Program Instructor at Close Up Foundation

Position Overview | Civic program instructors are passionate about history, politics, government, current public policy issues, and experiential education for diverse students in grades 6-12. They lead daily program components for groups of students from across the United States, using our nation’s capital as a living classroom.  

NOTE: This is an in-person position.  

Responsibilities | Each week, Close Up’s civic program instructors are a catalyst for engaging middle and high school students from across the country in experiential programs in Washington, D.C. (with opportunities to travel to New York City, Florida, and other historical sites as well). Throughout each day, they hop on and off buses, guiding students through all program lessons and site visits in the D.C. area and other program locations. They lead an assigned “workshop” of 25 students over the course of the week as they have issue-centered discussions and deliberations; visit historical sites, monuments, museums, and government institutions; and attend meetings with policy experts and elected officials with the goal of empowering students for a life of active citizenship. Instructors are responsible for fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where students can explore multiple perspectives and engage in respectful discourse across ideological differences.  

Qualifications | Candidates must meet all criteria for this role.  

• Bachelor’s degree (preferably in political science, history, education, social science, or a related field).
• Proven public speaking skills, showcased through a brief teaching sample during the interview. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and connect with diverse groups of students. 
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to adapt to dynamic program requirements. 
• Authorization to work in the United States for any employer. 
• Passage of a post-offer criminal background check according to federal regulations for working with students.

Compensation and Benefits | The initial contract period is February 2- June, 30, 2026. At the conclusion of the initial contract period, there may be an opportunity to join the Foundation in a full-time/full-year role. Compensation includes:  

• An annualized salary of $41,592.
• All meals while working on student programs.  
• Mass transit subsidy or free garage parking.  

• Cell phone reimbursement (up to $50 per month). 
• Paid sick days.  
• Medical and dental insurance with low-cost premiums, vision coverage, and no-cost life/AD&D insurance. 
• Paid training (120 hours) in Close Up curriculum, methodology, and programming, followed by ongoing professional development. 
• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. 
• The opportunity to earn a free graduate credit upon completion of the contract with an accompanying research paper.  

Scheduled Hours | The civic program instructor schedule does not follow traditional working hours. Each week mirrors the student program schedule to which an instructor is assigned, generally a 50-hour week.   

• Program schedules typically run from 8am through 10pm, and programs usually start in the late afternoon on Sunday and conclude on Thursday night. 
• Most programs are based in Washington, D.C., but there are opportunities to travel to Florida and to historical cities including New York, Philadelphia, and Williamsburg. 

If you are excited about the prospect of empowering youth in civic engagement, we welcome you to apply and explore how you can join an amazing network of civic program instructors who have led more than one million students through the once-in-a-lifetime Close Up experience over 50+ years.  

To apply, please email your resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected].  

No phone calls or recruiters, please.  

Close Up Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Work Conditions and Physical Demands  

Standing: Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time. Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another. Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and leading activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly. Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and make fine discriminations in sound. Visual acuity: Performing an activity such as preparing and analyzing data, viewing a computer terminal, or reading. Environmental conditions: Activities occur inside and outside, potentially in extreme heat or cold, at times at a high noise level.