Instructional Assistant – Comparative Human Development

Department
 

College Social Sciences Collegiate Division

About the Department
 

The undergraduate program in Comparative Human Development focuses on the study of persons over the course of life; on the social, cultural, biological, and psychological processes that jointly influence development; and on growth over time in different social and cultural settings. The study of human development also offers a unique lens through which we consider broad questions relevant to the social sciences, like the processes and impacts of social change, and the interactions of biology and culture. Faculty members in Comparative Human Development with diverse backgrounds in anthropology, biology, psychology, and sociology conduct research on topics that include (but are not limited to): the social and phenomenological experience of mental illness; the impact of socioeconomic context on growth and development; the influence of social interaction on biological functioning; the tensions inherent in living in multicultural societies; the experience and development of psychotherapists in Western and non-Western countries; and the ways in which youth in developing countries are forging new conceptions of adulthood.

Job Summary
 

The Instructional Assistant assists faculty, other teaching personnel, and program administrations in their work delivering undergraduate education in the Comparative Human Development major and related programs. The Instructional Assistant’s role comprises a set of responsibilities designed to address the majors’s curricular needs and may differ each quarter. The role focuses on supporting instruction as a teaching assistant in specific for-credit Comparative Human Development courses or course sequences. Additional duties include assisting undergraduate students in social sciences lab 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 in a related field 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 listed below, 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 Comparative Human Development course or courses by running weekly review and discussion sections as an accompaniment to the scheduled course; holding regularly scheduled office hours; reading and comment on papers, exams, and other assignments and recommend grades for individual assignments; contributing to teaching resources and student materials; coordinating discussion sections, setting up equipment, managing reserve readings and other logistics; meeting regularly with the instructor of record; attending regularly-scheduled sessions of assigned courses and reading all assigned materials.
• Provides centralized support for undergraduate academics in the Department of Comparative Human Development.
• Leads workshops on research methods and lab sessions for undergraduate courses that focus on quantitative research in the social sciences.
• Manages academic technologies and coordinating technological support for instructor and students in undergraduate psychology courses.
• Grades assignments, exams, and papers from a variety of undergraduate Comparative Human Development courses.
• Meets with students to discuss academics and programming related to the Comparative Human Development major.
• Supports instructors’ use of academic technologies.
• Meets regularly with instructors of record and the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Comparative Human Development 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.
• Uses 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.
• Has a moderate/high level of authority to participate in staff meetings, individual planning meetings, and parent-student staffings.
• 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:

• Master’s degree or higher in cultural, psychological, or anthropological areas of the social sciences.

Experience:

• Teaching assistant or instructor in undergraduate courses in cultural, psychological, or anthropological areas of the social sciences.
• Conducting research in cultural, psychological, or anthropological areas of the social sciences.

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
 

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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