High School Chemistry Teacher Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the high school chemistry teacher job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements candidates will be expected to meet to be hired for the high school chemistry teacher role.

What Does A High School Chemistry Teacher Do?

A high school chemistry teacher is charged with the duty of communicating the world of chemistry in a way that students find it fascinating, relatable and useful.

They usually report to the school principal or department chair.

Chemistry teachers, according to Science Buddies, assist students in understanding the physical world, including the various reactions that go on in our bodies and around us, such as how soap and detergents work.

These teachers can be employed in a private or public high school that spans the landscape of the country. Some are employed to teach outside the country.

To be qualified as a high school chemistry teacher, you should have a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry or a related discipline.

Many go on to study for a Master’s degree or a teaching program. To keep sharp one must consistently pursue professionally development to keep up with the latest findings in the field.

The high school chemistry teacher job description involves creating and implementing the chemistry curriculum in line with state requirements and providing lesson plans that cater to students with different learning styles.

High school chemistry teachers also carry out lab experiment to bring theory to life and evaluate students’ performance through tests, assignments and projects

Additional duties that they perform may include managing classroom environment in an orderly fashion as well as guiding the school science club or chemistry Olympiad group.

Chemistry teachers in high school are responsible for procuring lab equipment for the department.

They attend faculty meeting and take part in the parent-teacher meetings.

Collaborating with others for cross-curricular engagements and being a part of continuous training and development are part of the things expected from high school chemistry teachers.

The chemistry curriculum is standard across the country but the position can make a lot of difference in the light of available resources and educational priorities.

Although, the specific execution of this standardized curriculum can stretch significantly from school to school and district to district.

The obtainable resources, facilities, and educational priorities of a particular school or district can have a sizeable impact on how the chemistry curriculum is provided and experienced by students.

For example, a well-financed school in an affluent part of town may boast of a state-of-the-art chemistry labs, abundant instructional materials, and opportunities for advanced chemistry coursework and extracurricular activities.

In contrast, a deprived school in an underserved community may struggle to deliver basic lab equipment, standard textbooks, and adequate instructional time for chemistry.

The most important educational consideration of a school or district can also shape how the chemistry curriculum is given weight and approached.

Some may give precedence to hands-on experimentation and problem-solving, while others may focus more on rote memorization of facts and formulas.

So while the primary chemistry curriculum may be standard, the on-the-ground chemistry education that students receive can differ greatly depending on the particular resources, facilities, and priorities of their school or district.

This variation can create significant differences in students’ chemistry learning experiences and outcomes.

Employers are keen on candidates who possess solid communication prowess that can both motivate and enforce lab safety standards.

At the end of the day, employers seek candidates who exhibit a combination of communication prowess and safety leadership as these chops would uniquely position a candidate to contribute to a productive, efficient, and secure lab environment.

These skill-set are steadily seen as a critical competitive advantage in today’s job market.

National regulations as to certifications, requirements and curriculum standards are non-negotiable, including the local and state rules.

According to the American Chemical Society, to teach chemistry in a public school in all the states of the U.S. requires some certification.

However, the requirements for certification differ from state to state. So, you have to check out what the requirements are for the state you want to teach in.

High School Chemistry Teacher Job Description Example/Sample/ Template

The high school chemistry teacher job description consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Update chemistry curriculum as new standards are available
• Develop lesson plans that clearly outline objectives, activities and assessments
• Deliver engaging lectures to make chemistry concepts come to life
• Supervise lab experiments safely to reinforce the main concepts to students
• Work with technologies like simulations and multimedia software to help pass instructions to students
• Design test, quizzes and assignments to assess students grasp of the material
• Grade test and assignments promptly and provide constructive feedback
• Maintain accurate records of students’ attendance, grades and other details
• Enforce rules to ensure the classroom environment is conducive for learning
• Make sure lab equipment and instruments are maintained and accounted for
• Procure lab equipment for the department when needed
• Work cooperatively with other teachers at inter-disciplinary activities
• Stay up-to-date with the latest research and methodologies in chemistry.

High School Chemistry Teacher Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before as a high school chemistry teacher or are presently working in that role and are making a new resume or CV, you can apply the sample high school chemistry teacher  job description provided above in making the Professional Experience part of your resume.

You can highlight the duties and responsibilities you performed as a high school chemistry teacher in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the ones presented in the sample job description above.

This will show that you have been successful performing duties and responsibilities of a high school chemistry teacher, which can greatly enhance your chances of getting the job that you are seeking, especially if the new job requires someone with some high school chemistry teacher work experience.

High School Chemistry Teacher Skills Knowledge and Abilities for Career Success

Here are important requirements that candidates seeking the high school chemistry teacher role are usually expected to fulfill to be hired:

• Expert knowledge on chemistry principles and concepts, lab protocols and safety
• Able to pass chemistry knowledge in a way student at different learning levels can grasp
• Possess solid speaking and presentation skills
• Creative in crafting engaging lessons plans
• Can be patient and able to motivate disengaged students
• Can manage and discipline the classroom space
• Have organizational skills for shuffling different activities like lessons development, meetings, grading, teaching etc.
• Approachable to accommodate different needs from students
• Have interpersonal skills to mentor students and work with team members.

High School Chemistry Teacher Employment

The number of chemistry teachers presently in employment in the United States is more than 48,554. This is from the data published by Zippia.

Of this number, women are 25,102 while men are 23,452.

States with the highest number of jobs for chemistry teachers include California and Texas, with 1,840 and 1,707 employments.

• California, 1,840
• Texas, 1,707
• Illinois, 1,413
• Florida, 1,322
• New Jersey, 1,009.

In terms of industry, education and government are among the industries with the highest number of employed chemistry teachers, with 43,213 and 1,457employments respectively.

High School Chemistry Teacher Salary

The salary of a chemistry school teacher in the United States is on the average $52,651 per annum and $25.31 per hour, according to data on Zippia.

The states that pay the highest salaries to chemistry teachers in the U.S include Maryland ($85,442) and Rhode Island ($78,430).

Conclusion

This guide is helpful to students considering a career as a chemistry teacher or employers looking for candidates to fill that role.

They can apply information on this page to learn about what high school chemistry teachers do and to create a detailed job description.

A high school chemistry teacher is a creative, driven, and passionate person that wants to shape the next generation of scientist and innovators that will change the world.

A high school chemistry teacher is a bit of many things to a student. They inspire, engage, and bring chemistry concepts to life.

If you are a student considering this career path, then this article has enough information to help you know how that career choice should look like.

As a candidate seeking a job in this position, you have all you need to learn about the duties and responsibilities expected from public and private schools.

It also has information about the educational requirements and skill-set that administrators find desirable. High school chemistry teachers are part of those that will challenge young minds to see the miracles possible with chemistry.

High School Chemistry Teacher Resources

Here are helpful resources to help you develop your career and be successful as a chemistry teacher: