Academic Support Specialist – Computer Science + Astronomy (Contract) LOOKING FOR Academic Support Specialist – Computer Science + Astronomy (Contract) JOB AT Brooklyn, NY

What We Do
Outlier.org (from the co-founder of MasterClass) is reimagining higher education as a resource that is accessible, equitable, and affordable for everyone. We have developed the world’s best online, for-credit university-level courses, taught by some of the most celebrated educators in the world. Our courses employ cinematic content powered by cutting-edge cognitive science to create an immersive, student-friendly learning experience that delivers game-changing student success levels. We are a quickly-growing team working on a dual mission: Increase access to quality college education and dramatically reduce student debt.
Who We Are
Outliers are kind, curious, competent, creative, and resourceful. We are a passionate multidisciplinary team working to increase access to quality education for everyone. We believe in using the scientific method and evidence-based conclusions. We respect intuition and art. We give credit where credit is due. We hold one another to high standards. We value constructive feedback. We love to try new things. We take our work seriously, not ourselves. We work hard and go above-and-beyond to ensure great student outcomes and we strongly believe in taking care of ourselves and making sure we stay healthy to continue to pursue our mission as best we can.
Are you an Outlier?

About the Role
We’re looking for a passionate, personable Academic Support Specialist to support Outlier students as they navigate our online, college-level Computer Science and Astronomy courses. You’ll be offering academic support in a number of ways, including: directly responding to questions about the course materials and assessments; monitoring, responding to, and guiding online discussion boards; providing supplemental tutoring; and sharing insights about learner challenges to drive continuous product and content improvements. You will be part of, and work closely with, our Student Success team to appropriately and effectively address student subject matter questions, as well as partner with our Content & Product teams to continuously evolve our learning materials and experience.
This is a remote, part-time, 3-month contract role, with a possibility to extend. The position will have flexible hours, according to business needs, with a maximum of 10 hours per week, and will report to the Director of Student Success and Advising.
What You’ll Do
Academic Support:

• Serve as the main point of contact for students seeking academic help in the following Outlier courses: Computer Science I, Introduction to Astronomy.
• Provide and oversee tutoring for these courses across various channels, including but not limited to: one-to-one email, course discussion forums, one-on-one and one-to-many virtual tutoring sessions, recorded Q&A, and evergreen self-service resources.
• Effectively communicate difficult concepts in a fun, easy-to-understand manner, while exhibiting patience and empathy with all students.
• Monitor and facilitate productive online discussions for students in the listed courses.
• Propose additions and enhancements to course content using data and insights from student interactions.
• Act as an advocate and voice for Outlier students, surfacing their ideas and effectively communicating their perspectives and feedback with the internal Student Success team and other appropriate stakeholders.

Administrative Support:

• Surface common pain points or actionable trends from Computer Science and Astronomy students with the Student Success and Content teams, as appropriate.
• Perform customer service duties, such as acknowledging student feedback, bug reports, and course content issues, and passing these on to the appropriate parties at Outlier.

Who You Are

• A wiz (with a Bachelor’s degree, minimum) in Computer Science, Astronomy, or a related field
• Experience teaching, tutoring, or otherwise directly supporting student learning in higher education
• An outgoing, warm personality motivated by supporting and engaging with students
• Exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals and groups at all levels
• Well-developed problem-solving skills with the ability to distill complex concepts and information into accessible formats
• Excellent administrative acumen and time management skills
• Adept communicator across email, social media, phone, and video conference
• Ability to take ownership, but comfortable asking for help when stuck
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Hard-working, with a “no task is too small” attitude
• Strong attention to organization, detail, and follow-through
• Able to work independently, exercise good judgment and discretion, and maintain confidentiality

Nice to Haves

• Advanced degrees and/or teaching credentials in relevant fields
• Proficiency in G Suite, Slack, and ZenDesk
• Experience with online discussion forums (e.g., Yellowdig) a plus
• Start-up experience is a plus

Please note: Outlier.org hopes to recruit and advance qualified minorities, women, LGBTQ, persons with disabilities, and veterans, among others—we welcome and encourage all applicants. One of Outlier.org’s goals is for our team and culture to reflect the diverse student populations we serve. We remain committed to recognizing the best talent wherever it may be.
We are an Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) Employer. It has been and will continue to be a fundamental policy of Outlier not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, partnership status, domestic violence victim status, sexual orientation, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, veteran or military status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, caregiver status, unemployment status or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state and/or local laws. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, layoff, termination, working conditions, transfer, job assignment, and benefits.

Job Types: Part-time, Contract