Assistant/Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy

Assistant/Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy

The person in this position will have primary responsibility for developing courses, teaching course content, evaluating student learning outcomes, and revising courses as needed to meet program objectives. They will also be responsible for identifying how the courses that they develop are consistent with the curriculum design and meet program and student learning objectives. Individuals holding this position would also be responsible for active participation in the activities of the university, the college, and the academic program, including committee work, student advisement, research/doctoral capstone mentorship, and professional development as disciplinary scholars.

Essential Duties:

1. Teach courses as assigned in area of clinical expertise or scholarship, including distance education courses
2. Maintain and update syllabi for assigned courses that include course descriptions, goals, learning objectives, professionalism expectations and evaluation methods
3. Participate in course evaluation as directed by university or program policy
4. Conduct student advising related to course content/expectations, university policies, program-related academic or fieldwork policies and procedures, and professional behaviors
a. Develop remedial plans to assist students to meet institutional and program requirements
5. Collaborate in the implementation of an entry-level doctoral curriculum in occupational therapy
a. Collaborate with the program administration and the faculty/staff membership to implement the curriculum and course content
b. Assume responsibility for membership on institutional, college and division committees as directed,
c. Participate in university, college, and division meetings as appropriate and as directed
d. Participate in the admissions process that may include but is not limited to: reviewing applications, conducting interviews, open houses, meetings with recruits, etc. as directed
6. Actively participate in the doctoral experiential capstone project component of the curriculum, including the securing of sites/mentors, and the mentoring of students who are involved in the project;
7. Collaborate with the program administration in the ACOTE Accreditation Process:
a. Perform data collection and analysis, and prepare documentation as directed
8. Assist in program assessment as part of the strategic planning process:
a. Perform data collection and analysis, and provide documentation related to program and student learning outcomes;
9. Engage in professional development activities/events that are supportive of the mission of the institution and consistent with the objectives of the Department/Program including enhancing teaching/mentoring effectiveness, demonstrating research/scholarly productivity (e.g. publication), and/or providing service to the institution or external communities;
10. Adhere to HIPAA and FERPA privacy standards;
11. Participate in all university or program sponsored trainings (e.g. harassment training; first aid)
12. Attend all major university events as directed (e.g. Convocation, Commencement)
13. Perform other duties as determined by the university or as assigned by the Program Director.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Clinical skills in occupational therapy practice: assessment, intervention, documentation
Experience in higher education, distance education preferred
Mentorship abilities to supervise graduate students who are participating in fieldwork education
Evidence of scholarly work
Excellence in interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to foster team work with diverse groups, constituencies and organizations
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
Excellent oral and written skills and a clear, persuasive communication style for negotiating constructive and ethical solutions to academic problems
Experience with program evaluation to assist in developing data collection and analysis methods to ensure quality fieldwork education outcomes
Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference and apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations
Excellent technological and computer skills to include word processing software, database software, spreadsheets software, teaching/learning software (e.g. PowerPoint), on-line learning platforms (e.g. Desire2Learn), internet software (Certiphi/CORI), email systems, etc.
Reasoning defined by the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
Language defined by: the ability to read, analyze and interpret professional health journals, technical standards or government regulations; the ability to write professional correspondence, academic reports, procedural manuals, and scholarly papers using APA format; and the ability to orally present information and respond to questions from students, clients, family members, other health professionals and the public.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

The successful candidate for this tenure-track appointment will be a registered occupational therapist that is licensed to practice in Massachusetts. The candidate should have a minimum of 3 years of documented experience in occupational therapy assessment and intervention, with a strong clinical background in one or more of the following areas of practice: neurorehabilitation/physical rehabilitation; pediatrics; mental health; or community health, wellness, and prevention. Teaching assignments may be in either the distance or campus-based pathway.

The ideal candidate will have a strong academic record, including a demonstrated interest in conducting scholarly activities, disseminating findings on scholarly activities to advance the discipline/profession, and the potential for advancement in teaching, research/scholarly activity, and service that will qualify them for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. Additionally, candidates who have experience with distance education and online/hybrid instruction will be given priority in the search process.

Qualifications:

Doctoral degree (e.g. Ph.D., Ed.D., OTD, Sci.D.) from a regionally accredited institution
Experience in an academic setting including teaching, curriculum development, instructional technology use preferred,
A minimum of 3 years of documented clinical experience in occupational therapy in one or more of the following areas: neurorehabilitation/physical rehabilitation; pediatrics; or community health, wellness, and prevention.
Current NBCOT Certification
Current AOTA Membership
Current Massachusetts License to Practice Occupational Therapy
Valid Driver's License

Excellent benefits including tuition remission for employee, spouse, and dependent children.
Western New England University (WNE) is a private, nationally ranked, comprehensive institution with a focus on preparing work-ready and world-ready graduates. Founded in 1919 in Springfield, Massachusetts as a division of Northeastern College, WNE’s 215-acre suburban campus serves more than 3,700 students, including over 2,500 full-time undergraduates. More than 47,000 alumni have earned degrees through its 90+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs at Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and School of Law. Students come from 39 U.S. states and territories and 23 countries. Of 45,104 living alumni, 30% remain within the region, residing in the four Western Massachusetts counties and northern Connecticut.

WNE is classified among nationally ranked universities in US News and World Report, and among the Top 100 Undergraduate Engineering programs, and in the Doctoral/Professional Universities category in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Western New England University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome candidates whose background may contribute to the further diversification of our community.