Program Instructor: Coding for Gaming, Tufts Pre-College Programs

Tufts University; Medford (MA); On-site; USD 141,732 - 176,767; Full time

Job summary

Tufts University – University College in Medford, MA, offers a 1-week Coding for Gaming program for rising high‑school students. The Program Instructor will teach June 22–26, 2026, with 9 am–5 pm days, plus planning time during spring.

Compensation is $3,500 for the summer session, including planning and program time. Applicants will develop curriculum, coordinate with the Program Lead, and ensure student safety and engagement during in-person sessions.

Qualifications

• Experience teaching high school or college students in coding or game design.
• Ability to adapt curriculum for varied skill levels.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Proficiency with coding languages (C#, JavaScript, Python) or similar.

Responsibilities

• Lead and instruct in-person class from June 22–26, 2026.
• Develop curriculum, syllabus, and block schedule.
• Plan final project and coordinate with Program Lead.
• Identify guest speakers and hire instructional support.

Skills

Teaching

Communication

Organization

Project management

Customer service

Critical thinking

Attention to detail

Canvas

Education

STEM/Education background

Tools

Canvas

Microsoft Office

Job description

Tufts University – University College

Location: Medford, Massachusetts

Open Date: Oct 10, 2025

Salary Range: $3,500

Description

The Tufts University College Pre‑College team is currently seeking a Program Instructor for our 1‑week gaming program: Coding for Gaming, offered by Tufts’ University College to rising high‑school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduating seniors. “Coding for Gaming” is a fast‑paced, immersive summer program that introduces high‑school students to the core principles of game development, interactive storytelling, and coding through the lens of professional game design. Students will gain hands‑on experience designing, prototyping, and coding their own playable games. In just one week, students will explore the full game‑development pipeline—from concept to code—while learning about the collaborative roles of designers, developers, and storytellers in the gaming industry. The goal is for students to learn not just technical skills, but also creative problem‑solving, play‑testing, and game design. The instructor may design their own curriculum and path for this program.

Program Details

Time Commitment: Coding for Gaming will take place for 1 week (Monday, June 22 – Friday, June 26, 2026). The Program Instructor can expect to work an average of 2‑3 hours per week upon hire during the spring semester (expected to start late April) for pre‑program planning, with full‑time hours during the 1‑week June program.

• Program Planning: 2‑3 hours/week from April to June (flexible days/times).
• Program Dates: June 22‑26, 2025.
• Program Hours: Monday‑Friday 9 am‑5 pm with some preparation time before/after programming as needed.

Compensation

Total compensation for the Coding Academy Program Instructor position, inclusive of all planning and program time, is $3,500 (standard summer instructor rate).

Responsibilities

• Hiring/Payroll
  • Identify guest speakers, recruit and hire instructional support positions.
• Program Preparation
  • Place students into groups, set up Canvas, classroom sessions, and other resources as needed.
• Program Planning
  • Develop and refine the curriculum, syllabus, and block schedule.
  • Design summer program schedule, including field trips, opening and closing activities, in coordination with the Program Lead and Instructors.
• Operations
  • Lead and instruct a group of students in an in‑person instructional setting, maintaining high standards for behavior and safety from June 22 to June 26, 2026.
  • Attend all program events from June 22 to June 26, 2026.
  • Plan final project for students prior to program start with support of Program Lead.
  • Assist students who are struggling with course content and proactively support them as needed.
  • Serve as a positive adult role model with appropriate dress, speech, attitude, and courtesy.
  • Evaluate program daily and suggest improvements, needs, hazards and recurring trends to Program Lead for further evaluation.
  • Demonstrate reliability and punctuality by arriving on‑time for all scheduled activities.
  • Ensure student attendance is monitored during programming, reporting on attendance to guarantee that proper safety procedures are followed.
  • Submit final grades in a timely manner in accordance with Tufts University deadlines.
  • Other duties as needed.

Qualifications

Required:

• Must be able to instruct students of varying skill and experience levels in multiple programs based on interest and ability.
• Must demonstrate responsibility, a desire to help others, discretion, and flexibility.
• Ability to work with students of diverse ethnic backgrounds, academic profiles, and skill levels.
• Knowledge and ability to instruct students in coding languages (C#, JavaScript, Python, or other similar programming languages).
• Strong interpersonal, communication, organizational, and customer service skills (written and verbal).
• Adept critical thinking, process development, and operationalization. Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent project management skills, prioritization abilities and navigation of tight deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Passion for learning and education.

Preferred:

• Computer/Engineering/STEM/Education related majors or relevant experience.
• Experience teaching high‑school or undergraduate students in coding and/or game design.
• Familiarity with popular programming languages (Python, JavaScript, C++, C#, HTML/CSS).
• Game, web and/or app development experience using languages such as Swift and/or Blockly.

Application Instructions

Submit your resume and cover letter to be considered for this position. Please reach out to [e-mail] with a subject line of “Coding for Gaming Program Instructor” if you have any questions. Apply on Handshake.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Tufts University, founded in 1852, prioritizes quality teaching, highly competitive basic and applied research, and a commitment to active citizenship locally, regionally, and globally. Tufts University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. See the University’s Non‑Discrimination statement and policy at https://oeo.tufts.edu/policies‑procedures/non‑discrimination/. If you are an applicant with a disability who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, please contact us by calling the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at 617‑627‑3298 or at [e-mail]. Applicants can learn more about requesting reasonable accommodations at https://oeo.tufts.edu/.