Position Summary

Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute unites world-class scientists across diverse academic disciplines to conduct groundbreaking research that transforms our understanding of the brain and its influence on the mind and behavior.

As a leading neuroscience institute, our mission is to decipher the mind and brain to better understand behavior. Our researchers are committed to foundational science, uncovering the principles that shape how the brain develops, functions, and recovers.

With more than 50 labs, the Zuckerman Institute serves as a hub for collaboration, bringing together Columbia’s top scholars to drive research in bold new directions. Located in Manhattanville, our state-of-the-art Jerome L. Greene Science Center provides an inspiring home for discovery in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

The Zuckerman Institute seeks one or two Assistant Program Facilitator(s) for our Teacher Institute for Neuroscience and Society program. The Teacher Institute program aims to equip middle school teachers with engaging tools, resources, and evidence-based lessons to use with their students in order to approach the discussion of current events and multi-faceted topics at the intersection of neuroscience, ethics, and society. Examples in the 2025-2026 Teacher Institutes include neuroscience-inspired classroom design for neurodiverse students, the neuroethics of AI in education, and the impact of screen time on the developing brain. The program will focus on a single topic and include several coordinated activities within a 4-evening workshop, which meets once a week for 4 consecutive weeks. Using a “train the trainer” framework, these efforts will be tailored to engage middle school teachers in the same interactive learning experiences they will then practice with their students — promoting critical thinking, ethical considerations, and the application of neuroscience principles in real-world contexts, as well as an appreciation for neuroscience research. The workshops will also provide teachers with dedicated time, space, and access to experts in order to prepare themselves and their students for informed and thoughtful discourse. Deliverables include the development of middle-school appropriate pedagogy and open-source online resources, and post-workshop retrospectives to review teachers’ experiences and outcomes. Teachers who participate in the workshops will reconvene at a day-long Summit, a conference for teachers to present their lesson plans, showcase student work, and share strategies with their community of practice. Three 4-week Teacher Institutes and two day-long Summits will take place during an 18-month period.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Education & Training Initiatives, the Assistant Program Facilitator will collaborate closely with the Associate Director and be responsible for helping develop workshop material for 1-2 months prior to the workshops and help implement the workshops. During workshop development, the Assistant Program Facilitator will help coordinate with guest scientists who will visit the workshops to deliver guest lectures or conduct scientist Q&As. The Assistant Program Facilitator will also attend all workshop evenings for and Summit events.

In the periods after each workshop, the Assistant Program Facilitator(s) will maintain and manage an open database of educational materials developed during the workshop, plus any additional resources they curate. Finally, the Assistant Program Facilitator(s) will assist with the planning of the program Summit.

The Variable Hours Officer will work in a part-time ~5-10 hours per week capacity or as needed.

Responsibilities

• Attend and assist with facilitation during all workshop evenings and Summit days
  o Fall 2025: October 8, 15, 22, and 29 (4:30-8pm each evening)
  o Spring 2026: March 2, 9, 16, and 23 (3:30-8pm each evening)
  o Fall 2026: October 6, 13, 20, and 27; or, 7, 14, 21, and 28 (3:30-8pm each evening)
  o Summits: tentatively June 4, 2026 and early December 2026 (9am-5pm)
  o Assist the Associate Director with facilitation during seminars, including designing content to maximize the impact of workshops, helping the participants learn the materials and create their onsite lesson plan development, implementing activities, and facilitating a peer-to-peer model of learning.
  o Familiarize themself with program content.
  o Assist with setup 1 hour prior to seminar and cleanup 1 hour after seminar, which is already accounted for in the above times listed
  • Advise the Associate Director on best practices for middle-school teacher professional development.
  • Assist the Associate Director in developing experiential learning activities, researching and collecting middle-school appropriate scientific resources, and coordinating with guest scientists who will visit the seminar days.
  • Manage the open-source database, archive lesson plan ideas generated by participants, and collect additional resources during the periods after each workshop
  • Ensure all seminar activities and lesson plans are aligned with national and state-level education standards.
  • Assist in the planning and execution of the program Summits.
  • Provide additional scientific and educational resources as relevant.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum two (2) years teaching science at the middle school level or equivalent experience.
• Excellent editing and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exemplary experience in lesson plan development and curriculum design.
• Strong knowledge of curriculum standards, including Next Generation Science Standards, New York State Content Specific Curriculum Standards, and Common Core Standards.
• Record of neuroscience content knowledge (e.g. teaching of middle school courses in related fields, professional development related to neuroscience).
• Experience in communicating science to a wide audience.
• Familiarity with middle school education and/or teacher training is a plus.
• Past participation in a Zuckerman Institute teacher professional development program.

Other Requirements

Commitment:

• Evening availability on select weekdays is essential as the Assistant Program Facilitator(s) will be expected to attend all workshop sessions. Other planning meetings will be scheduled via zoom on an as-needed basis. The workshops will be held at the Zuckerman Institute.

To apply, submit C.V. or resume, cover letter, and two references with contact information.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.