STEM Learning Specialist - Professional Sports Academy

Job Description

Job Description

High School Mathematics & Science | Two Full Days Per Week 

Technology delivers the curriculum. Great educators bring it to life.

 

This is an education position inside an elite soccer academy.

You do not need to know soccer.

You need to love teaching.

 

We are seeking an exceptional  STEM Learning Specialist with the heart to mentor students and the expertise to confidently support advanced high school mathematics through Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus .  This candidate also needs to be comfortable with Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

 

This is not a traditional classroom position, and it is not simply a tutoring job. It is a unique opportunity for a talented math teacher, science teacher, STEM educator, retired teacher, or experienced academic mentor to help high school student-athletes succeed academically while they pursue extraordinary athletic goals.  Your work helps ensure that every student-athlete remains academically eligible to pursue whatever future awaits them—whether that is professional sports, collegiate athletics, higher education, or life after their playing career.  This role exists because these students need more than an online curriculum.

 

They need a great educator.

  Why This Opportunity Matters

 

The student-athletes in this program are balancing rigorous academics with the demands of training, travel, competition, and life inside a professional sports environment.  Their coursework is delivered through an accredited online school, which gives them the flexibility they need to pursue elite athletics. But online learning also creates a challenge.  Students still need human connection.  They need someone who can recognize when a concept is not clicking, identify when multiple students are struggling with the same topic, provide real-time instruction, and help them stay organized, accountable, and confident.

 

That is where you come in.

 

Your role is to help recreate the teacher-student interaction that makes great education so powerful. Sometimes that means sitting next to one student and working through a Calculus problem. Other times it means gathering three or four Algebra II students into a lecture room for a focused review before an upcoming assessment.  You are not responsible for building the curriculum from scratch.  The online school delivers the course content.

 

You bring the teaching, judgment, encouragement, structure, and human connection that help students truly learn.

  A Day in the Life

 

No two days will look exactly the same.  Before students arrive for their designated education time, you may review progress dashboards, check course pacing, identify overdue assignments, communicate with the online school, and determine which students need support that day.

Once the academic day begins, you may move between individual instruction, small-group teaching, progress monitoring, and student guidance.

 

 

For example, one morning, you may notice that several students are preparing for the same Algebra II test and bring them together for a targeted review session.  Later, you may help a Calculus student understand derivatives, guide a Physics student through a problem involving motion or energy, and check in with another student who has fallen behind because of team travel.  By the end of the day, you may communicate with academic leadership or the online school about pacing, assignments, assessments, or concerns that need follow-up. 

 

This role requires a teacher who can observe, adjust, explain, encourage, and lead.  It is structured, but not scripted.  It is academic, but deeply personal.  It is teaching, mentoring, and educational leadership combined.

  Primary Responsibilities Teaching and Academic Support

• Provide individualized and small-group instruction in high school mathematics and science.
• Support students in Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus.
• Provide science support, with Physics,Chemistry and Biology.
• Identify common areas of difficulty and lead targeted small-group lessons, review sessions, or direct instruction when needed.
• Help students prepare for tests, complete assignments, understand difficult concepts, and develop stronger academic confidence.
• Encourage independent thinking, problem-solving, and academic ownership.

Student Guidance and Mentorship

• Build positive, professional relationships with high school student-athletes.
• Help students balance coursework with training, competition, travel, and demanding athletic schedules.
• Support organization, pacing, study habits, time management, and daily academic routines.
• Hold students accountable while also providing encouragement and support.
• Help students understand that their academic future matters, whether or not they become professional athletes.

Academic Monitoring and Coordination

• Review student progress, grades, pacing, assignment completion, and upcoming assessments.
• Identify students who are falling behind or may need additional academic intervention.
• Communicate with the online school regarding assignments, assessments, course access, student progress, and academic needs.
• Maintain appropriate academic notes, progress information, and communication with academic leadership.
• Help organize each academic day so students understand priorities and continue moving toward graduation.

