Academic Administrator III for Life Science Core Education Department

Academic Administrator III for Life Science Core Education Department

The Life Sciences Core Education Department at UCLA invites highly qualified applicants for an Academic Administrator position. Academic Administrators serve as instructors and course coordinators and are non-tenure track faculty who play an integral role in supporting the department's educational mission. The Academic Administrator will teach and coordinate LS7C (Human Biology & Physiology), one of our introductory biology courses. The position will teach one section of LS7C per quarter while also providing logistical and managerial support for this course. Responsibilities will include coordinating course operations, supporting instructional activities, and working collaboratively with faculty, teaching assistants, and other instructional staff to ensure a high-quality learning experience for students. The Academic Administrator will join a collaborative community of faculty within the Life Sciences Core Education Department who will teach introductory biology or mathematics courses serving UCLA's life sciences majors. Collectively, these courses serve more than 3,000 diverse undergraduate students each year and have demonstrated success in supporting students persistence in the life sciences majors. This position will report directly to the Department Chair. Professional development options are available to the candidate at UCLA and through programs such as SABER. This is a full-time, two-year contract position, with the possibility to extend.

Key Responsibilities:

• The Academic Administrator will teach one offering of LS7C each term and maintain teaching excellence using evidence-based teaching practices.
• They will plan and implement course activities and ensure alignment of activities to assessments and established learning outcomes. This includes the course syllabus, course calendar, exams, and a framework for student grade determination. In addition, they will use data to inform decisions regarding curricular changes to meet course learning objectives and student retention goals.
• Because LS7C is a prerequisite course which provides the foundation for subsequent biology classes, there is a need for the Academic Administrator to provide logistical support that promotes greater course uniformity across all sections of LS7C. To that end, the Academic Administrator will ensure that all sections of LS7C taught are meeting the same learning outcomes. This course must also be aligned with the learning outcomes that span across all LS7 series courses.
• Build and maintain a community of practice among the LS7C instructional team to engage in sustained efforts to collectively improve instructional practices and support the faculty to achieve excellence in their teaching. This includes mentoring new faculty by offering professional development for implementing active learning and concept delivery, as well as handling varied student concerns and accommodations that contribute to student success. Also, support faculty with mastering technology required for the instruction of the course, including textbook integration to class websites and polling and learning-management systems.
• Mentor teaching assistants (TAs) and provide them with training relevant to course activities and discussion sections. Also mentor students in your class about how best to learn the material.

Qualifications:

Basic qualifications: Qualified candidates must have a Ph.D. in a life science discipline relevant to the curriculum of LS7C (Physiology and Human Biology) and have university-level experience in teaching undergraduates.

Additional qualifications: In addition, the successful candidate should have experience with evidence-based teaching practices, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and strong administrative skills.

Preferred qualifications: Preferred skills in this position include experience in data analysis to support student learning and retention, the ability to assess and respond to students' and instructors' experiences and show a commitment to help diverse students learn.

Application Requirements:

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Reference check authorization release form - Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
• Statement of Teaching
• References - Contact information of three references.

About UCLA:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.