Ready to redefine education? At NextGen Academy, we're flipping the script on traditional schooling.

Imagine a learning environment where academic excellence meets competitive gaming mastery. We've revolutionized the school day: two laser-focused hours of adaptive learning followed by immersive eSports training in Fortnite, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros, and beyond. Our 5th-8th graders aren't just playing games—they're developing critical skills in a high-performance ecosystem.

We're seeking dynamic mentors, not conventional teachers. You're a performance catalyst who can electrify a room, someone who's achieved excellence in your field and can transfer that winning mindset to young competitors. Based at our cutting-edge Austin campus, you'll transform academic potential into tangible results through structured coaching, contagious energy, and strategic eSports training.

Every day, you'll bring intensity and purpose. You'll maintain authority without sacrificing connection. You'll cultivate team cohesion, champion excellence, and make every achievement feel like unlocking the next level.

If traditional education never seemed like your calling—perfect. Bring your passion for competitive gaming, technology, and performance psychology to shape champions who excel both in-game and in life.

What You Will Be Doing

• Orchestrating high-productivity learning blocks by implementing performance routines, challenging students to surpass daily benchmarks, and fostering disciplined focus during their concentrated academic sessions.
• Leading tactical eSports training that transforms gaming from recreation to skill development, emphasizing elite communication, collaborative strategy, and competitive analysis.
• Exemplifying peak performance behaviors—demonstrating impeccable time management, mental toughness, sustained concentration, and emotional intelligence.
• Cultivating a championship mindset where both academic progress and gaming advancement are approached with professional athlete-level dedication.
• Providing targeted individual guidance—identifying performance barriers, celebrating milestone achievements, and empowering students to maintain accountability for their growth trajectory.
  
  

What You Won’t Be Doing

• Developing curriculum or evaluating assignments—our academic framework is established, allowing you to focus on performance coaching rather than content creation.
• Facilitating traditional classroom instruction—you won't deliver lectures or coordinate conventional group activities.
• Permitting mediocrity—this isn't recreational gaming or casual enrichment; you'll consistently elevate standards and expectations.
• Enforcing artificial stillness—your role is to harness and direct students' natural energy toward productive outcomes, not suppress their enthusiasm.
  
  

Counselor Key Responsibilities

Architect and maintain a dynamic, achievement-oriented environment that maximizes academic potential and personal development through the structured competitive framework of eSports training.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor's degree (field of study open)
• Demonstrated excellence in a competitive domain (collegiate athletics, academic competitions, professional gaming, etc.)
• Proven track record mentoring or coaching young people to achieve ambitious performance targets
• Commanding presence with the ability to energize, refocus, and motivate pre-teens and early adolescents in dynamic settings
• Authentic enthusiasm for competitive gaming, eSports culture, emerging technologies, or computational thinking
• Authorization to work in the United States without visa sponsorship
• Commitment to on-site work in Austin, Texas
  
  

Nice-to-have Requirements

• Background in performance-driven environments (competitive sports programs, military service, high-growth startups)
• Documented success converting underachieving youth into disciplined, goal-oriented performers
• Practical knowledge of contemporary competitive gaming titles popular with Generation Alpha, particularly Fortnite and Rocket League
  
  

About NextGen Academy

There’s a new school in town that is revolutionizing education for 5th-8th graders who love gaming.

There is so much to cover for this exciting role, and space here is limited. Hit the Apply button if you found this interesting and want to learn more. We look forward to meeting you!

Working with us

This is a full-time (40 hours per week), long-term position. The position is immediately available and requires entering into an independent contractor agreement with Crossover as a Contractor of Record. The compensation level for this role is $50 USD/hour, which equates to $100,000 USD/year assuming 40 hours per week and 50 weeks per year. The payment period is weekly. Consult www.crossover.com/help-and-faqs for more details on this topic.

Crossover Job Code: LJ-5146-US-Chicago-Counselor.001