Writing Specialist, 9.5 Month

Department
 

College Writing Program

About the Department
 

The Writing Program serves academic and professional constituencies across the University by providing academic and professional writing resources to all University divisions, schools, and academic and administrative programs. These resources include for-credit and non-credit courses, seminars, workshops, workshop series, training in writing pedagogy, a resource library of materials for teaching writing, individual tutoring for undergraduates and graduate students, and consultations with faculty and staff on the specific writing needs of specific programs and individuals throughout the University. The program hires, trains, supervises, and evaluates full and part-time writing instructors for 280-320 teaching positions per year. The program's pedagogical training and mentored employment opportunities support graduate students seeking mentored teaching experiences and undergrade students developing professional opportunities. The program's writing courses and tutoring programs serve approximately 2700 undergraduates per year (all departments and divisions) and approximately 350 graduate students, professional school students, and post-doctoral students (all departments and divisions). This is a 9.5 month position paid over 12 months with a yearly start date of 09/01.

Job Summary
 

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director and Deputy Director, the Writing Specialist completes a two-week intensive training program to learn a pedagogy for writing instruction designed to provide techniques for analysis, assessment, and revision. In Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters, the Writing Specialist provides writing instruction in four (4) sections of a Humanities Common Core (HUMA) course. The Writing Specialist consults with the Instructor of Record of HUMA course sections to establish learning goals for writing. The Writing Specialist then has primary responsibility for developing curriculum and teaching materials for teaching principles of effective writing to first-year students in the HUMA Core course sections. The Writing Specialist has primary responsibility for offering writing seminars or a combination of seminars and individual tutorials in all three quarters of the HUMA Core course. The Writing Specialist has shared responsibility with the Instructor for providing writing feedback to the students in their sections of the HUMA Core course. The Writing Specialist reports to the Senior Associate Director and Associate Director. After the first year of employment, the Writing Specialist has shared responsibility for leading Spring training seminars in the training course for new Writing Interns and Specialists, or other Spring teaching as required. This is a 9.5 month position paid over 12 months with a yearly start date of 09/01.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the Instructor of Record to design writing instruction to support the HUMA Core course’s learning goals.
• Creates teaching materials to support learning goals for the writing component of the HUMA Core course.
• Reads assigned texts for the HUMA Core course.
• Attends regularly-scheduled class sessions of the HUMA Core course, as arranged with the Instructor.
• Schedules and offers small-group writing for each of four sections of the HUMA Core course.
• Shares responsibility with the instructor for providing written feedback on papers to students, by the deadline set by the instructor.
• Meets with the instructor as requested to discuss grades for student writing.
• Seeks feedback from the HUMA Core instructor, and Writing Program supervisor, reviews student evaluations, and plans changes in seminar practice and teaching material as necessary.
• As seminar schedules allow, participates in Writing Program professional development workshops.
• Drafts teaching materials that support academic and professional writing and writing pedagogy. Implements and assists with evaluating writing program curricula, policies, and procedures.
• Gathers and analyzes data for possible solutions concerning program performance. Writes reports and expands knowledge and experience in the area.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

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

---
Work Experience:

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

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Advanced degree.

Experience:

• Background as a teacher of writing in college.
• Working knowledge as a Writing Program Lector or Writing Intern.
• Proficient in creating teaching materials for writing instruction.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficiency in Mac and PC environments.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, Zoom, and online organizational tools.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong verbal and written communication skills including excellent editing/proofreading ability in English.
• 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 with a yearly start date of 09/01.
• Office environment.
• Some evening and weekend work.
• Fast-paced environment.
• Work at a computer for 4-6 hours.
• Periodic movement between campus locations.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, that includes your interest in this position (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)
• Writing Sample, academic or professional writing (required)
• Three comments on student papers; applicants should anonymize the student papers (required)
• One teaching handout or pdf of a slide presentation (no videos please) teaching students something about writing that you think is crucial for first-year college students to know (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

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Applicant Inquiry Form. <span>Applicant Inquiry Form</span> 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.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

