Science Teacher: What is the cost of hiring?

What is a science teacher?

A science teacher is an educator who plans lessons about science and teaches students, usually in an elementary or high school setting. Although they may base lessons on a predetermined curriculum, they present scientific topics in a way that connects with different learning styles, including through diagrams or videos, and prepare students for standardized tests.

Science teachers also manage the classroom, help students conduct scientific experiments and communicate with parents and staff members, such as elementary school teachers, high school teachers or school social workers.

Why hire a science teacher?

Science teachers help ensure students understand scientific concepts appropriate for their grade level. Depending on your educational institution’s needs, they may also prepare students for testing, advanced science classes and the college admissions process.

Your organization might benefit from a science teacher if you need to improve your school’s education ratings, offer additional science classes or continue supporting your school’s growing student body.

Key contributions of a great science teacher:

• Present complex scientific concepts in simple terms
• Develop teaching methods and activities, such as inquiry-based learning or classroom experiments, that reinforce scientific facts and theories
• Encourage students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Defining your hiring needs for a science teacher

While determining how to hire a science teacher, decide whether the teaching load and classroom size require a full-time or part-time position. Full-time jobs are common in middle school and high school settings. However, you might consider a part-time position if you need a teacher to cover several science class periods.

Similar roles to consider include assistant teacher and teacher.

Types of science teachers

Science teachers may specialize in certain disciplines or educational levels based on personal interest and industry needs. Types of science teachers include:

• Elementary school science teacher: Focus on generic and introductory topics like the scientific method and experiment design.
• High school science teacher: Present concepts, such as biology, chemistry or physics, to standard and advanced placement (AP) classes

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Where to find science teachers

You can find candidates for a science teacher job through job fairs, online job boards and educational associations. You might also consider partnering with local universities to build relationships with quality candidates. 

To find the right science teacher for your team, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Job fairs: Attend educational job fairs to meet science teachers in person and assess their teaching style.
• Student teaching: Participate in student teaching programs to identify promising future candidates.
• Educational associations: Join a professional educators’ association, and share your science teacher job opening with other members.
• Employee referrals: Consider requesting referrals from your existing teaching staff. 
• Online job posting: Post your science teacher job on Indeed to find and attract candidates.

Skills to look for in a science teacher

A great science teacher will have many of the following skills, developed through a mix of professional experience, training or education:

• Experience in lesson planning for a scientific curriculum
• Ability to present age-appropriate scientific concepts
• Understanding of popular science teaching methods such as lectures, experiments, demonstrations and group projects
• Flexibility and adaptability to adjust to students’ unique learning needs and styles
• Knowledge of classroom management practices for different grade levels, including peer relationships or one-on-one meetings for students who need extra support 
• Familiarity with the science sections of standardized tests, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the Preliminary SAT (PSAT)

Writing a science teacher job description

A well-crafted job description is where all these elements—skills, salary data and candidate search behavior—come together.

A strong science teacher job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position. You may also want to include information about your company culture, benefits and perks to attract top candidates.

Ready to get started? Check out our full guide for writing science teacher job descriptions.

Interviewing science teacher candidates

To get a better sense of a candidate’s skills and experience, be prepared to ask questions about the following topics:

• Teaching specific scientific disciplines
• Creating lessons that are accessible for all students
• Measuring student understanding and monitoring progress
• Teaching to the curriculum and for standardized tests
• Establishing expected classroom and disciplinary measures, such as verbal warnings or a tally system