Instructional Assistant– Center for Latin American Studies

Department
 

College Social Sciences Collegiate Division

About the Department
 

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) plays a strong role in administering, stimulating, and coordinating Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) courses. CLAS coordinates the three-quarter Introduction to Latin American Civilization, one of the civilization studies sequences that form part of the College’s Core curriculum requirements. In addition to serving an essential function within the College, Introduction to Latin American Civilization feeds the LACS major and minor programs. The LACS major is an interdisciplinary program for students who want to engage critical issues in the social sciences and humanities through deep immersion in the histories, cultures, economies, politics, and natural environments of Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition to gaining deep knowledge of a region closely tied to Chicago and the United States, LACS students will develop strong linguistic, research, and analytical skills; most also spend significant time studying or conducting fieldwork in a Latin American country. CLAS supplements our academic offerings with dozens of public events each year, which help to build a strong Latin American Studies community.

Job Summary
 

The Instructional Assistant assists faculty, other teaching personnel, and program administrators in their work delivering undergraduate education in the Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) major and related programs. The position comprises a set of responsibilities designed to address the major’s curricular needs and may differ each quarter. The role focuses on supporting instruction as a teaching assistant in specific for-credit LACS courses, primarily Introduction to Latin America Civilization, a three-quarter sequence that introduces undergraduate students to the history and cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean through engagement with primary sources, in addition to supporting other LACS courses as needed. Additional duties include assisting undergraduate students in social sciences/humanities training or workshop settings, advising and mentoring undergraduates conducting independent research, grading assignments and exams, and supporting instructors’ use of academic technologies. The Instructional Assistant has experience completing research and academic work focused on Latin America and/or the Caribbean and is equipped to support undergraduate instruction in capacities that range from substantive, pedagogical, methodological, technological, to administrative. The role will be a combination of the responsibilities and the specific allocation of duties may differ each quarter.
This position is for a limited, two-year term. The annual work period is 9.5 months, from September 1 through June 15, and the salary is paid over 12 months, from September through August.

Responsibilities

• Assists the instructor of record in an undergraduate Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) course or courses by running weekly review and discussion sections as an accompaniment to the scheduled course; holds regularly scheduled office hours; reads and comments on papers, exams, and other assignments and recommends grades for individual assignments; contributes to teaching resources and student materials; coordinates discussion sections, setting up equipment, managing reserve readings, and other logistics; meets regularly with the instructor of record; attends regularly-scheduled sessions of assigned courses and reads all assigned materials; leads Language across the Curriculum discussion sections as needed.
• Provides centralized support for undergraduate academics in the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS).
• Leads workshops on research methods and lab sessions for undergraduate courses that focus on quantitative research in the social sciences and/or humanities.
• Manages academic technologies and coordinates technological support for instructor and students in undergraduate LACS courses.
• Grades assignments, exams, and papers from a variety of undergraduate LACS courses.
• Meets with students to discuss academics and programming related to the LACS major.
• Supports instructors’ use of academic technologies.
• Meets regularly with instructors of record and the Director of Undergraduate Studies in LACS to discuss program goals and curriculum.
• Attends relevant on-campus training sessions on pedagogy, social science research methods, and academic technology.
• Participates regularly in one or more of the University’s academic workshops, colloquia, or talk series.
• Using general understanding and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries.
• Interacts with faculty, researchers, and staff for committee work or information.
• Work with small groups of students to help them improve in the subject area and hold office hours to speak individually with students.
• Helps staff to plan and execute events.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• PhD in the social sciences, humanities, or Latin American Studies.

Experience:

• Experience as a teaching assistant or instructor in broad introductory courses related to Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Language competency to lead discussion sections in Spanish.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong verbal and written communication skills including excellent editing/proofreading ability in English.
• Foster an inclusive environment for all students.
• Handle multiple concurrent projects in a competent and professional manner while also managing details and meeting deadlines.
• Work effectively with supervision and as a part of a team, individually, or in concert with other offices and campus partners.
• Work autonomously, taking initiative and without detailed instructions.
• Maintain confidentiality/discretion at all times.
• Handle stressful situations.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Problem solving skills.
• Decision making skills.
• Reasoning skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Creativity.

Working Conditions

• 9.5 month position paid over 12 months.
• Some availability during evenings and weekends.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, which is to include your interest in this position (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Academic Affairs

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

40

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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