Site Director

(Multiple states)
Temporary
Faculty
Experienced
Residence Life and Logistics Director (Site Director)

Department: Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Bacterial Genomics, Cell Biology, or Synthetic Chemistry
Reporting to: Director of Residence Life
Schedule: Temporary full-time (6 weeks in June/July/August)
Location: Varies by program and host campus availability, with housing provided
Travel Required (provided by SSPI):
  • SSPI's required faculty training weekend for senior Summer Science Program faculty will be held April 17-19, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
    • SSPI will cover domestic travel to and from the meeting with the hotel stay and meals being provided or reimbursed in accordance with policy.
  • Live on or adjacent to your assigned SSPI host campus for 6 weeks during Summer 2026 (June/July/August).
    • On-campus accommodations are provided. Special requests for off-campus housing for non-local faculty must be made and approved in advance and will only be reimbursed up to the cost of on-campus housing.
    • SSPI will also cover domestic travel to and from campus in addition to meals in accordance with policy.
Salary range: Starting salaries for 2025 were $14,500 for Site Directors (SDs) and may be subject to budget increases for 2026.

Summary
SSP International, Inc. (SSPI) is an independent non-profit that offers teens an exhilarating and inspiring immersion into hands-on experimental science during its Summer Science Program. 8 faculty and 36 participants form a supportive “living and learning community” over ~6 weeks (~5 for participants). Each participant team completes an authentic research project, taking and analyzing original data. Afterward, they join a worldwide network of 4,200+ alumni of all ages. More information can be found at www.ssp.org.

Site Directors are responsible for prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of program participants and reporting unsafe acts or conditions to SSPI Admin staff. The Site Director manages residential life (participant behavior, health, housing, dining) and logistics (facilities, field trips, special events), working closely with the other faculty and host campus personnel. Site Directors co-supervise Teaching Assistants / Residential Mentors (TARMs) with Academic Directors. They provide training and oversight for TARM’s residential life responsibilities. Candidates should have 5+ years of experience working with high school students. The ideal candidate for the position is or has been a teacher – especially those teaching science or math – seeking a change of pace and a chance to work outside of the classroom working with extremely bright and motivated teens.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Live on or adjacent to campus for 6 weeks, attend lunch and dinner with students most days, and coordinate and lead field trips and social activities
  • Serve as the program’s primary point of contact for participant families, the host campus, and guest speakers
  • Train, supervise, and mentor TARMs on residential life responsibilities
  • Develop and maintain positive and constructive relationships with university personnel including residence life staff, facilities staff, and faculty
  • Act as the on-call point of contact to handle medical emergencies, acute behavioral issues, etc.
  • Provide guidance and support to participants as, for many, this represents their first long-term departure from life at home
  • Take the lead in addressing participant wellbeing issues in collaboration with faculty, parents/guardians, medical personnel, and SSPI staff; serve as primary point of contact for families on campus.
  • Monitor the emotional, mental, social, and physical health and wellbeing of participants, reporting and responding to concerns in collaboration with the Program faculty and staff.
  • Coach and mentor participants in managing their own behaviors in accordance with the Summer Science Program Participant Handbook and Honor Code.
  • Report any unsafe acts, behaviors, or conditions, as well as any instances that might risk serious injury or harm to participants or staff, to SSPI staff as soon as possible.
  • Create and maintain the non-academic components of the master campus schedule, such as field trip logistics, dorm meetings, guest lectures, birthday parties, etc.
  • Manage non-academic pre-arrival tasks such as selecting roommates, preparing residential spaces, acquiring supplies, etc.
  • Maintain control and responsibility over the program expense card, including submitting receipts and reports as instructed.
  • Plan and host weekly faculty meetings to discuss program business
  • Ensure fluid and functional team communication and collaboration
  • Communicate clear, organized, and relevant information to stakeholders (participants, faculty, SSPI staff, parents, campus contacts) throughout the program
  • Consistently operate within, and be measured with respect to, SSPI’s mission and values
  • Support a positive work environment with respect and consideration for team members.
  • Work towards resolving conflicts in a timely manner.
  • Other duties as assigned by the Director of Residence Life, Campus Manager, or other SSPI staff.

Education-Experience:
  • Four-year degree required
  • 5+ years of experience working with high school students such as a high school teacher or counselor is preferred
  • Some administrative and/or supervisory experience preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
  • Site Directors are not teaching faculty, thus do not require experience in the specific research topic
  • Prior SSP experience is preferred.

Skills and Abilities:
  • Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills are required
  • Understanding of logistics planning and execution processes, and the ability to support successful residential living and working for 40+ individuals over the course of 6 weeks in collaboration with faculty team and SSPI staff. This includes (but is not limited to):
    • Managing housing
    • Field trips
    • Social and recreational activities
    • Travel logistics
    • Meals and management of allergies and dietary restrictions
    • Health and safety management, including urgent care and emergency response planning
    • Campus budget management and recordkeeping
    • Transportation coordination (public, private, and/or charter)
    • Responding to emergent needs such as bad weather or illness.
  • Demonstrate leadership abilities, including (but not limited to): empathy for others; conflict resolution skills; willingness to have uncomfortable crucial conversations; effective teamwork capabilities; and emotional intelligence.
  • The ability to communicate information so others will understand.  Must be able to exchange accurate information using various communication modalities (in-person, virtual, phone, and written) among participants, faculty, parents, campus personnel, and SSPI staff in rapidly changing situations
  • Intermediate computer skills are required; experience with Microsoft Office suite and Canvas are preferred.
  • The ability to drive a vehicle or use rideshare, as frequent trips are required to ensure materials are available to participants and other faculty
  • Understanding of access and equity issues for historically underrepresented populations in science.
  • The ability to remain composed and make sound decisions during times of participant and faculty stress and provide mental and emotional support as needed is required
  • Use good judgment and critical thinking skills to make decisions that are in the best interest of all parties, especially in high stress and rapid response situations
  • Willingness to work collaboratively and compromise with others to achieve program goals
  • Promote good relationships and create networking opportunities
  • An entrepreneurial work ethic with ownership and accountability for your goals

Working Conditions: The working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:
  • In-person, immersive residential program with routine, expected, and unexpected evening and weekend responsibilities.
  • Live on or adjacent to campus, eat most meals with participants each day of the program, attend evening work sessions as instructed, and take on-call assignments (typically evenings/nights) per schedule.
  • Attend weekly team meetings and training; additional meetings may occur outside typical hours.
  • Navigate campus buildings and learning/lab spaces throughout each day; participate and attend field trips and community activities.
  • SSPI estimates that faculty will be actively engaged with participants and/or other faculty for the majority of the week, including evenings and weekends.
Physical Job Requirements: Applicants should be able to perform the following physical job requirements with or without reasonable accommodation. 
  • May need to sit, stand, and walk and assume a variety of positions (i.e. bending, kneeling, squatting, crawling, crouching, climbing, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching at or above shoulder level, and reaching overhead.)  
  • Move from building to building on campus several times every day
  • May be required to lift or move up to 50 pounds  
  • May need to maintain near and far visual acuity  
  • Must be physically present at the assigned campus/location throughout the program.
  • Must hear, understand, and distinguish speech or other sounds  
Clearance Requirements:
  • Authorization to work in the United States
  • Ability to pass a background check and pre-employment screening
 
SSPI is committed to increasing diversity among program participants as well as faculty staff. Faculty candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification. SSPI values a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with all the qualifications, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other opportunities.


 
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