What are the responsibilities and job description for the Middle and Upper School Science Teacher position at Riverdale Country School?
Riverdale Country School, a Pre-K through Grade 12 independent all-gender school in New York City, is dedicated to inspiring students to live meaningful and purpose-driven lives. The school achieves this by fostering a culture of academic excellence, critical thinking, and curiosity, supported by a diverse and inclusive community. Riverdale emphasizes both high challenge and high support in its approach to education, encouraging students to engage deeply in interdisciplinary learning, research, and experiential education, both inside and outside the classroom and beyond our campuses. This holistic approach aims to develop well-rounded individuals who are prepared to make a positive impact on the world.
At Riverdale, we strive to reflect the diversity of the New York metropolitan area in our students, faculty, and staff. We believe that a diverse and inclusive community enriches the educational experience and is integral to our mission. With a student body of approximately 1,300 students from 117 different zip codes, Riverdale is a vibrant community where 48% of our students identify as students of color.
We seek to employ educators and leaders who bring a student-centered approach, passion for their work, a commitment to DEIB, and a desire to contribute to the growth and development of our entire school community.
Position Overview
Riverdale’s Science Department seeks an enthusiastic and collaborative teacher with interest and expertise in both core instruction and creative curriculum design. The successful candidate will teach select foundational courses—such as Biology, Chemistry, or Physics—while spearheading the development of specialized, topic-driven electives (e.g., Psychology, Neuroscience, Paleontology, Forensic Science, etc.) for advanced students. Our Science program aims to develop citizen scientists who can effectively engage with scientific information in their personal and civic lives, to address real-world problems, and to make responsible decisions. Our students actively learn and apply the methods scientists use to investigate, analyze and communicate ideas about natural and physical phenomena. Our ideal candidate demonstrates an interest in interdisciplinary learning, experience with curricular design, and a genuine enthusiasm for working with young people both inside and outside the classroom.
Our website offers an overview of our Middle School and Upper School Science curriculum. In addition to teaching, all full-time faculty participate in the life of the school community through advising, leading activities, service learning, and other co-curricular programs. Riverdale is an inclusive community dedicated to creating a sense of belonging for all students and staff. Our hiring practices reflect this commitment, and we seek candidates eager to expand this work in the classroom, in the curriculum, and in the pedagogical principles of the department.
Please include a cover letter with your application, addressing your approach and priorities as a science teacher.
Qualifications:
Benefits Of Full Time Work At Riverdale Country School
Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:
Transportation: Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro North Harlem Station and subway lines – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and D. If there is need in the community, we can also run a shuttle from the Henry Hudson Parkway / 246th St bus stop which connects to the #7, #10, and Express Buses to/from Manhattan.
Professional Development: A generous professional-development budget provides for conferences, skills training, and onsite training in areas such as mindfulness, coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Grants and Stipends: All employees are eligible for Frankel Fellow grants, known as “passion grants,” which pay for enrichment activities. More than 120 grants have been made to faculty and staff since the program started in 2014. Stipends are available for coaching, affinity group facilitation, advising clubs with significant out-of-school time, and chaperoning trips (including global trips!).
Sabbatical: Full time teaching faculty are eligible for a sabbatical after 10 years of employment.
Health Benefits: Riverdale offers and subsidizes health, dental, and vision insurance. In addition, the school offers a flexible spending account through which employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses.
Retirement: Employees are eligible to join our Defined Contribution retirement plan through TIAA. The school contributes 7% of an employee's annual salary to their retirement account.
Vacation: Riverdale Country School has a generous time-off policy for staff in addition to vacations afforded by the school calendar.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
At Riverdale, we strive to reflect the diversity of the New York metropolitan area in our students, faculty, and staff. We believe that a diverse and inclusive community enriches the educational experience and is integral to our mission. With a student body of approximately 1,300 students from 117 different zip codes, Riverdale is a vibrant community where 48% of our students identify as students of color.
We seek to employ educators and leaders who bring a student-centered approach, passion for their work, a commitment to DEIB, and a desire to contribute to the growth and development of our entire school community.
Position Overview
Riverdale’s Science Department seeks an enthusiastic and collaborative teacher with interest and expertise in both core instruction and creative curriculum design. The successful candidate will teach select foundational courses—such as Biology, Chemistry, or Physics—while spearheading the development of specialized, topic-driven electives (e.g., Psychology, Neuroscience, Paleontology, Forensic Science, etc.) for advanced students. Our Science program aims to develop citizen scientists who can effectively engage with scientific information in their personal and civic lives, to address real-world problems, and to make responsible decisions. Our students actively learn and apply the methods scientists use to investigate, analyze and communicate ideas about natural and physical phenomena. Our ideal candidate demonstrates an interest in interdisciplinary learning, experience with curricular design, and a genuine enthusiasm for working with young people both inside and outside the classroom.
Our website offers an overview of our Middle School and Upper School Science curriculum. In addition to teaching, all full-time faculty participate in the life of the school community through advising, leading activities, service learning, and other co-curricular programs. Riverdale is an inclusive community dedicated to creating a sense of belonging for all students and staff. Our hiring practices reflect this commitment, and we seek candidates eager to expand this work in the classroom, in the curriculum, and in the pedagogical principles of the department.
Please include a cover letter with your application, addressing your approach and priorities as a science teacher.
Qualifications:
- A Bachelor’s degree or higher in the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, etc) from an accredited college or university
- At least 3 years of experience teaching at the Middle and/Upper School level
- Ability to effectively engage students in inquiry-based practices through the use of laboratory work, projects, and hands-on activities
- Effective pedagogical strategies for developing enduring understandings of essential content and skills, in order to become scientifically literate citizens
- Strong commitment to student support, aligned with Riverdale’s “high challenge, high support” ethos
- A commitment to ongoing professional growth
- Strong ‘soft skills’ in collegiality, collaboration, teamwork, and organization
- Genuine commitment to nurturing inclusive and joyful learning spaces within the classroom and throughout our community
- Experience with differentiated instruction and UDL in the Science classroom
- Interest and experience in interdisciplinary teaching and learning
Benefits Of Full Time Work At Riverdale Country School
Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:
Transportation: Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro North Harlem Station and subway lines – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and D. If there is need in the community, we can also run a shuttle from the Henry Hudson Parkway / 246th St bus stop which connects to the #7, #10, and Express Buses to/from Manhattan.
Professional Development: A generous professional-development budget provides for conferences, skills training, and onsite training in areas such as mindfulness, coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Grants and Stipends: All employees are eligible for Frankel Fellow grants, known as “passion grants,” which pay for enrichment activities. More than 120 grants have been made to faculty and staff since the program started in 2014. Stipends are available for coaching, affinity group facilitation, advising clubs with significant out-of-school time, and chaperoning trips (including global trips!).
Sabbatical: Full time teaching faculty are eligible for a sabbatical after 10 years of employment.
Health Benefits: Riverdale offers and subsidizes health, dental, and vision insurance. In addition, the school offers a flexible spending account through which employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses.
Retirement: Employees are eligible to join our Defined Contribution retirement plan through TIAA. The school contributes 7% of an employee's annual salary to their retirement account.
Vacation: Riverdale Country School has a generous time-off policy for staff in addition to vacations afforded by the school calendar.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
Salary : $81,663 - $153,087