Start date
August 31, 2026

End date
September 11, 2026

Duration
15 weeks

ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Activity/project background

The Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco (CIATEJ), Southeast Unit, is a public research center offering national award-winning master’s and doctoral programs in biotechnological innovation. Each year, these programs admit approximately 10–12 graduate students from across Mexico with academic backgrounds in agrifood sciences, biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, and plant biotechnology. CIATEJ aims to train highly specialized scientific talent through advanced research, innovation, and scientific development.

Despite a minimum TOEFL entry requirement of 450, incoming graduate students display a wide range of English proficiency levels. Students are expected to read, analyze, and discuss scientific literature in English and, in some cases, collaborate with international thesis advisors or present research to English-speaking audiences. However, the academic curriculum does not include formal English instruction. Students must independently strengthen their reading, writing, and oral communication skills to meet graduation requirements, including achieving a TOEFL score of 550.

Limited resources and varying proficiency levels present significant challenges that can affect students’ academic progress and future opportunities in scientific and technological fields. Thus, to strengthen students’ English communication skills, CIATEJ is requesting the support of a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) who will work with approximately 10 graduate students. The VSPP will facilitate small-group online sessions once or twice per week focused on reading comprehension, academic writing, and oral presentation skills. Through these structured activities, the VSPP will help students develop the language competencies needed for academic success, international collaboration, and professional advancement in scientific research.

The organization has previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a Peace Corps Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.

Engagement and tasks

The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their host country partners:

• Co-assess students’ English proficiency and co-plan language support priorities during the first week of the engagement
• Co-design weekly session plans and upload materials to a shared cloud‑based folder throughout the engagement
• Facilitate small‑group English language support sessions once or twice per week (approximately 3–4 students per group), focusing on reading comprehension, academic writing, and oral presentation skills
• Provide weekly feedback on student work and conduct monthly progress assessments and summaries with the counterpart
• Meet with the counterpart biweekly to plan, review, and evaluate project progress, and maintain ongoing communication via email or WhatsApp to coordinate activities and share resources
  
  

VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5–15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be eight hours per week, of which approximately four hours will be online collaboration.

Online collaboration will generally occur between 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Mexico time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.

The host country counterpart will have access to email, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams for regular communication and collaboration.

Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.

Optional Additional Activities

The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:

• To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
• To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
• To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
  
  

Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.

Essential Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in any field and/or relevant certification: TEFL, TESOL, Cambridge, or similar

Experience: 2 years of TEFL/English teaching to university students or adults

Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually