What are the responsibilities and job description for the Faculty Lead & Learning Engineer - Sciences position at Outsmart?
Outsmart is a mission-driven, early-stage startup reimagining higher education for the age of AI by creating an entirely new collegiate experience that expands access and opportunity. Backed by $38M from top venture firms including Khosla Ventures, Forerunner, DST Global Partners, and Lightspeed, the company is led by former Duolingo executives and a founding team that also includes Emmy Award winners. With a strong culture centered around high-impact, detail-oriented team members, Outsmart is already seeing significant traction, generating 1–5 million weekly organic views on social media.
About the role
The Faculty Lead & Learning Engineer - Sciences is Outsmart’s designated faculty member for undergraduate science–owning course design, development, and quality–across biology, chemistry, physics, geology, etc. (intro through advanced topics). You’ll craft an engaging, rigorous, and fun science learning experience for students while setting the standard for science teaching in the AI era.
You’ll bring the depth of an academic and the instincts of a builder. That means leveraging AI and modern tooling to design high-quality curriculum, virtual labs, and assessments at scale — and collaborating closely with learning designers, product, and engineering to bring it to fruition.
Location: Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, or Lehi, UT
Reporting: Works in close partnership with the Head of Academics & Learning Engineering and university academic leadership.
Qualities We're Seeking
Deep disciplinary expertise in one or more core sciences; comfortable stewarding courses across the broader science portfolio
Mastery of pedagogy, learning design, and assessment — and enthusiasm for AI-enabled teaching and learning
Builder mindset: resourceful, high energy, accountable, mission driven, student-obsessed; thrives in early-stage environments
Clear, direct communicator who collaborates well with designers, engineers, and product
What you'll do
Own the science curriculum: Design and develop courses across biology, chemistry, physics, and geology (intro → advanced) with clear learning outcomes and mastery-based progress
Design assessments (formative & summative)
Leverage AI & tooling to create interactive content (e.g., a virtual science lab) that improves engagement and efficacy
Collaborate with Learning Design, Product, and Engineering to ship high-quality, technology-enabled science experiences (simulations, visualizations, notebooks)
Support accreditation & quality: Align syllabi, policies, credit hours, and outcomes with institutional standards; contribute evidence for reviews and continuous improvement
Qualifications
Degree in a core science field (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology) or Science Education; PhD or EdD preferred
3+ years teaching or leading curriculum in undergraduate science (online or hybrid experience a plus)
Proven fluency with education technology and AI
Track record of cross-functional collaboration with designers/engineers and shipping learner-centric features
Perks
Competitive salary, equity, and benefits
Healthcare for you and your dependents (medical, dental, and vision)
Parental leave for any full-time employee (birthing, non-birthing, and adoptive parents)
15 PTO days per year, a winter break, and 12+ paid company holidays per year
Remote work days
Lunch provided in-office daily
Working with super talented people who want to make a difference in the world
Outsmart is committed to building an equitable and inclusive workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.