About Summer Discovery
Summer Discovery is the largest provider of pre-college, enrichment, and gifted summer programs and
experiences for students from grades one through twelve. We offer students across the globe an unrivaled
summer experience with access to world-class academics through our collaboration with university partners,
interactive enrichment courses, immersive travel adventures, and residential life experiences at over 16
prestigious college campuses. 50% of the Ivy League Universities choose to partner with Summer Discovery for
summer programs.
Each summer, motivated middle and high school students have the opportunity to experience life and
academics on a college campus with Summer Discovery. Our dynamic programs provide students opportunities to learn more about a subject area of their interest, explore their future careers, and meet like-
minded peers. Students attend classes taught by qualified pre-college instructors, subject matter experts and
industry professionals and gain hands-on learning experience in and outside of the classroom. Our mission is
to provide the best experiential, university-based summer programs that positively impact students' lives
academically and beyond.
This course is conducted in partnership with Polygence, the premier online research academy for motivated
students looking for dedicated mentorship from expert academics and practitioners.
What’s the Role?
The Course Instructor serves as the lead classroom coordinator for the Summer Discovery Medical Research
Academy summer enrichment course at University of California, Berkeley. This full-day, two-week academy is
a project-based research intensive for academically motivated high school students interested in the field of
medicine and health sciences.
The Medical Research Academy leads students through an exploration of cutting-edge techniques and
methodologies used in modern medicine through a hands-on learning approach. Coursework will be
augmented with interactive lectures from renowned experts in the field and visits to state-of-the-art research
facilities. Students will gain valuable insights into the medical research field, develop critical thinking skills, and
practice rigorous academic research as they work towards developing their own research project to pursue in class and beyond. By the end of two weeks, students will have developed their research project proposal and
will submit it for review on the final in-person day.
Location: University of California, Berkeley
Dates:
- Session 1: June 29 - July 11, 2025
- Class is in session from 9am - 12pm and 1:30pm - 4pm
- Monday through Thursday (No class July 4)
- Session 2:July 13 - July 25, 2025
- Class is in session from 9am-11:30am and 1pm-3:30pm
- Monday through Friday (week 1) and Monday through Thursday (week 2)
Essential Functions
- Deliver a comprehensive course curriculum spanning 45 class hours over a two-week period.
- Facilitate experiential learning through a variety of methods, including project-based activities,
- academic site visits, and guest speaker engagements.
- Coordinate with Summer Discovery on-campus staff to organize logistics for hands-on learning
- experiences, off-campus field trips, and guest lectures.
- Collaborate with Teaching Assistants to address and support classroom needs effectively.
- Manage course materials and activities via the Canvas learning management system.
- Monitor and address any issues related to curriculum quality during instruction, providing timely
- updates to the on-campus team.
- Communicate any support or resource needs to the campus team promptly.
- Engage with the Summer Discovery Academics team via phone, email, or video conference starting in
- mid-May.
- Participate in up to three virtual training sessions prior to the program’s start.
- Perform a comprehensive review of the Canvas course page and create any additional supplemental
- learning activities or materials needed prior to the start of the program.
- Attend a mandatory two-hour on-campus orientation session scheduled for the morning of Saturday,
- June 28.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Proven track record in delivering undergraduate and high school instruction in the health sciences.
- Extensive experience in conducting research within the fields of medicine and health sciences.
- Demonstrated expertise in project-based instruction and curriculum development.
- Adept at organizing resources, prioritizing tasks, and managing complex projects.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to assess and evaluate various solutions, conclusions, or
- approaches to problems using logic and reasoning.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to collaborate effectively in dynamic, fast-paced
- team environments.
- Advanced verbal and written communication abilities, including experience presenting to both small
- and large audiences.
- Capacity to excel in an environment that values diversity and is committed to promoting equity and
- inclusion.
- Proven ability to manage multiple assignments efficiently, meeting deadlines while maintaining high
- attention to detail.
- Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and complete assignments with minimal
- supervision.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- MA, PhD, MD, (or current students thereof) at an accredited institution in medicine and health
- sciences or related research discipline preferred.
- Subject matter expertise in medicine and health sciences.
- Research expertise in medicine and health sciences.
- 3+ years of experience as an undergraduate instructor or teaching assistant and/or high school
- teaching experience preferred.
- Experience with project-based learning and instruction.
- Appropriate combination of relevant education, industry experience, and certifications may be
- considered.
- Must be at least 21 years of age and be eligible to work in the US.
- Proficiency in MS Office, Google Suite, and Canvas LMS.
- This is a seasonal summer position and requires the ability to commute daily to UC Berkeley campus on
- designated class days.
Compensation starting at $3,500 per 2-week session, commensurate with qualifications and relevant
experience.
Employment is contingent upon a satisfactory employment background check.
Summer Discovery embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that
represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work
will be.