Assistant Director, Engaged Teaching
The University of California, San Diego
About this position
Position Description
The mission of the Teaching + Learning Commons (the Commons) is to advance student success through teaching excellence and comprehensive academic student support; to be an incubator for student academic success innovations; to increase access to education on campus and beyond; and to advance equity and inclusion within the organization and through its programs and services. The Commons’ work encompasses four areas: instructor support to advance teaching excellence; undergraduate and graduate student support to advance student success at UC San Diego and beyond; intellectual and professional development of graduate and undergraduate students, including Commons’ student employees; and equity and inclusion for all UC San Diego students, staff, and educators. The Commons is committed to recruiting, advancing, and supporting a diverse team who will contribute to our mission by working effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds, will actively promote equity and inclusion within the organization and through our programs and services, and is dedicated to continuous learning. The Teaching + Learning Commons promotes faculty and student success through programs and resources that support faculty and graduate students in their teaching roles. Our goal is to inspire and advance teaching excellence through evidence-based, learner-centered, and equitable teaching practices. The programs and services of the Commons serve the entire university’s teaching community, including ladder-rank professors, teaching professors, non-Senate lecturers, and adjuncts, as well as graduate students working as teaching assistants and postdoctoral scholars preparing to enter the faculty ranks in the future. With general direction from the Director of Engaged Teaching, the Assistant Director works collaboratively and creatively with the Teaching and Learning Commons team and others to engage in curriculum redesign, support educator development, and create instructional resources that support teaching excellence with a goal toward faculty and student success. Incumbent responsibilities include: designing, delivering, and assessing educational programs across disciplines that support scholarly, evidence-based teaching, and learner-centered curriculum design; providing individual and departmental consulting on teaching effectiveness; providing formative feedback on teaching practices, course materials, and course design; researching and developing online teaching resources; contributing to the scholarship of teaching and learning; and providing leadership and support for the Commons and the university's teaching and learning initiatives. The incumbent is expected to provide pedagogical expertise to support teaching and learning in STEM disciplines, teaching and learning with Gen AI, and leading workshops, learning communities, and various STEM-related initiatives. The Assistant Director will also serve on university teaching-related committees and projects as needed. Work Schedule: Hybrid, with the expectation to work on campus (La Jolla) a minimum of three days per week. Occasional evenings and weekends may be required. Submission of a cover letter along with a resume is required for a complete application.
Qualifications
Demonstrated ability to design and deliver research-informed presentations to both large and small groups as well as to communicate effectively on a one-to-one basis. Strong analytical, verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills and strong presentation skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in program-level curriculum design. Manage all stages of the process from data collection to curriculum mapping, in addition to implementation and assessment. Professional experience in a higher education environment and experience working with faculty members. Experience conducting careful project research, analyzing data, creating reports, and developing and implementing surveys. Demonstrated knowledge of adult learning theory and practices and their application to the development of programs and services that support educators in improving teaching practices. Thorough knowledge of applying adult learning theories and education methodologies. Experience in the design and development of instructional materials, educational experiences, and learning assessments. Strong skills to conduct needs assessment and development of new training courses to meet organizational needs. Thorough knowledge of current training programs and trends. Demonstrated knowledge of learning theory and pedagogical practices. Demonstrated ability to develop and assess faculty development programs and provide supportive, professional, and service-oriented assistance. Thorough knowledge of functional area and understands how work may impact other areas. Thorough analytical skills to conduct analysis and develop recommendations, demonstrating organization and problem-solving skills. Strong critical and analytical thinking skills, including the ability to analyze situations, identify existing and potential problems, recommend solutions, determine and implement procedures to accomplish effective resolution, and evaluate results. Strong skills in planning, resourcing and monitoring effective delivery of training. Ability to independently prioritize and schedule work effectively within set guidelines to meet established deadlines, with special attention to detail and interrelationships of tasks and people. Ability to independently manage complex tasks, with competing demands for time and resources without sacrificing quality and attention to detail. Demonstrated ability to work individually, in partnership or as part of a team. Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment, with the acumen and sensitivity to identify those decisions and activities which require higher level consultation and/or group collaboration. PREFERRED: A STEM degree, curriculum design experience, and teaching at the college level are strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to apply education research methodologies and theoretical perspectives to teaching and learning, and experience engaging Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.