Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Executive Director, UCLA Center for Education Innovation & Learning in the Sciences


Executive Director, UCLA Center for Education Innovation & Learning in the Sciences (CEILS)

The University of California, Los Angeles is seeking an individual to lead a campus unit that serves all 13 departments in the Life and Physical Sciences Divisions. The unit’s mission is to support a collaborative community of instructors committed to teaching excellence. In the five years since its inception, CEILS has become a national leader in innovative science pedagogy and in approaches to increase the inclusivity of science education.
The Executive Director would develop and implement a plan of activities to improve teaching, curriculum, and student success, annually develop and manage a budget to carry out the mission of CEILS, and supervise CEILS personnel. Specific responsibilities would include training activities such as workshops, seminars, institutes, and consultations in support of science instructors seeking to increase the use of evidence-based and inclusive teaching practices in their courses. The Executive Director is also expected to supervise, train, and evaluate all CEILS personnel, currently comprised of four full-time staff members, including a Senior Associate Director, a Senior Associate Director for Instructional and Professional Development, an Associate Director for Educational Development, and an Administrative Assistant, in addition to nine Instructional Consultants. The Executive Director will employ data analytics to inform departments about the success of their efforts to increase the equity and inclusivity of science education at UCLA. The incumbent will report jointly to the Deans of Life and Physical Sciences, with direct supervision by a lead associate dean in one of those Divisions.
The Executive Director will lead and contribute to the development of proposals for extramural funding, manage funded projects, publish scholarly work related to education research and assessment associated with those projects, oversee UCLA’s participation in the nationwide Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) online network in collaboration with UCLA’s Graduate Division, and serve as an expert advisor on university and national committees supporting science education. In addition, the incumbent will be expected to collaborate with departments within Life and Physical sciences, the campus-wide Center for the Advancement of Teaching within the Division of Undergraduate Education, other discipline-based teaching and learning centers on campus, the Graduate Division, and the Academic Senate to expand education innovation efforts campus wide, and engage in community outreach to build relationships outside UCLA.
Candidates must have a Ph.D. or equivalent, significant administrative experience, and proven expertise in evidence-based teaching and learning pedagogies as applied to the sciences. We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience working with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and a demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for disadvantaged students. As a Lecturer with Security of Employment, the CEILS Executive Director will be a full member of the UCLA Academic Senate and have a secure faculty appointment in one of the Life and/or Physical Sciences Departments.
Candidates should submit the following: A Curriculum Vitae (with links to relevant publications), a statement describing the candidate's research in the area of science pedagogy, a statement describing their relevant experience and reflecting on their philosophy of teaching and learning, a statement of contributions to diversity, and names and contact information of three recommenders. All application materials should be submitted to: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF05335. Review of Applications will begin April 15 and interviews will be scheduled for end of April 2020. If you have questions, please contact Associate Dean Albert Courey, Physical Sciences (acourey@college.ucla.edu) or Associate Dean Blaire Van Valkenburgh, Life Sciences (bvanval@eeb.ucla.edu).
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, see: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy.