Riverdale Country School, a Pre-K through Grade 12 independent all-gender school in New York City, is dedicated to inspiring students to live meaningful and purpose-driven lives. The school achieves this by fostering a culture of academic excellence, critical thinking, and curiosity, supported by a diverse and inclusive community. Riverdale emphasizes both high challenge and high support in its approach to education, encouraging students to engage deeply in interdisciplinary learning, research, and experiential education, both inside and outside the classroom and beyond our campuses. This holistic approach aims to develop well-rounded individuals who are prepared to make a positive impact on the world. At Riverdale, we strive to reflect the diversity of the New York metropolitan area in our students, faculty, and staff. We believe that a diverse and inclusive community enriches the educational experience and is integral to our mission. With a student body of approximately 1,300 students from 117 different zip codes, Riverdale is a vibrant community where 48% of our students identify as students of color. We seek to employ educators and leaders who bring a student-centered approach, passion for their work, a commitment to DEIB, and a desire to contribute to the growth and development of our entire school community. Position Overview: Riverdale's Visual Arts Department seeks an enthusiastic and collaborative teacher for our Middle and Upper School Maker Space who is enthusiastic about creating art and design projects and supporting students' work in discovering and developing their creative abilities regardless of their experience or skill. Candidates should have a considerable knowledge base in digital fabrication, operating a laser cutter and CNC machine, general carpentry, woodworking, welding, and sewing, in addition to fluency in programming languages, microcontroller programming, mechanics, electronics (i.e., Arduino, bicycle repair/hacking, EV and circuit design, repurposing electronic toys/junk, solar power). The Visual Arts department values the collective aspects of studio work, critique, connection to the global histories of art and design production, and the possibilities of art and design to describe and change the world. The department works collectively in an atmosphere of mutual respect and support. Our website offers an overview of our Middle School and Upper School Visual Arts curriculum. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in Industrial Design, Product Design, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field OR be an artist, educator, designer/maker with a portfolio of realized physical projects with an undergraduate degree in any field. Three to five years of past teaching experience at the Middle and/or Upper School level is required for this position. Candidates should have experience with one or several fabrication skills, including welding, woodworking, laser cutting, CNC router, sewing, 3D printing, and other design and prototyping equipment. Candidates must also have working knowledge of all local, state, and national building and fire codes and other regulations applicable to an area of responsibility, including but not limited to NFPA, OSHA, and the EPA. In addition, candidates should have prior experience mentoring, organizing, and managing design and engineering projects at the individual level and in collaborative groups, including creating events/showcases/happenings for student art and design. Prior experience maintaining a workshop and creating and implementing shop safety guidelines/standards is also required. Teachers with an interest in growing a design program for students to address real problems with an understanding of how the arts intersect with society and how empathy informs design are especially attractive. Candidates should also demonstrate a commitment to creating an inclusive classroom that nurtures the diverse learners within it. All full-time teachers participate in the life of the school community through advising, leading activities, service learning, and other co-curriculars.
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\n$63,500 - $142,912 a year
\nTo apply for this position, please click on the red "Apply for this Job" button. Please submit a resume and cover letter. If there are pronouns we should use in potential future communications, we invite you to share that information with us. For information about this position and all open positions, please visit the Careers page of Riverdale's website.
Benefits of Full Time Work at Riverdale Country School Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:
Transportation: Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro North Harlem Station and subway lines – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and D. If there is need in the community, we can also run a shuttle from the Henry Hudson Parkway / 246th St bus stop which connects to the #7, #10, and Express Buses to/from Manhattan.
Professional Development: A generous professional-development budget provides for conferences, skills training, and onsite training in areas such as mindfulness, coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Grants and Stipends: All employees are eligible for Frankel Fellow grants, known as "passion grants," which pay for enrichment activities. More than 120 grants have been made to faculty and staff since the program started in 2014. Stipends are available for coaching, affinity group facilitation, advising clubs with significant out-of-school time, and chaperoning trips (including global trips!).
Sabbatical: Full time teaching faculty are eligible for a sabbatical after 10 years of employment.
Health Benefits: Riverdale offers and subsidizes health, dental, and vision insurance. In addition, the school offers a flexible spending account through which employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses.
Retirement: Employees are eligible to join our Defined Contribution retirement plan through TIAA. The school contributes 7% of an employee's annual salary to their retirement account.
Vacation: Riverdale Country School has a generous time-off policy for staff in addition to vacations afforded by the school calendar.