Full-Time Faculty - Department Of Special Education

Position Summary

The Department of Special Education invites applications for a Full-time Assistant or Associate Professor in Special Education or a closely related discipline with specialization in Mild and Moderate Supports and/or Extensive Supports for neurodiverse students. The successful candidate will demonstrate both a strong record in teaching for a diverse student body and the ability to help oversee the department’s curriculum from beginnings to present.

National University is a diverse, veteran-founded, non-profit university focused on serving adult learners. It is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant for employee per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a diverse mix of highly talented, innovative, and create people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University. We are focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, color, ancestry, age, family care status, veteran status, marital status, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and other legally protected group status.

Faculty provide intellectual leadership toward achievement of the highest possible level of excellence in teaching, scholarship, service, and professional development. The Faculty will teach courses within a programmatic core discipline by engaging students, offering excellent feedback, and inspiring students to achieve course and program outcomes relevant to the core discipline. This position works closely with other faculty within the discipline including the Course Lead, Academic Program Director, Assistant Dean and Dean by contributing to programmatic strategies that ensure program quality, student engagement and success.

Essential Functions:

Instruction

• Maintain the rigor, high standards and consistency of courses that attract, retain, and prepare a diverse body of students to meet workforce demands.
• Consistently provide support to at-risk students.
• Establishes personal and authentic presence while sharing experience, skills, and knowledge with students.
• Incorporate supplemental content in announcements, discussions, and assignment feedback to support student learning and engagement.
• Utilize effective teaching methods while encouraging higher order thinking.
• Reinforces alignment of course activities to course and program outcomes as evidenced by announcements, discussion participation, and feedback.
• Provide timely, substantive communication and feedback utilizing technology tools.
• Participates in course discussions actively and substantively.
• Posts weekly announcements providing guidelines for success and introducing weekly topics and expectations.
• Include multiple methods of engagement to create a positive learning environment that encourages motivation and persistence, maintaining frequent communication with students; offering opportunities for ongoing interaction to discuss feedback, addressing concerns, and plans; making accommodations to address learning styles by personalizing teaching and using appropriate tools or models of instruction.
• Adhere to National University’s academic integrity policy.
• Provide an inclusive learning environment that encourages student success and motivation.
• Apply innovative, uniquely competitive, and distinct high-performing techniques, approaches, and content knowledge in program courses.
• Consistently model good discussion practices and encourage active participation from students.
• Reinforces meaningful connections between course content and broader concepts.
• Seek out and encourage higher-order thinking through Socratic questioning, open-ended questions, multiple perspectives, and critical thinking and evaluation.
• Ensure course and program practices are in alignment with compliance and accreditation standards, as applicable.
• Consistently demonstrates awareness of the importance of inclusive practices and accessibility.
• Encourage student interactions and collaboration while providing direct and indirect support.
• Provides personalized, substantive, timely, and constructive feedback on assignments that empowers and encourages students to improve.
• Leverage adaptive and advanced technology-based educational approaches to student engagement and learning outcomes.
• Interact and reply to students within the introductory period, on discussion forums, and on assignment feedback.
• Provide and regularly reinforce available communication methods, response timelines, and office hours.

Scholarship

• Contribute to the university's position in given areas of academic pursuit through scholarly research.
• Engage in scholarly activities to maintain professional growth and accreditation expectations.

Service

• Participate in program meetings and advisory boards to integrate best practices and strategic initiatives.
• Serve on assigned university committees, societies, councils, and chapters, and engage in community activities that promote program outreach and university goals
• Align professional development activities with program objectives and faculty evaluation.
• Participate in professional development as outlined in the faculty handbook.
• Attend and participate in professional groups, staying abreast of new trends and innovations.

Supervisory Responsibilities: N/A

Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• Knowledge of, and experience within the last 10 years of teaching, children with mild and moderate and/or extensive support needs.
• Knowledge of the California teacher standards and expectations for teacher candidates earning an Education Specialist credential preferred.
• Experience in English language development in PK-12 preferred.
• A Ph.D. or Ed.D in Special Education or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 1 year of demonstrated experience developing and maintaining courses.
• Specialization in Mild and Moderate Supports and/or Extensive Supports for neurodiverse students preferred.
• Valid, state-issued teaching credential/license in Special Education.
• Minimum 3 years, within the last 10 years, of teaching in the field of Special Education, in the United States, and within the PK-12 education system.
• Minimum 1 year of online higher education teaching experience.

Competencies/Technical/Functional Skills:

• Strong demonstrated experience with online teaching and audio/video platforms.
• Encourages and supports innovative and diverse thinking. Maintains strong working relationships during times of transition.
• Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; recognizes opportunities for change; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting-edge courses.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Intermediate use of computers and Microsoft Office Suite Applications
• Excellent organizational and communication skills, with a proven ability to provide timely, accurate information on a variety of academically oriented subjects to both internal and external constituents.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individual constituencies in a diverse community.
• Communicates effectively, actively listens, adapts communication to audience and fosters effective communication with others. Demonstrates the ability to be consistently open, honest, and candid when communicating with others.
• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills to simplify complex data that informs departmental and program strategies
• Strong demonstrated ability to drive teaching through engagement for adult learners in an online environment, using multiple modalities, leveraging technology and providing feedback to students that is meaningful, timely, balanced and individualized.
• Actively seeks to influence, build effective relationships, and gain alignment with peers, functional partners, and/or external partners to accomplish business objectives.
• Accepts personal accountability, proactively seeks resolution for personal limitations head-on; and supports honesty and respect towards others, the company and oneself.
• Ability to develop and achieve measurable and challenging goals to support the organizations vision, mission, strategic goals, and objectives.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Experienced leader with the ability to anticipate and plan for change and communicate a vision to the team.
• Ability to demonstrate an understanding of underlying organizational issues and strategies.
• Proficient in Tableau, Desire to Learn, Agiloft, CurriQnet, Taskstream and SOAR strongly preferred
• Work collaboratively to foster a cooperative spirit within a large and/or small team of diverse cultures, while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple projects, deadlines, and frequently changing priorities.
• Solid consulting and mentorship skills that result in teamwork and diplomacy
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governing body regulations.

Special Conditions of Employment

• Travel required at least once annually to attend annual Commencement ceremony (if held onsite).
• Background Check required.

Application Instructions:

• Qualifications for teaching in Special Education.
• Evidence of teaching excellence online and/or onsite for a diverse student body
• A curriculum vita
• Specialization in Mild and Moderate Supports and/or Extensive Supports for neurodiverse students
• Past and present scholarship
• A cover letter that includes:

The position will be posted until filled with a preference for the selected candidate to start no later than January 2024.

Compensation Range:

Annual Salary: $64,480.00 - $84,360.00

Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies. Absent exceptional circumstances, candidates will be offered a salary within this range for this position. Base pay is one component of National University’s total rewards package, as we are dedicated to supporting the needs of the “whole you” with our holistic approach to employee benefits by offering comprehensive well-being benefits for you and your family. For full details about our benefit plan offerings, please visit benefits.nu.edu. For part-time positions, please click here.

National University offers an opportunity to work in an innovative environment that supports diversity.

National University (NU) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant for employee per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a diverse mix of highly talented, innovative, and create people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University. We are focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, color, ancestry, age, family care status, veteran status, marital status, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and other legally protected group status.