How to Write a Science Teacher Resume (With Example)

Updated 26 May 2023

A science teacher is a professional educator who works at a public or private secondary school and teaches students scientific topics, such as biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy and others. To secure a position as a science teacher, you're often required to provide hiring schools with a resume that outlines your relevant experience, skills and qualifications for the job. Learning how to write an effective resume can help you progress to the interview stage of the screening process. In this article, we present a step-by-step guide on how to write a science teacher resume and provide a resume template and example.

How to write a science teacher resume

Here's a step-by-step guide you can follow to write an effective science teacher resume:

1. Choose a suitable resume format

Before you craft your resume, determine whether a chronological or functional resume is more suitable for featuring your experience, skills and accomplishments as a science teacher. For example, if you're someone who's taught at multiple skills and accumulated a wealth of experience, consider using a chronological resume. With this format, you can detail your teaching experience in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent position. This is beneficial for experienced teachers because it allows them to showcase the relevant duties they've performed and achievements they've accomplished. A chronological resume includes the following components:

Contact details
Professional summary
Work history
Professional skills
Educational qualifications

Alternatively, you might be a recent university graduate and applying for your first teaching position. In this context, consider using a functional resume instead. Rather than focusing on your work history, the functional format allows you to detail your relevant skills and provide examples of situations where you performed a task using your chosen abilities. This can help you add information to your resume even though you may have limited work experience.

2. Examine the job description

Next, examine the job description of your desired opening to determine the specific experience and skills the employer is searching for in a successful candidate. Knowing this information can help you craft your resume in a way that addresses selection criteria.

For example, an employer might state in their description that they're searching for a science teacher with experience developing and implementing physics programs for Year 7 to 9 students. Instead of sending a generic resume, you might include examples of physics programs you've designed or successful ones you've delivered. Developing a resume that caters to selection criteria in this way can capture the interest of hiring managers and increase your chances of getting your application shortlisted.

3. Provide your contact details

Once you're ready to begin your resume, start by writing your contact details at the top of your document. This is important because it allows hiring managers to contact you and arrange an interview if they're interested in your application. Begin with your full name in a large and bold font. Underneath this, add several pieces of contact information, including your phone number, email address and the city and state in which you live. Here's an example of how this might appear on your resume:

Seth Barwell
0455 667 129 | s.barwell@email.com | Sydney, New South Wales

4. Include a professional summary

A professional summary is a brief paragraph that provides potential employers with a synopsis of your professional background. This can include your years of experience, most notable skills and a significant achievement or qualification you wish to share. Because a professional summary is typically located at the top of a resume, it's often the first thing a hiring manager reads when they're scanning candidate resumes. For this reason, writing an effective summary can help you immediately engage the reader and entice them to continue reading your document.

5. Describe your work experience

The work experience section is perhaps the most important feature of a resume. This is because it's where hiring employers can assess whether a candidate has performed tasks that apply to the vacant position. Many teaching candidates often have similar educational qualifications, so this is where you can differentiate yourself by showcasing your professional experience as a science teacher. You can format this section by listing your job title and employment dates on one line, followed by your employer's name and the city and state you worked in on the following line. Here's an example of this:

Science Teacher | January 2017–November 2021 Fountain Central High School | Perth, Western Australia

Underneath your employment details, provide bullet points that describe relevant duties you performed in the role or noteworthy accomplishments you achieved. When detailing an experience you currently perform, use the present tense. For example, you might write, Develop chemistry assessments for Year 12 students. If you're recounting a task you performed in a previous role, use the past tense. For example, Developed chemistry assessments for Year 12 students.

6. List your skills

Including a skills section is an excellent way to further emphasise your capabilities as a science teacher. Include a variety of hard and soft skills here. Hard skills are abilities you've developed from undertaking specific training courses or from repetitive practise in a previous job role. Some hard abilities that may benefit a science teacher include classroom management strategies, strong content knowledge, public speaking skills, lesson plan development and knowledge of digital learning tools.

Soft skills refer to innate traits and behaviours that enable someone to have situational awareness and interact effectively with others. In teaching, having these abilities is essential, as teachers communicate ideas to students and building supportive relationships. Listing your soft skills can appeal to hiring schools and encourage them to consider you for their vacant role. Here are some excellent soft skills you can include on your resume if you have them:

Interpersonal communication
Active listening
Time management
Critical thinking
Compassion
Assertiveness
Enthusiasm
Creativity

Related: Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

7. Outline your educational qualifications

Occupying a position as a science teacher requires strong content knowledge and an ability to manage classrooms and design appropriate lessons. Gaining these technical skills often requires university training. Because of this, it's essential to include information about your relevant degrees and certifications, as hiring employers usually search for these when reviewing a candidate's resume. Format this section by first listing the title of your degree or certification, followed by the name of the awarding institution or school. For example, list education like Bachelor of Education (Secondary Science), Millstone University

Resume template for science teachers

Here's a template you may find helpful when devel oping your resume:

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State]
Professional Summary
[Two to three sentences that highlight years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional.]
Experience
(For the most recent role, list five experience items. For previous roles, list three.)
[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City], [State]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results.
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City], [State]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results.
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

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Resume example for science teachers

Here's a resume example you can refer to for guidance when creating your own:

Melissa Parker 0477 981 223 | m.parker@email.com | Perth, Western Australia
Professional Summary
Passionate science teacher with over 12 years of experience working in regional and suburban high schools. Expertise in teaching and assessment strategies, classroom management and lesson design, with advanced qualifications in applied chemistry. Seeking a full-time science teacher position with North Valley Secondary College to provide its students with highly competent teaching.

Experience
Science Teacher | February 2016–Current
Woodlands Secondary College | Perth, Western Australia

Created and implemented over 120 unique lessons in areas of chemistry, biology and physics
Develop end-of-term assessments and provide students with meaningful feedback in the subsequent weeks
Direct an after-school tutoring program for year 11 and 12 students to prepare them for their examinations
Regularly meet with parents to discuss student progress and offer advice for academic improvement
Organise scientific experiments in safe classroom environments that encourage investigative learning

Science Teacher | July 2010–December 2015
Wilson Bay Regional High School | Bunbury, Western Australia

Delivered six classes per day, covering various topics like physics, human anatomy and chemistry
Attended weekly staff meetings and contributed to discussions by sharing teaching observations and ways to achieve better results
Designed supplementary tutoring classes that helped over 50 students increase their grade average

How to Write a Science Teacher Resume (With Example)