Administrative Assistant

Position summary: Year-round administrative assistance for a nonprofit that runs selective mathematics summer programs. More details below.

Essential/key duties and responsibilities:

• All administrative tasks associated with the application process, including a lot of data entry and a high volume of communications with applicants
• All administrative tasks associated with program preparation, including handling paperwork for admitted students, communications with families, ordering supplies, helping to arrange travel, and onboarding the administrative on-site summer staff members
• All administrative tasks associated with program cleanup, including inventorying and organizing supplies, handling travel reimbursements, updating electronic records
• Respond to email queries to and about the programs; be the face of the programs to the public
• Handle program promotions
• Prepare data for program and organization reports

Mathematical Staircase, Inc. ( is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that runs very selective intensive mathematics summer enrichment programs for high school and early college students ( . We have three part-time employees, two math-PhD program directors and one administrator. We are currently seeking a fully remote part-time employee to provide year-round support for the summer programs and their directors.

The tasks required in this position are wide-ranging, and require both a great deal of attention to detail and the willingness to research solutions to problems that arise. Sometimes the collection of tasks is described as "everything that doesn't require a PhD to do" in order for the organization and its programs to run successfully. A person successful in this role will take ownership of tasks and provide input on aspects of program and organizational administration beyond their usual purview; interactions with the program directors are often highly collaborative. This role does not require or encourage the use of general-purpose generative AI. Individuals early in their careers are encouraged to apply.

Because of the seasonal nature of summer programs, the distribution of hours needed for this position is uneven; it can be as low as 5–10 hours a week in the fall, but slowly ramps up over the course of the spring and is often close to a full-time commitment by May and June, with far fewer hours during July and August. That said, the work hours are very flexible. For most tasks, it doesn't matter what time of day they get done as long as they do get done. However, some evening/weekend hours will be required. Additionally, travel to the Philadelphia area is required 1--3 times per year.

This work is incredibly rewarding. A person in this role helps connect students with deep and challenging mathematics and life-changing summer experiences, and supports the staff who create the curriculum and environment of those experiences. All Mathematical Staircase, Inc. staff, both year-round and summer-only, are deeply invested in the programs and student success.

Required qualifications:

• Ability to work independently
• Willingness to consistently use a task-management system
• Skill in writing precisely and with correct grammar without technological assistance
• A roll-up-your-sleeves attitude, with readiness to do everything from conducting negotiations with potential host sites to data entry to wrangling complex spreadsheets to helping interview new summer staff members
• Ability to communicate well with high-school and college students, and parents/guardians
• Experience (may be informal) with administrative work, event planning, or project management
• Comfort with dealing with mathematicians and mathematical culture
• Discretion with sensitive information, such as applicant files for minors and background check results
• Use MacOS
• Familiarity with Google Workspace applications, including Sheets, Docs, and Forms
• Based in the US, with US work authorization

Preferred qualities:

• Familiarity with LaTeX
• Significant mathematics background (e.g. a major or minor in mathematics)
• Location in the greater Philadelphia area

Position on-ramp: A successful applicant will first work as an hourly employee for a probationary period at $25.10/hour before being moved to a salaried contract. Eventual salary based on experience.

Application process:

• Screening of application materials
• Email followups
• Interview over videochat
• Paid sample tasks (at probationary period rate)
• Reference check (with at least two work or academic references, who are likely to be asked to write letters)

How to apply:

Applicants should submit

• a CV or resume
• a cover letter that addresses the required qualifications and preferred qualities (written by you, the human applying to this job, and not by or using generative AI)

via Google Form (

Mathematical Staircase, Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate on any basis prohibited by applicable law.