Curriculum Developer, Probability, Game Theory, and Decisions

Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM)•New York, NY

4h•Hybrid

About The Position

Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM) is launching an ambitious revisioning of its 8th–12th grade programming, centered on the opportunity for 9th-grade students to declare majors. Each major will allow students to delve deeper into topics not typically covered in school, building towards an 11th-grade capstone project. This role is an opportunity to develop genuinely cutting-edge enrichment education programs, designing every stage of a major from classes to capstone projects. The project is expected to run from summer 2026 through May 2028, structured as a part-time role (estimated 15–20 hours/week) with considerable flexibility in hours, accommodating other obligations. Upon completion, there may be opportunities for other roles within BEAM. This specific role is for developing the "Risks, Decisions, and Money" major, focusing on probability and game theory to support data-informed decision-making. This major will help students develop strong mathematical problem-solving and reasoning skills, exploring applications in finance and other fields, and demonstrating the rich use of math in other subjects. The major will consist of three semester-long courses, each with 24 hours of class time, designed to build on one another and culminate in capstone projects. These courses are not intended to be comprehensive college equivalents but will be narrowly designed to prepare students for their capstone projects, highlighting key ideas and results to foster intellectual excitement and rigorous understanding. Potential capstone projects include determining optimal strategies in games of chance, simulating probabilistic processes (like Markov chains or random walks), stock market simulations, and modeling real-world scenarios and decisions.

Requirements

Deep knowledge of mathematics at an advanced undergraduate or graduate level
Comfort with proofs as the language of mathematics and the layered abstraction of the fields of mathematics
Strong understanding of quantitative decision making at a high level, and its use in applied settings (especially finance, but also insurance, economics, and other areas)
Knowledge of practices of enrichment teaching and different activities and classroom approaches that are effective for teaching in enrichment contexts
Strong pedagogical skills, especially for teaching high school students
Able to develop exciting and engaging classes that support both rigor and depth
Exceptional writing skills
Able to state and write solutions for problems with precise language and in ways that are engaging and energizing
Able to create clear and compelling materials for other instructors, with clear course goals and lesson plans
The ability to plan towards a goal and implement independently
Good at tracking larger projects and completing them on-time
Strong collaboration skills
At least three years of teaching experience, preferably in contexts outside of the school curriculum
At least one prior experience creating a course independently rather than teaching from a prescribed curriculum

Nice To Haves

Experience working in programs that promote educational equity or teaching students from historically marginalized backgrounds
A strong understanding of diverse student backgrounds and needs, and how to design systems to thoughtfully support student needs
Specific knowledge of the barriers that low-income and minority students may encounter
Experience with educational enrichment programs that support students to do more advanced work, especially in mathematics or probability and game theory
Experience supporting students in significant independent projects (such as research projects)
Experience with potential capstone projects, especially work experience involving probability and game theory
Experience writing curriculum for other instructors to use
Experience with STEM education and opportunities at the collegiate level or beyond, e.g. earned degrees, teaching, etc.

Responsibilities

Develop a roadmap for the Risks, Decisions, and Money major
Draft capstone projects
Outline the full course sequence
Develop all course materials so that the courses can be successfully implemented by program instructors
Revise materials based on the first run and feedback from instructors
Directly teach each of the classes in its initial launch
Observe other instructors teaching the class and debrief with them to incorporate feedback
Determine hiring needs for instructors within the major, and support hiring
Provide guidance and support to instructors implementing the course material
Other work as needed to support the successful launch of our new academic programming