MightyRecruiterA chemistry teacher is a specialized science instructor who teaches the chemical properties and processes of substances under a wide variety of conditions. Chemistry teachers inform students about the uses and dangers of chemicals and how to safely conduct experiments.
The required education level and specialization should be included in your chemistry teachers job description, as they vary depending on the level of instruction. High school teachers generally need only a bachelor’s degree and state certification in general chemistry, while universities often require a PhD and seek instructors with specializations such as organic, inorganic or physical chemistry.
Chemistry teachers usually take their lessons into the laboratory for experiments that demonstrate the concepts being taught, so it’s important to include the requirements for this part of the job in your job listing. See the example below for more tips on what to include in your chemistry teachers job description.
Chemistry Teachers Job Summary
Join the Washington High School family as a chemistry teacher for our 11th and 12th-grade students. We believe all students can achieve greatness, and you’ll be expected to hold high standards and encourage students to live up to them. We offer two levels of chemistry instruction for our junior and senior students as well as advanced placement courses, so you’ll get to spend your time teaching what you’re most passionate about. If you’re the type of teacher who gets excited about taking theory into the lab for exciting experiments and sharing your enthusiasm with young minds, we’d love to have you on our team.
Job Responsibilities
- Teach three junior-level and three senior-level chemistry courses per school year, including at least one advanced placement course, following course requirements as outlined by the department
- Design, test and supervise weekly laboratory experiments relevant to the current lessons being taught in class
- Ensure students understand and follow all safety rules for laboratory experiments and are aware of the proper actions to take during accidents and emergencies
- Assign and evaluate all coursework, submit grades and maintain contact with parents regarding student performance
- Work to ensure all students are well prepared for state exams and meet school and state goals for student competency
- Maintain strict records of student attendance, participation, homework, lab work and test results
- Plan and supervise at least one field trip per school year, obtaining parental permission for all students involved and ensuring student safety when outside the school
- Attend parent-teacher conferences each semester and have detailed evaluations ready to share for all students
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- State teaching certification in science
- Ability and desire to teach a diverse student body
- Excellent communication skills and ability to simply explain complex concepts
Preferred:
- Two or more years teaching science or chemistry in a public high school setting
- Experience conducting laboratory experiments with students
Chemistry Teacher Job Responsibilities
Finding the right candidate for your open position is a collaborative effort between you and interested jobseekers. It might seem strange to think of it this way, but consider how critical it is to craft a clear, well-written chemistry teacher job description. It must communicate the essential responsibilities and tasks that the new hire will perform to support your organization. That’s no small task, but following some best practices will help you inform applicants what you’ll expect of a new hire.
The job responsibilities section will be the most substantial segment of your chemistry teacher job description. It must visually stand out from the rest of your text, so remember to use bullet points to format your list of duties. Unlike a complete job description that you’d draft for internal use, the document you create for your public job posting should focus on six or eight critical responsibilities. Be sure to employ strong action verbs, as this will aid potential candidates in understanding how they’ll contribute to your organization’s success.
If you need some inspiration, look at these example chemistry teacher job responsibilities:
- Instruct students during classroom lectures and lab sessions
- Select and create course materials such as textbooks, handouts and homework assignments
- Write course syllabus and inform students of expectations, assignment schedule and grading policy
- Evaluate student work, then assign points and letter grades
Chemistry Teacher Job Specifications
Besides conveying what a successful applicant will do if hired for your open position, your chemistry teacher job description also needs to specify the job skills and qualifications that this individual must possess to succeed. It may be the shorter of the two sections, but it’s no less important than your list of responsibilities. You should also write this portion clearly, so that prospects can easily read it and compare their own qualifications with your specifications. You not only attract the right kinds of jobseekers, but you’re also less likely to hear from those who aren’t a good fit for the position.
Start off by consulting with senior leadership, or the direct supervisors of the role in question. You need to know from their perspective what it takes to perform the responsibilities you’ll mention in the first half of your chemistry teacher job description. Furthermore, you should split this list of qualifications into two categories: “preferred” and “required.” Ask management to clarify which skills, education and types of work experience should fall into each category, and then label these explicitly.
You might need some help while drafting your version. Here are some common chemistry teacher job specifications to use as a good starting point:
- Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, science or relevant discipline
- Current state-issued teacher’s certification
- 3 to 5 years’ previous experience teaching at the high school level
- Strong communication, interpersonal and instructional skills
