Public Interest Technology Pathways Director (Lecturer A)

https://careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-us/job/520056/public-interest-technology-pathways-director-lecturer-a

About PIT@UMass

The UMass Public Interest Technology Initiative (PIT@UMass) is a multidisciplinary initiative spanning all major colleges and schools of UMass Amherst. The initiative aims to promote the socially responsible use of technology to address social, research, and community challenges. The initiative will promote and synergize new and existing pedagogy, research, experiential learning activities, and community outreach with a focus on the public interest.  PIT@UMass will work to expand its impact and reach via funding from industry partners, non-profit foundations, philanthropy, and federal agencies.  

Job Description

The Pathways Director will be part of the leadership team for PIT@UMass and will focus on directing the outreach efforts of the initiative that involves experts and practitioners in the private and public sectors. The Pathways Director will develop, lead, and teach a new PIT careers course and Clinic  and regularly teach the PIT introductory course. 

• Develops, leads, and teaches the PIT careers course and practica (PIT student Clinic)  in-person. Engages with outside practitioners and oversees the students working with those practitioners to monitor the content and ensure a high quality result. Solicits feedback from participants and updates the curriculum as needed to meet the goals of the program.
• Teaches Introduction to Public Interest Technology (CICS127) in-person, at least once each academic year. Periodically updates curriculum to ensure it remains current. 
• Co-leads the PIT Partnership Circle, a set of advisors, partners, and participants external to UMass Amherst who work with us on programming and participate in the careers course.  Helps develop the organizational structure, and identify and develop relationships with potential members of the Circle. Works to ensure that the Circle stays actively engaged with PIT@UMass.
• Collaborates with the faculty Director to develop and lead PIT Executive Bootcamps; develops and identifies public interest-focused strategies and tools for professionals in the private and public sectors. 
• Collaborates with the faculty Director to develop and lead PIT Community Workshops; raises awareness and provides public interest-focused strategies and tools to the general public. 
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Computer Science or a related technical field.
• Experience partnering with private sector organizations.
• Initiative and ability to lead groups and deliver successful outcomes.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively, and create and maintain harmonious relationships with a diverse population of staff, faculty, students, and on-campus constituents. Strong commitment to, and understanding of, diversity and inclusion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write concisely, express thoughts clearly, and develop ideas in a logical sequence. Ability to create professional-quality training materials and presentations that are creative and effective. Ability to train, or make effective presentations to groups of various sizes.
• Independent initiative. Must have the ability to stay on task and work productively with a minimum amount of supervision or guidance. Willingness to take on a variety of tasks related to our teaching mission and the strategic goals of the College and its PIT program. The ability to adapt and work effectively as the UMass PIT program grows.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to complete assignments in a timely manner, balancing the demands of concurrent and potentially competing projects.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality. The ability to think through problems, organize and seek out data/information, identify key factors and underlying causes, and generate solutions.
• Ability to travel locally and nationally as needed.
• Ability to work occasional nights and weekends.
• Strong computer skills including at least intermediate expertise with:
  • Email.
  • Calendar systems such as Outlook or Google.
  • Word processing software such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs 
  • Spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
  • Presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Microsoft Publisher. 
• Business development experience with private sector, public sector and/or academic partners preferred.
• Teaching experience in computer science or a technical field preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and navigate rules and regulations within a public higher education institution successfully preferred.
• Experience teaching at the high school level or higher preferred.

Additional Information

Salary will be highly competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Inquiries and requests for more information can be sent to: facrec@cs.umass.edu.  

Application Instructions

Candidates are required to attach a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a teaching statement, and contact information for three (3) professional references. Your cover letter should include a statement addressing your past and/or potential contributions to diversity through research, teaching, and/or a service.  

Published: 11/01/2023