Summer Psychology Educator

Summer Psychology Educator Apply now to Summer Psychology Educator

Job #JPF10880

• Geffen Academy At Ucla / Chancellor'S Organization / UCLA

Position overview

Salary range: The full-time salary range for this position is $4,002 - $9,086, the offered salary will be a pro-rated amount depending on the appointment percentage. Anticipated Hiring Pay Scale: $2,500 - $5,000

Application Window

Open date: March 4, 2026

Next review date: Sunday, Apr 5, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Sunday, Apr 5, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.

Position description

Summer Program Dates: June 22 - July 10

Summer Course: Psychology in Everyday Life

Description

Geffen Academy Educators approach teaching as an intellectual profession of the highest order, one in which knowledge is not only transmitted but created. Geffen Academy Educators possess a sophisticated and reflective understanding of their discipline and a record of achievement which demonstrates their ability to utilize and contribute to the robust connections we have with UCLA, a world-class research institution. Educators? innovation is guided by our school's mission to prioritize proven educational practices while also recognizing that teaching is a complex intellectual endeavor that defies rigid codification. We are committed to a humane working environment and also recognize that teaching goes beyond the life of the mind. Geffen Academy Educators seek to create trusting and caring relationships with their students and with their larger community.

Summary

The Psychology in Everyday Life summer course introduces middle and upper school students to psychology as a scientific discipline that investigates how humans think, feel, and act. Students explore core domains of psychology, including sensation and perception, learning and memory, social behavior, personality, and mental health, while examining how biological, cognitive, and environmental factors interact to shape behavior.

Students learn how psychologists develop research questions, design studies, and evaluate evidence, comparing early theories with contemporary scientific approaches. Through discussion, analysis of case examples, applied activities, and short analytical writing, students practice viewing behavior from multiple perspectives. The course emphasizes hypothesis-building, critical questioning, and interdisciplinary thinking.

Under the direction of the Summer Program Director at Geffen Academy at UCLA, the Educator will design and deliver high-quality, in-person summer instruction. The primary teaching responsibility will be Psychology in Everyday Life; depending on program enrollment and scheduling needs, the Educator may also have the opportunity to teach additional, thematically related summer courses. Courses meet daily for up to 90 minutes over the three-week program. Final teaching assignments and instructional responsibilities will be determined based on enrollment and overall programmatic considerations. All courses are taught on Geffen Academy's campus.

Job Duties

• Design and deliver a three-week introductory psychology course for students in grades 7-12.
• Teach major domains of psychology, including biological, cognitive, behavioral, social, and personality perspectives.
• Introduce students to research design, hypothesis formation, and evidence-based reasoning in psychology.
• Guide students in analyzing real-world examples of human behavior through multiple psychological lenses.
• Facilitate discussions that encourage curiosity, ethical reflection, and respectful dialogue.
• Support students in comparing historical and contemporary psychological theories.
• Design short analytical and reflective writing tasks that strengthen students? ability to explain behavior using evidence.
• Foster an inclusive classroom environment that encourages questioning, collaboration, and intellectual risk-taking.
• Collaborate with Summer Program leadership and fellow educators to ensure program alignment and quality.
• Establish clear norms for discussion of sensitive topics and maintain appropriate boundaries when topics relate to mental health or personal experience.
• Provide timely, constructive feedback aligned to clear success criteria for discussions, activities, and writing tasks.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• This list of duties is not exhaustive.

School: https://www.geffenacademy.ucla.edu

Qualifications

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred in psychology, education, neuroscience, social science, or a related field.
• Experience teaching or facilitating discussion-based learning with middle and/or high school students.
• Strong understanding of psychological concepts and research methods.
• Ability to make scientific and abstract ideas accessible and engaging for adolescents.
• Experience facilitating thoughtful discussion around human behavior and mental processes.
• Ability to design curriculum for an intensive, three-week summer program.
• Familiarity with educational technologies such as Google Classroom and Zoom.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Professional judgment, patience, integrity, and a collaborative teaching approach.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced summer program environment.
• Commitment to Geffen Academy's mission, values, and educational philosophy.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate developmentally appropriate conversations about mental health topics in a way that is educational (not clinical), inclusive, and psychologically safe.
• Strong classroom facilitation skills, including routines that support equitable participation and respectful dialogue across differing perspect

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• Reference check authorization release form - Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
• UCLA Mission Statement - As the nation's premier public research university, UC's mission is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. We have a particular responsibility to the people of California which we express in the excellence of the education we provide, the impact of the research we do, the comprehensive, life-saving medical services we provide, and the public service mission we are devoted to. The University of California promotes the social mobility of its students, equips them with the tools and experience that furthers their ambitions, and regards their accomplishments across the life span as evidence of the profoundly positive impact of higher education.

The UCLA campus has expressed these goals in its strategic plan as follows:

Deepen our engagement with Los Angeles

Expand our reach as a global university

Enhance our research and creative activities

Elevate how we teach

Become a more effective institution

Prompt for candidates for recruitment:

Reflecting on your personal and professional experiences, highlight your past contributions and future commitments to advancing UCLA's mission as embodied in the 2023-28 strategic plan. These accomplishments and ambitions may be discussed in the context of describing your teaching, scholarship, and service

• Statement of Teaching (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

References will be checked before an offer is made.

Apply link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10880

Help contact: hr@geffenacademy.ucla.edu

About UCLA

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• ?Misconduct? means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy (https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH)
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment (https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/\_files/apm/apm-035.pdf)

Job location

Los Angeles, CA