Job ID: 7962 Location: Occupational Therapy Full/Part Time: Full Time Regular/Tempoary: Regular
Faculty Posting Details
Appointment:The University of Puget Sound School of Occupational Therapy which is ranked by The US News and World Report in the top 10% of Occupational Therapy Schools nationwide, invites applications for a full-time core faculty position in the role of Doctoral Capstone Coordinator; rank appointment at assistant professor or earned academic rank considered.
Responsibilities:
The primary roles of this clinical line position involve planning, coordinating and implementing processes and procedures that support entry-level doctoral students in successfully completing their capstone experiences, as well as teaching the preparatory seminars designed to prepare students for the capstone experiences. This position is a full member of the School of Occupational Therapy faculty. Additional duties include graduate student advising; participation in ongoing curriculum evaluation and development, admissions processes, and department and university service; as well as continuation and dissemination of the faculty member's own scholarly work,
The doctoral capstone is an integral part of the curriculum designed to enhance individual students learning in a particular topic of expertise. The doctoral capstone coordinator (DCC) oversees the capstone process, including finding and evaluating the capstone experiences, managing contractual agreements, tracking student progress, instructing doctoral seminars, and training and guiding faculty and site mentors. Primary teaching for this position is in the area of capstone project development and management. Teaching in other courses is assigned based on the successful candidate's areas of expertise and program needs. Teaching methods should incorporate applied methods such as active student participation in experiential learning activities and application of content to practice-based scenarios. Implementation of the subject-centered integrative learning (SCIL-OT) model is expected in some courses; mentoring will be provided as necessary.
Responsibilities for this position include:
Ensure program adherence to all ACOTE accreditation standards pertaining to the capstone component of the entry-level doctoral curriculum
Guide students through the doctoral capstone process (orientation through completion), including counseling students on site selection, navigating professional challenges while on site, and supporting the overall learning process
Teach courses associated with the doctoral capstone process
Fulfill additional teaching responsibilities in the School of Occupational Therapy, as relevant to expertise, curricular content needs, and scholarly pursuits, as assigned
Build and maintain relationships with external agencies, community members and alumni that support student capstone projects and experiences
Communicate legislative, regulatory, legal and practice issues affecting occupational therapy clinical education to students, faculty and site mentors
Communicate with other university offices (Dean of Graduate Studies, Registrar, Student Financial Services, Admissions, and the financial offices related to the budget) as necessary to coordinate and implement the doctoral capstone experiences
Create and maintain all required written agreements between the university and capstone sites
Maintain appropriate records of student outcomes, student evaluation of the capstone sites, and other records, as required by ACOTE standards
Collaborate with faculty to develop student evaluation tools to support the in-depth knowledge, synthesis and application of individual capstone projects and experiences
Partner with the Academic Fieldwork team to support continuity of curriculum and established site placements
Ensure that the capstone reflects the scope and sequence of the curriculum design, including individual specific objectives and plans for supervision
Serve as faculty advisor for students while they are engaged in the capstone experience ' Update and maintain the doctoral capstone manual for both students and mentors
The standard teaching assignment is six units, inclusive of the doctoral capstone courses. Primary teaching occurs throughout the academic year; summer teaching responsibilities focus mainly on mentoring student projects. Teaching release is provided for Doctoral Capstone Coordination responsibilities.
The mission of the School of Occupational Therapy is to prepare culturally sensitive graduates who provide client-centered, evidence and theory informed occupational therapy to diverse individuals, groups, and populations and enhance clients' participation in meaningful, everyday activities. As such, we seek a team member who values experiential learning and has a strong grounding in the use of occupation-based theory to guide the occupational therapy process. Teaching in a manner that supports students in developing the ability to use critical analysis of theory and multiple sources of evidence to make sound professional judgments resulting in science-based and creative solutions to the challenges of professional practice is a priority within our program.
Qualifications:
Hold or be eligible for a Washington State Occupational Therapist license
Hold a post-professional doctoral degree in occupational therapy (or related field) [entry-level doctoral degree will be considered with associated clinical experience]
Strong understanding of OT pedagogy and curriculum design
Excellent collaboration and communication skills (written and verbal)
Minimum 5 years of clinical practice experience
Postsecondary teaching experience preferred
Identified plan for scholarly pursuits, which can include scholarship of teaching and learning, discovery, application and/or integration
Preferred Experience as a Fieldwork &/or Capstone Educator (FWE)
Proficiency in MS Office technology, including Excel, Word, and Outlook
Ability to organize and maintain a large volume of student and site data
HIPAA/FERPA compliance, including security of student educational and medical records
Application Deadline: Review of applications is ongoing and will continue until the position is filled.
