaborate with colleagues, parents, and administrators to create a positive and supportive learning environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience teaching biology and chemistry at the high school level.
• Enthusiasm for working with Upper School students.
• Strong knowledge of Learning Standards (e.g. NGSS).
• Excellent classroom management skills and the ability to create a positive and engaging learning environment.
• Sense of humor and patient, flexible demeanor.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and consistently meet deadlines.
• Experience using educational technologies in a classroom environment.
• Experience collaborating with faculty and team-teaching.
• Experience creating innovative and structured lab activities.
• Commitment to professional development and staying current with best practices in science education.
• Dedicated to creating safe, respectful, and dynamic learning environments.
• Commitment to anti-bias and equity work; understands culturally responsive pedagogy and the social justice dimensions of education.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Chemistry, or a related field.
• Advanced degree (master’s or PhD) preferred.

Compensation

Annual salary range for 2025-2026 based on years of teaching experience and level of degrees earned: $82,000 - $164,000+

Benefits

Friends Seminary offers excellent benefits including paid time off, health, dental, vision, 403(b) with a School-paid match; wide-ranging opportunities for professional development, including tuition support and summer grants; and a talented and dedicated team of teaching colleagues and supportive administrators. Successful candidates will join a dynamic and forward-thinking teaching community of over 150 educators.

To apply, please submit the following:

1. Completed Friends Seminary employment application
2. Cover letter
3. Resume
4. Statement of educational philosophy
5. Example of lesson plan
6. Contact information for three personal references

When submitting your materials, kindly be sure to reference your first and last name, the position for which you are applying, and where you heard about the position in the subject line. i.e. [last name], [first name] - Bio/Chem Teacher - Upper School - Friends Seminary website . You will receive a confirmation email when you submit your application. No phone calls, please.

Submit all materials to: [email protected]

Friends Seminary actively promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its programs and operations, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, and all facets of the educational experience. To form a community which strives to reflect the world’s diversity, we do not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, economic background, physical ability, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Friends Seminary is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates of color and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. We urge all applicants to identify and express their individuality and the ways in which they might enrich and diversify the School community.

Moreover, all successful applicants, whether for a faculty or administrative staff post, must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in their professional lives. Applicants for a faculty position should highlight ways their curriculum, pedagogy, and classroom culture may advance these goals. Applicants for an administrative staff position should highlight ways they seek to promote these goals in their office work, programming, or operational endeavors.

About Friends Seminary

Friends Seminary educates students from Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade, adhering to the values of the Religious Society of Friends. We strive to build a diverse school where students exercise their curiosity and imagination as they develop as scholars, artists and athletes. In a community that cultivates the practices of keen observation, unhurried reflection, critical thinking, and coherent expression, we listen for the single voice as we seek unity. The disciplines of silence, study, and service provide the matrix for growth: silence opens us to change; study helps us to know the world; service challenges us to put our values into practice. At Friends Seminary, education is rooted in the Quaker belief in the Inner Light – that of God in every person. Guided by the testimonies of integrity, peace, equality, and simplicity, we prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be.

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