Science Teaching Assistant

Strive Charter School; New York (NY); On-site; USD 909,000 - 1,818,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

2 weeks winter/summer break

2 weeks vacation days

Sick/safety leave

Job summary

Strive Charter School is seeking energetic Science Teaching Assistants to support Lead Science Teachers in delivering the Living Science Curriculum during the school day. After-school and weekend hours may be available based on program needs.

The role includes helping prepare classrooms, supervising students, and guiding hands-on science activities across daily lessons and field investigations at places like the Bronx Zoo and community garden.

Qualifications

• Strong communication, teamwork, and classroom-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively with Lead Science Teacher and follow instructional plans.
• Willingness to participate in outdoor/field-based learning experiences.

Responsibilities

• Support Lead Science Teacher in delivering hands-on science lessons, laboratories, and investigations.
• Assist students with safe use of scientific tools and equipment.
• Prepare classrooms, stations, materials, and spaces before lessons.
• Supervise students during science classes and field experiences as assigned.
• Support students in completing field journals, data tables, and science records.
• Maintain a safe, organized, and inclusive science learning environment.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Organization

Classroom management

Dependable

Punctual

Flexible

Diversity-friendly

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Position Summary

Strive Charter School is seeking energetic, dependable, and student-centered Science Teaching Assistants to support Lead Science Teachers in implementing our Living Science Curriculum during the school day. Additional after-school and weekend hours may also be available based on program needs.

Location:

Strive Charter School

Employment Type:

Hourly

Schedule:

40-50 hours per week

Program Hours

Strive Charter School is open seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Employees will receive an assigned schedule based on program and staffing needs. Science Teaching Assistants should be prepared to support programming during the school day as well as assigned after-school, evening, or weekend activities when needed.

Essential Responsibilities

• Support the Lead Science Teacher in delivering engaging, hands-on science lessons, laboratories, demonstrations, engineering challenges, and investigations.
• Work with individual students and small groups to reinforce scientific observation, questioning, classification, measurement, data collection, modeling, and evidence-based thinking.
• Encourage students to observe and investigate before providing answers, using questions such as, "What do you notice?" and "What is your evidence?"
• Assist students with the safe and appropriate use of scientific tools, including magnifying glasses, binoculars, measuring tools, field journals, models, and other age-appropriate equipment.
• Prepare classrooms, science shelves, investigation stations, materials, specimens, equipment, student recording sheets, and activity spaces before lessons.
• Reset, clean, organize, and safely store science materials and equipment following investigations.
• Help maintain plants, approved classroom animals, natural materials, garden materials, specimens, and other living or hands-on components of the science program.
• Support students in completing scientific drawings, field journals, data tables, graphs, maps, models, investigation booklets, and engineering records.
• Assist students in distinguishing observations from inferences and in using evidence to explain their scientific thinking.
• Support field investigations at locations such as the Bronx Zoo, community garden, school grounds, and other approved outdoor learning spaces.
• Help students collect age-appropriate field evidence, including drawings, tallies, maps, habitat observations, biodiversity counts, behavior observations, and other investigation data.
• Supervise students during science classes, field experiences, outdoor investigations, transitions, meals, arrival, dismissal, and enrichment activities as assigned.
• Provide clear instructions and age-appropriate academic and behavioral support.
• Reinforce classroom expectations for curiosity, collaboration, independence, responsible use of materials, and respectful treatment of living things.
• Maintain a safe, organized, inclusive, and positive science learning environment.
• Model and reinforce all science-lab, outdoor-learning, classroom-animal, and school safety procedures.
• Support positive student behavior using the school's expectations and procedures.
• Monitor student participation, engagement, scientific habits, progress, and well-being.
• Share relevant observations about student learning, behavior, participation, or support needs with the Lead Science Teacher.
• Assist with collecting and organizing student work, field journals, investigation records, models, presentations, and assessment materials.
• Support students during science projects, performance tasks, presentations, exhibitions, and year-end capstone experiences.
• Adapt support and activities to meet students’ different ages, interests, abilities, and learning needs.
• Build supportive relationships with students, families, colleagues, and school leaders.
• Communicate attendance issues, behavioral concerns, injuries, incidents, equipment concerns, and supply needs to the appropriate supervisor.
• Assist with inventorying and maintaining science supplies and notify the Lead Science Teacher when materials need to be replenished.
• Support interdisciplinary connections between science and literacy, mathematics, art, geography, writing, research, and presentation skills.
• Assist with cleaning and organizing classrooms, laboratory areas, outdoor-learning spaces, and shared program spaces.
• Follow all school policies, emergency procedures, health requirements, and student-safety protocols.
• Attend required staff meetings, training sessions, planning meetings, and professional-development activities.
• Participate in training related to the Living Science Curriculum, inquiry-based science instruction, field science, classroom safety, and student support.
• Perform other duties related to the successful implementation of the Living Science and enrichment programs as assigned.

Why Join Strive Charter School?

• Make a meaningful difference in students’ lives.
• Help children discover new interests, skills, and talents.
• Work in an active, creative, and collaborative school environment.
• Gain valuable experience in education, youth development, and enrichment programming.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Strive Charter School is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and are committed to maintaining an inclusive workplace and learning environment

Requirements

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 2 years' experience within a school setting working with children in grades PreK-5
• Experience supporting hands-on learning, STEM, science, outdoor education, environmental education, enrichment, summer camp, or similar programming strongly preferred.
• Ability to work effectively alongside a Lead Science Teacher and follow instructional plans and procedures.
• Ability to participate in regular outdoor and field-based learning experiences.
• Strong communication, teamwork, organization, and classroom-management skills.
• Dependable, punctual, flexible, and able to take initiative.
• Ability to work effectively with students and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to complete all required background checks, clearances, and training.
• CPR and First Aid certification preferred or willingness to obtain certification.
• Must be available for assigned school-day hours and additional afternoon, evening or weekend shifts as required.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, and move throughout the program space for extended periods.
• Ability to participate in indoor and outdoor student activities.
• Ability to lift and carry program materials and equipment, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Compensation/Benefits

Compensation And Overtime

Salary: $22/hr minimum 30 hours required

• 40 regular hours × $23.00 = $920.00
• 10 overtime hours × $34.50 (time and a half) = $345.00

Generous Fringe Benefits Including Health Insurance

• Full-time position with consistent hours
• Schedule: 30-40 hours per week
• 2 weeks off when our school is closed for our winter and summer holidays
• 2 weeks of vacation days
• 5 days of sick/safety leave that can be converted to vacation days if unused