Required Documents:
Cover letter describing ability to teach at least 2-3 areas of primary expertise from the list specified above and statement of candidate's professional goals
Curriculum vitae
Statement of OT teaching philosophy
Statement of candidate's scholarship agenda and experience
Diversity statement (see prompt below)
Names and email addresses of three (3) professional references. The electronic application system will email these providers on the next business day
Applicant's Diversity Statement:
As a department and university, we are strongly committed to creating an inclusive and effective teaching, learning, and working environment for all. In the diversity statement, applicants should comment on their ability to contribute meaningfully to our on-going commitment to be informed and competent regarding issues of diversity, equity, and individual differences. We encourage applicants to reference the University of Puget Sound's current Diversity Strategic Plan (DSP) at https://pugetsound.edu/about-puget-sound-0/mission-core-values/institutional-equity-diversity prior to writing this statement. While not an exhaustive list, the following are some ways applicant's can express their qualification:
Your lived experiences and/or identities that speak to the department and university's commitment to inclusion and diversity;
Demonstration of your awareness of inequities for underrepresented student populations in education, research experience, and other opportunities;
Brief insights on why diversity is important at institutions like the University of Puget Sound;
Infusion of diversity and diversity-related issues into your research, pedagogy, and/or service;
Previous and/or current activities involving mentoring underrepresented student populations;
Creative ideas or strategies you could enact as a member of the University of Puget Sound campus community to support the university's DSP;
Brief insights on how cultural competency increases one's effectiveness as an educator and department/university colleague.
Compensation and Benefits:
Rank: Clinical Assistant Professor
Salary: Faculty salaries at the University of Puget Sound are based on a common salary scale based on experience. Assistant Professor salaries for 2024-25 begin at $72,765 annualized in their first year of full-time post-doctorate teaching through $81,428 annualized based on experience. This position is currently offering an over scale payment of $10,000 annually at the level of assistant professor.
Puget Sound offers a generous benefits package for eligible faculty members, including:
Medical, dental, and vision
Life insurance and long-term disability
Employee Assistance Program
Retirement plan options and 403(b) contributions
Education benefits, such as full tuition for eligible employees and their families
Access to university facilities and entertainment (fitness center, pool, library, concerts, lectures) and more!
About the Puget Sound School of Occupational Therapy:
The School of Occupational Therapy faculty believe that the liberal arts emphasis at the university serves to enhance the study of our profession. Nurtured in a collaborative yet academically rigorous environment, our students learn to think critically and analytically, develop professional values and goals, and become intellectually autonomous. Students benefit from innovative project opportunities, comprehensive fieldwork experiences, and a curriculum designed to develop professional reasoning skills, build exceptional documentation skills, and prepare them to exceed the minimum requirements for entry-level practice.
Both the campus and the School of Occupational Therapy value community partnerships and experiential learning. Occupational therapy students participate in unique Fieldwork I experiences through community experiences in mental health, and onsite clinicals in adult physical disabilities and pediatrics. Occupational therapy faculty work as part of a supportive community and have the advantage of working collaboratively both within the School of Occupational Therapy as well as with other departments across campus.
Puget Sound provides a range of opportunities for faculty support including the ability to apply for research funds, conference participation support, and sabbaticals.
About Puget Sound:
The University of Puget Sound is located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest known for its mild climate and easy access to the water and mountains. The area is popular for many summer and winter outdoor leisure and sports activities. Situated on a 97-acre campus in Tacoma, Washington, the University of Puget Sound is an independent, predominantly residential, undergraduate liberal arts college with selected graduate programs that draws students from virtually every state and several countries. The mission of Puget Sound is to develop in its students the capacities for critical analysis, aesthetic appreciation, sound judgment, and apt expression that will sustain a lifetime of intellectual curiosity, active inquiry, and reasoned independence. The university values a low student-faculty ratio and personal attention from faculty members who have a strong commitment to teaching. Puget Sound is a top producer of
undergraduate Fulbright student scholars and of Peace Corps volunteers from small universities. The university is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger, Washington Monthly, Forbes, The Princeton Review, and others, and has been named multiple times as one of 40 Colleges that Change Lives.
We acknowledge the richness of commonalities and differences we share as a university community; the intrinsic worth of all who work and study here; that education is enhanced by investigation of and reflection upon multiple perspectives.
We aspire to create respect for and appreciation of all persons as a key characteristic of our campus community; to increase the diversity of all parts of our University community through commitment to diversity in our recruitment and retention efforts; to foster a spirit of openness to active engagement among all members of our campus community.
We act to achieve an environment that welcomes and supports diversity; to ensure full educational opportunity for all who teach and learn here; to prepare effectively citizen-leaders for a pluralistic world.
All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of all required background checks.
The University of Puget Sound is an equal opportunity employer.
About Puget Sound Puget Sound is a selective national liberal arts college in Tacoma, Washington, drawing 2,600 students from 48 states and 20 countries. Puget Sound graduates include Rhodes and Fulbright scholars, notables in the arts and culture, entrepreneurs and elected officials, and leaders in business and finance locally and throughout the world. A low student-faculty ratio provides Puget Sound students with personal attention from faculty who have a strong commitment to teaching and offer 1,200 courses each year in more than 40 traditional and interdisciplinary fields, including graduate programs in occupational and physical therapy and in education. Puget Sound is the only nationally ranked independent undergraduate liberal arts college in Western Washington, and one of just five independent colleges in the Pacific Northwest granted a charter by Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s most prestigious academic honorary society. Visit "About Puget Sound" (http://www.pugetsound.edu/about) to learn more about the college.
As a strategic goal and through our core values, University of Puget Sound is committed to an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. We seek diversity of identity, thought, perspective, and background in our students, faculty, and staff. EOE/AA