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Civic Education Project

Work with CEP

Create Life-changing Experiences for Student Leaders

Accepting Applications

Online, Day Camp, and Residential Opportunities at Northwestern University

Now Hiring for Spring and Summer Positions

Administrative, Instructional, Residential, and Online staff positions available

The Civic Education Project (CEP) hires passionate, dedicated educators to work with highly motivated middle and high school students to explore our nation's most pressing social issues and ways students can take action.

If you want to help develop socially responsible young leaders, then CEP wants you!

Working with CEP: What to Expect

CEP programs are quite intensive, and all staff positions require a significant commitment.
 

Before the Program

  • Once hired, staff are expected to spend sufficient time prior to the program reviewing pre-program online trainings, including staff handbooks and curriculum materials, and (if applicable) preparing lesson plans and activities.

During the Program

  • Each day involves several different activities, and program curricula move at a fairly quick pace.
  • Following the program, instructional staff have responsibilities for student evaluation and program documentation.

How to Have A Successful Experience

  • All staff should be committed to the goals of the program; attuned to the academic, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners; and understanding of the particular challenges of working with students in an online learning or residential environment.
  • Staff should possess passion, energy, creativity, organizational skills, flexibility, teamwork, and the ability to troubleshoot, problem solve, and manage stress.
  • Our most successful staff members not only appreciate the intensity of this kind of immersive experience, but also thrive within the community it creates.
How to Apply and Hiring Timelines

Please carefully review our Position Openings and Employment Dates before completing a staff application.

  • All Leadership Intensive and Returning Staff Applicants please complete: CEP Staff Application.
  • Civic Leadership Institute and Summer Leadership Intensive @ Northwestern Staff Applicants complete: Northwestern myHR 

*If you are applying for programs within both applications (ex. Leadership Intensive & Civic Leadership Institute), please first complete a Northwestern myHR application and then a CEP Staff Application, selecting "previously applied" so that you need only to select program preferences for CEP. 

In the Staff Application you will be asked to supply:

  • A current résumé reflecting your education, employment, and volunteer experience;
  • A brief personal statement of no more than 500 words, articulating why you are interested in these positions and what skills or experiences you bring to the program;
  • Contact information (name, phone number, email address) for three to five professional references. Note: references are contacted via email at the time candidates who are invited to interview for a position call CEP to schedule their interview.

Please prepare these materials before you begin the staff application, as you may not have the option to save and return to the application to complete it at a later time. 

You will be notified via e-mail once we have received your completed online application, résumé, and personal statement. Due to a high volume of applicants, we are unable to review incomplete applications.

Interview Process

Candidates receiving further consideration will be invited to participate in an interview via phone. Candidates may also be asked to submit additional materials during the hire process, including lesson or activity plans, official undergraduate and graduate transcripts, copies of teaching certifications, and additional references.

Hiring Timelines

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received, so candidates are encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration. Candidates will be notified of their status as soon as all positions are filled.

Season
Program(s)
Staff Consideration Begins
Hiring Decisions Begin

Spring             

 

Leadership Intensive 

 

February 15
(Returning Staff)

March 1
(New Staff)

March 15
(Returning & New Staff)

Summer

Leadership Intensive, 
Civic Leadership Institute,
Leadership for Today @ Northwestern

February 15 
(Returning Staff) 

March 15 
(New Staff) 

April 1 
(Returning & New Staff) 

 

Northwestern University Hiring Policies

Northwestern University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. For more information on recruitment and hiring policies, visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access.

All candidates selected for hire must successfully complete a criminal background check. (Background checks are at no cost to the candidate. Details will be discussed during the interview process.)

Instructor - Online Leadership Intensive (Grades 7-10)

Instructor - Leadership Intensive

Instructors are responsible for preparing and facilitating the course curriculum and evaluating student work via Schoology, CTD’s learning management system, and facilitating classes via Zoom, Northwestern University’s video conferencing platform. See the Online Leadership Intensive Instructor Job Posting for complete details.

Instructor compensation is $1,500 per course. 

Staff Positions - Academic Summer Camp at Northwestern (Grades 6-12)

Please see the Summer Job Opportunities page for position descriptions and dates for all in-person positions on Northwestern's campus for Summer 2024.

COVID-19 Health and Safety

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CTD will implement health and safety policies and procedures based on Northwestern University and CDC policies in effect at the time of each program. Following guidance from Northwestern University: 

  • Northwestern strongly recommends that all staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19. For more information, please visit our COVID-19 and Campus Updates website. 
  • CTD strongly recommends that students are vaccinated and boosted with an updated bivalent vaccine against COVID-19. Families will upload their student’s vaccination information into their health profile, after a student’s application and enrollment into the program. Students who are not vaccinated may be subject to additional health protocols.  

  • Regardless of vaccination status, students are subject to testing for COVID-19 during the program if they exhibit one or more common symptoms of COVID-19.   

  • Students must be tested for COVID-19 prior to arrival on campus. All families will upload documentation provided by a third-party clinician of their student’s negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to their arrival. Residential students will not be allowed to move into residence halls until a negative test is received.  

  • Students who test positive for COVID-19 during the program must be picked up by a parent/guardian or other adult designee within eight hours of the positive test result. Care will be provided on-site until the family member or designee arrives. Please be aware that a positive test result would likely make a child ineligible to travel by air, train, or bus, making it essential that all residential students have a parent or designated adult who will be in the United States and able to retrieve the students from campus. CTD cannot provide housing and supervision for residential students beyond the published dates of the program session in which they are enrolled for any reason.  

Northwestern University COVID-19 Health and Safety policies are reviewed regularly and periodically updated in response to ongoing data monitoring and guidance from public health officials and are therefore subject to change. During the program, program administrators will take a conditions-based approach to managing program activities based on risk levels as reported by the CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health. COVID-19 health and safety protocols may include measures such as masks, distancing, additional cleaning protocols, changes to scheduled program activities, and Northwestern University policies as warranted by current public health conditions.   

All CTD students will be expected to comply with policies in effect during the dates of the program for which they are registered and may be removed from the program for non-compliance without refund.   

 

Contact Us

For questions regarding the application process or working with CEP, please contact:
cep@northwestern.edu

Quick Links

CEP Staff Application 
(Leadership Intensive & Returning Staff)

Northwestern myHR Application  
(Civic Leadership Institute & Summer Leadership Intensive @ Northwestern) 

Current Position Openings

Refer a Staff Candidate

Contact CEP

Connect with CEP!

Join our e-mail list to hear about position openings and opportunities! 
 

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"This is a powerful experience for students and staff—I wish I could teach like this year-round.” – CEP Educator
 

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