Academic Director, BEAM Discovery

About BEAM

The mission of BEAM is to create pathways for students from low-income and underserved communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. Led by staff with these same technical backgrounds, BEAM believes that pathways to STEM careers are created through community, individual support, and access to advanced work that typically lies outside most school curricula. We work to directly support students and to transition them to other supportive enrichment programs that enable their future success.

BEAM's model provides continuous support from middle school through college graduation, including intense academic summer programs for middle school students (after 6th and 7th grade), weekend classes and mentoring, and STEM-focused support through college. Our program includes not just access to learning advanced math but also support finding and applying to other opportunities, including support with college admissions and financial aid.

In addition to our academic content, bringing students into community is a key part of our mission and all of our work is designed to support that goal.

BEAM has grown from a small summer program serving 17 students in the summer of 2011 to a year-round, national program, serving 420+ students at six summer program sites and 600+ students in year-round programming in New York City and Los Angeles this school year. In addition, our BEAM National pilot program now reaches over 500 elementary‑aged students in seven different states, working to create a new nationwide pathway modeled on our local work.

With our strategic plan, our team has committed to transforming the organization from a successful startup to a more mature and scalable organization that can drive change across the country.

The Academic Director is the instructional leader for a BEAM site, responsible for ensuring high-quality, student-centered math instruction and supporting faculty growth. BEAM Discovery is the first step in BEAM’s 10-year Pathway Program, offering students an engaging introduction to advanced mathematical thinking in a supportive, inquiry-driven environment. As Academic Director, you will guide the academic vision for your campus, support faculty growth, and ensure that BEAM’s inquiry-based, student-centered math instruction comes to life every day.

• Ensure high-quality, inquiry-based math instruction aligned with BEAM’s mission and values.
• Coach, support, and evaluate faculty, including Junior and Senior Faculty.
• Facilitate collaboration spaces that promote shared learning and instructional coherence.
• Align academic goals with site operations in partnership with site leadership.

The Academic Director partners closely with the Site Director, Associate Site Director, Director of Student Life, and Guidance Counselor as part of a cohesive leadership team. While the primary focus is academic excellence and faculty development, the role also supports site-wide operations as needed to ensure a strong student experience.

You lay the groundwork for a successful summer by building faculty readiness and aligning with the leadership team.

• Complete BEAM leadership and faculty coaching training.
• Review the Site Leadership Handbook and program expectations.
• Support final selection and onboarding of faculty.
• Contribute to student course assignment processes.
• Participate in virtual leadership meetings, synchronous faculty training, and the virtual course planning retreat.

• Leadership Team Retreat: Align with leadership on roles, academic expectations, and camp-wide norms; help plan team building and staff culture activities; ensure classroom spaces, materials, and logistics are ready.
• All Staff Pre-Camp Training: Lead all faculty‑specific training (academic modules, instructional expectations); facilitate faculty course preparation, lesson adaptation, and problem‑solving planning; assign and review any academic training tasks; confirm I‑9 and onboarding compliance for faculty.

Acad…