Department
 

College Writing Program

About the Department
 

The Writing Program serves academic and professional constituencies across the University by providing academic and professional writing resources to all University divisions, schools, and academic and administrative programs. These resources include for-credit and non-credit courses, seminars, workshops, workshop series, training in writing pedagogy, a resource library of materials for teaching writing, individual tutoring for undergraduates and graduate students, and consultations with faculty and staff on the specific writing needs of specific programs and individuals throughout the University. The program hires, trains, supervises, and evaluates full and part-time writing instructors for 280-320 teaching positions per year. The program's pedagogical training and mentored employment opportunities support graduate students seeking mentored teaching experiences and undergrade students developing professional opportunities. The program's writing courses and tutoring programs serve approximately 2700 undergraduates per year (all departments and divisions) and approximately 350 graduate students, professional school students, and post-doctoral students (all departments and divisions). This is a 9.5 month position paid over 12 months with a yearly start date of 09/01.

Job Summary
 

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director and Deputy Director, the Writing Specialist completes a two-week intensive training program to learn a pedagogy for writing instruction designed to provide techniques for analysis, assessment, and revision. In Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters, the Writing Specialist provides writing instruction in four (4) sections of a Humanities Common Core (HUMA) course. The Writing Specialist consults with the Instructor of Record of HUMA course sections to establish learning goals for writing. The Writing Specialist then has primary responsibility for developing curriculum and teaching materials for teaching principles of effective writing to first-year students in the HUMA Core course sections. The Writing Specialist has primary responsibility for offering writing seminars or a combination of seminars and individual tutorials in all three quarters of the HUMA Core course. The Writing Specialist has shared responsibility with the Instructor for providing writing feedback to the students in their sections of the HUMA Core course. The Writing Specialist reports to the Senior Associate Director and Associate Director. After the first year of employment, the Writing Specialist has shared responsibility for leading Spring training seminars in the training course for new Writing Interns and Specialists, or other Spring teaching as required. This is a 9.5 month position paid over 12 months with a yearly start date of 09/01.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the Instructor of Record to design writing instruction to support the HUMA Core course’s learning goals.
• Creates teaching materials to support learning goals for the writing component of the HUMA Core course.
• Reads assigned texts for the HUMA Core course.
• Attends regularly-scheduled class sessions of the HUMA Core course, as arranged with the Instructor.
• Schedules and offers small-group writing for each of four sections of the HUMA Core course.
• Shares responsibility with the instructor for providing written feedback on papers to students, by the deadline set by the instructor.
• Meets with the instructor as requested to discuss grades for student writing.
• Seeks feedback from the HUMA Core instructor, and Writing Program supervisor, reviews student evaluations, and plans changes in seminar practice and teaching material as necessary.
• As seminar schedules allow, participates in Writing Program professional development workshops.
• Drafts teaching materials that support academic and professional writing and writing pedagogy. Implements and assists with evaluating writing program curricula, policies, and procedures.
• Gathers and analyzes data for possible solutions concerning program performance. Writes reports and expands knowledge and experience in the area.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

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

---
Work Experience:

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

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Advanced degree.

Experience:

• Background as a teacher of writing in college.
• Working knowledge as a Writing Program Lector or Writing Intern.
• Proficient in creating teaching materials for writing instruction.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficiency in Mac and PC environments.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, Zoom, and online organizational tools.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong verbal and written communication skills including excellent editing/proofreading ability in English.
• 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 with a yearly start date of 09/01.
• Office environment.
• Some evening and weekend work.
• Fast-paced environment.
• Work at a computer for 4-6 hours.
• Periodic movement between campus locations.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, that includes your interest in this position (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)
• Writing Sample, academic or professional writing (required)
• Three comments on student papers; applicants should anonymize the student papers (required)
• One teaching handout or pdf of a slide presentation (no videos please) teaching students something about writing that you think is crucial for first-year college students to know (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

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Applicant Inquiry Form. <span>Applicant Inquiry Form</span> 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.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.