 

The administrative side of this role is educational in nature. It is not paperwork for the sake of paperwork. It exists so the Learning Specialist understands where each student stands and can make informed decisions about how to help.

  Advanced Mathematics Is Non-Negotiable

This position requires strong, confident, high-level mathematics ability.

 

Candidates must be able to teach and support students in:

• Algebra I
• Geometry
• Algebra II
• Pre-Calculus
• Calculus

 

Advanced math proficiency is the core qualification for this role.  Students may be enrolled in different math courses at the same time, and the successful candidate must be comfortable moving between levels, recognizing gaps, and explaining concepts clearly without needing extensive daily lesson preparation.  A candidate who loves mentoring students but is not confident supporting mathematics through Calculus will not be the right fit for this particular opportunity.

Preferred Science Background

• Physics 
• Chemistry
• Biology

 

The Educator We Hope to Find

 

We are not looking for someone who simply wants another job.  We are looking for someone who sees the purpose in this work. 

 

You may be an experienced math teacher or science teacher who still loves teaching but is ready for a different kind of educational environment.  You may be a retired educator who misses working directly with students but does not want to return to a traditional five-day classroom schedule.  You may be a gifted STEM teacher who wants to spend more time explaining, mentoring, and building relationships—and less time managing a large classroom.

 

You may be a great fit if you:

• Still feel energized when a difficult concept finally makes sense to a student.
• Believe that great teaching begins with trust.
• Enjoy working one-on-one and in small groups.
• Can move comfortably between direct instruction and academic coaching.
• Are patient, adaptable, organized, and observant.
• Can hold students accountable while also encouraging them.
• Understand that motivated athletes still need structure, guidance, and support.
• Want your teaching to have a direct and lasting impact on young people.

 

Passion matters here.  So do judgment, professionalism, flexibility, and the drive to help students succeed.

  Schedule

• Two full days per week.
• Anticipated days: Tuesday and Thursday.
• Approximate hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• School-year position.
• On-site, no remote work within the academic program of a Professional Sports Academy.

 

Because this role exists within a professional sports environment, flexibility is important. Training schedules, away matches, tournaments, and team travel may occasionally require adjustments to the normal academic schedule.  This is not an on-call tutoring position or a collection of short appointments. The selected educator will become a consistent and important presence in the students’ academic week.

  Qualifications

• Current or previous teaching experience in secondary mathematics, science, or STEM education.
• New Jersey teaching certification or additional state certification in Mathematics, Science, or a related subject area strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to teach advanced high school mathematics through Calculus.
• Physics or Chemistry teaching experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working with high school students.
• Ability to provide both individualized instruction and small-group teaching.
• Strong communication, organization, and relationship-building skills.
• Comfort reviewing online coursework, academic dashboards, and student-progress information.
• Ability to communicate professionally with online school representatives, academic leadership, students, and families when appropriate.
• Willingness to complete applicable background-check and safeguarding requirements.
• Commitment to professionalism, student privacy, and appropriate boundaries when working with minors.

Soccer Knowledge Is Not Required

• This is an education job inside an elite soccer academy.
• An appreciation for athletics or previous experience working with student-athletes is helpful, but a passion for education is far more important.

  Why You May Love This Role

• This position offers something increasingly rare in education:
• The chance to teach again.
• You will work with a small group of motivated student-athletes.
• You will have the freedom to respond to actual learning needs.
• You will be able to teach a small group when direct instruction is needed and sit beside an individual student when personal guidance will be more effective.
• You will help students understand mathematics and science.
• You will also help them develop confidence, responsibility, resilience, and independence.
• Most importantly, you will know why your work matters.
• You will help talented young people pursue remarkable athletic dreams without sacrificing their academic futures.
• If you became an educator to explain, encourage, mentor, challenge, and change lives, we would love to hear your story.