Experiential Learning Director
Job Summary
The College of Science is seeking an experienced leader to direct a complex and rapidly expanding experiential learning enterprise at the University of Utah. The Science Research Initiative (SRI) is the College's signature undergraduate research program that has grown into a large, sophisticated organization poised to provide meaningful hands-on research experiences to all incoming College of Science students in their first year on campus. A recent expansion includes the SRI Career Accelerator Program (SRI-CAP), which provides juniors and seniors with professional and technical skills development and industry connections. In addition to a small number of permanent staff, the program is supported by a team of more than a dozen SRI Fellows, postdocs who lead research streams and support an associated structured course. SRI has grown tremendously since its inception in 2020, with SRI and SRI-CAP currently serving approximately 650 undergraduate students per year. Substantial additional growth is projected.
About the Role
This position will work with college leadership to develop, refine, implement, and scale novel experiential learning opportunities for science and mathematics students at the University of Utah. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience leading complex educational programs, building organizational infrastructure, and developing high-performing teams.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Vision
Provide strategic direction for experiential learning opportunities, including the SRI, SRI-CAP and ACCESS Scholars, aligning program goals with College and University priorities for student success and experiential learning.
Lead planning efforts to sustainably scale the programs to accommodate increasing student enrollment and participation while maintaining program quality and impact.
Develop and implement a long-term vision for experiential learning across the College of Science that serves students throughout their undergraduate journey and prepares them for success in their careers.
Develop, refine, and implement new experiences to accommodate shifts in student interests and enrollment growth.
Pursue extramural funding opportunities to support program growth, expansion, and sustainability.
Organizational Structure and Operations
Establish clear organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities for staff members, postdocs, and program leadership to optimize team effectiveness.
Design and implement operational processes, systems, and workflows necessary to support a sophisticated, large-scale experiential learning enterprise.
Create scalable program structures and standardized procedures that can accommodate continued growth.
Develop metrics and assessment frameworks to evaluate program outcomes and impact, operational efficiency, and areas for improvement.
Serve as the primary point of contact for the SRI and related programs in the College of Science, representing these programs to internal and external stakeholders.
Program Management and Development
Oversee all programmatic aspects of the SRI, SRI-CAP, ACCESS Scholars and related experiential learning initiatives in the College of Science, ensuring cohesive pathways for students from first-year research experiences through upper-level professional development opportunities.
Provide strategic vision and oversight of the recruitment and development of new SRI research streams, ensuring that prospective stream leaders are supported in their design and implementation of projects, mentoring of students, and logistics.
Maintain and update mentor training materials and professional development resources to support stream leaders and others in mentorship roles.
Ensure alignment of skills developed through experiential learning programs with career pathways and employment opportunities.
Cultivate and steward internal and external relationships to support programmatic goals, including with local industry partners; grow industry connections and internship opportunities in collaboration with existing initiatives.
Implement meaningful cohort experiences for all SRI and ACCESS participants.
Team Leadership and Supervision
Serve as direct supervisor for members of the SRI leadership team, Program Manager, and other program staff, providing clear direction, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities.
Build and maintain a collaborative, high-performing team culture that supports innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Coordinate the work of staff and postdocs to ensure efficient operations and eliminate duplication of effort.
Foster collegiality and collaboration across the program and within the broader College of Science community.
Student Engagement and Assessment
Provide direction in the recruitment of students to experiential learning opportunities; work with college staff to develop strategies that increase program participation and student success.
Lead efforts to assess program impact on participants, using data to inform continuous program improvement.
Support a culture of safety in all SRI research facilities.
Ensure programs are meeting programmatic goals, serving the needs of College of Science students, and aligned with college and institutional priorities.
Resource Stewardship
Serve as a responsible steward of College and University resources, maximizing impact and efficiency.
Work collaboratively with College of Science leadership to identify resource needs and opportunities for program enhancement.
Uphold the core values of the College of Science in all aspects of program leadership.