Music Production & Recording Instructor

Music Production & Recording Instructor

Independent Contractor | Part-Time

The STRIVE Initiative, Inc.
Location: Pottstown Middle School & Pottstown High School – Pottstown, PA
Term: September 2026–April 2027
Hours: Approximately 5–7 hours per week (2:30 PM – 4:30 PM) Mondays and Wednesdays
Compensation: $25–$27 per hour

About STRIVEThe STRIVE Initiative, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people through mentorship, multimedia career exploration, entrepreneurship, and hands-on learning experiences. Through STRIVE's Multimedia Career Exploration Program, middle and high school students gain practical exposure to creative industries while developing technical, communication, collaboration, and career-readiness skills.

Position OverviewSTRIVE is seeking an engaging and dependable Music Production & Recording Instructor to provide hands-on instruction to middle and high school students. The instructor will introduce students to music production and recording while helping them build technical skills, creativity, confidence, and an understanding of potential careers within the music and audio industries. STRIVE encourages instructors to work collaboratively across multimedia disciplines, creating opportunities for students to combine their skills through shared projects, presentations, and program deliverables. STRIVE will provide a Music Production & Recording curriculum to guide instruction and student outcomes. The instructor is not required to follow a strict week-by-week format but should use the curriculum as a framework to progressively guide students toward measurable skills and completed projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide approximately 5–7 hours of music production and recording instruction per week.
• Teach students the fundamentals of DAW operation, recording, music production, sound design, songwriting, mixing, and related concepts.
• Lead engaging, hands-on activities and individual and group projects.
• Help students progress toward measurable skills and completed music/recording projects.
• Maintain a safe, inclusive, age-appropriate, and engaging learning environment.
• Provide appropriate classroom management, student supervision, and redirection.
• Adapt instruction to support students with different learning styles, abilities, and experience levels.
• Follow STRIVE and Pottstown School District policies, procedures, and expectations while working with students.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality when working with students and families.
• Track student participation and progress and communicate relevant updates to STRIVE program staff.
• Submit accurate monthly invoices and documentation of hours worked.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in music production, recording, audio engineering, or a related field.
• Proficiency with digital audio workstations (DAWs), recording techniques, sound design, mixing, and related music-production technology.
• Experience teaching, mentoring, coaching, or working with middle and/or high school students preferred.
• Strong communication, organization, and classroom-management skills.
• Ability to engage students from diverse backgrounds and with varying learning needs.
• Dependable, professional, patient, creative, and comfortable working collaboratively within a public-school environment.
• Bachelor's degree in music, music education, audio production, or a related field preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered.

Required Clearances & Student SafetyBecause this position involves direct interaction with minors in a public-school setting, the selected contractor must obtain and/or maintain all required Pennsylvania and school-district clearances before beginning work with students.

Required clearances may include:

• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
• Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Record Check
• FBI fingerprint-based Criminal History Record Check
• Any additional clearances, employment-history reviews, training, or documentation required by Pennsylvania law, STRIVE, or Pottstown School District

The selected instructor must maintain appropriate professional boundaries with students and comply with all STRIVE and school-district policies related to student safety, mandated reporting, confidentiality, professional conduct, and appropriate communication with students and families.

Contractor InformationThis is an independent contractor position, not an employee position. Contractors are responsible for applicable federal, state, and local taxes.

The instructor will submit monthly invoices for approved hours worked and will be compensated according to the terms of the contractor agreement.

How to ApplyPlease submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing your music production/recording experience, experience working with youth, and interest in supporting STRIVE's Multimedia Career Exploration Program.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Help STRIVE inspire the next generation of creators, artists, audio professionals, and music producers.

The STRIVE Initiative, Inc. is committed to providing an inclusive environment and equal opportunity for qualified applicants.

Pay: $25.00 - $27.00 per hour

Expected hours: 5.0 – 7.0 per week

Work Location: In person