Princeton Day School is seeking an experienced Science Department Chair beginning in the 2025-26 school year. The successful candidate will guide the PreK - 12th grade Science Department in the continued development of a strong and effective approach to teaching science, guided by the following priorities:  

• In collaboration with the Academic Dean and Division Heads, create a vibrant curriculum that engages our students, stimulates their curiosity, and awakens them to the power and relevance of science in their futures;
• Developing a plan with invested parties to adjust the curriculum over time to best serve the students currently in the school;
• In conversation with the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, co-create a department that provides both mirrors and windows for all of our students;
• Enhance the capacity of the department to better meet the needs of a wide variety of students in the classroom;
• Provide modeling, expertise, and guidance to the teachers in the department about excellent science teaching practice;  
• Offer our most motivated, ambitious students a rigorous, dynamic experience that will propel them into future professional opportunities as leaders in science;
• In collaboration with key stakeholders, continue to update and refine the 10-12 grade placement process.

Primary Responsibilities:

I. Facilitating the Professional Growth of Teachers

The majority of a Department Chair’s time should be devoted to cultivating the human capital and professional excellence of the teachers within each Department. 

Specific responsibilities of the Department Chair include:  

• Supervision of teachers.  
• Establishing expectations for teaching, assessment, and classroom management.  
• Engaging in daily or weekly classroom observation of all teachers.  
• Providing mentoring, professional development, and ongoing feedback to teachers.  
• Overseeing the formal evaluation of faculty, in concert with Division Heads.

II. Exercising Curricular Leadership

• Lead Departmental conversations about teaching, learning, pedagogy, and curriculum.
• Update the curriculum to utilize existing campus resources (garden, greenhouse, bees, etc.)
• Explore connections in the local community.
• Develop and articulate learning outcomes and competencies for the PDS Department.  
• Regularly review and assess the entire curricular sequence of courses from Grades PreK -12.
• Ensure that all course offerings align with the Department’s learning outcomes and that teachers of similar courses are using similar assessment and pedagogical strategies.  
• Foster a curriculum – and a teaching culture – which is both “challenging” and “supportive,” with a special emphasis on cultivating a growth mindset in students and faculty. 

III. Managing the Day-to-Day Functioning of the Department  

• Navigate the systems of a complex institution, with many invested parties, with grace and optimism.  
• Lead regular Department meetings with clearly developed organized agendas. 
• Assist with interviewing, hiring, and training of new faculty.  
• Oversee the course placement process. 
• Determine staffing and sectioning requirements in concert with the Division Heads. 
• Coordinate the process of placing students – both new and returning -- in appropriate courses. Work with the administrators and registrar to coordinate schedules and placement. 
• Respond to student and parental questions about the placement process.  
• Communicate with parents when subject-related questions and concerns arise. 
• Contribute to Department Chair Meetings.  
• Develop and manage the Department Budget.  
• Collaborate with the Substitute Teacher Coordinator when faculty are away from school.   
• Oversee science competitions and extra-curricular offerings, including science Olympiad, immersion, Rex, etc. and work with division heads and others to evaluate and enhance the extracurricular science life of the school.
• Teach two courses. 

Qualifications and Personal Attributes:

• Bachelors or Master’s Degree in Science Education or equivalent;
• Teaching experience (5+ years);  
• Ability to develop and build enthusiasm for a shared vision for the science department; 
• Expertise and experience with science curriculum design, development, implementation, and assessment; 
• Knowledge of “best practices” in both content-specific instruction and teaching more broadly;  
• A well-developed sensitivity, knowledge, and understanding of the diverse backgrounds of community members; 
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion;  
• Proven success in mentoring faculty;  
• A passion for learning and a commitment to academic excellence and student achievement;  
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team setting, facilitate discussion, and lead groups to consensus;  
• Experience with integration of technology;  
• Experience with differentiated instruction;  
• Creative and resourceful, with a strong work ethic;  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

Princeton Day School is the region's premier independent day school for students from Pre-K through Grade 12. We aspire to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive community in which all members are seen, challenged, affirmed, respected and valued. Nestled on a picturesque 106-acre campus just two miles from Downtown Princeton and with a history dating back to 1899, PDS provides students with unparalleled opportunities for discovery, exploration and innovation and seeks employees who are passionate about their work and who embrace the importance of lifelong learning.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, statement of educational philosophy, and a link to samples of their work to the attention of Aline Silva, Director of Human Resources, at hr@pds.org.