Online Academic Coach (HigherEd, Remote, Part-Time)

Instructional Connections, LLC is a fully integrated provider of high-quality instructional support services to colleges and universities that offer online courses and degree programs. Universities work collaboratively with Instructional Connections to deliver high-quality asynchronous courses at an affordable cost. Within the online course, students are assigned an Academic Coach (sometimes referred to by a different title for different programs - Teaching Assistant, Course Assistant, Instructional Associate, etc.). We are currently working with 55+ public and state universities (over 75 programs) and we’re expected to add several others in the coming year.

ABOUT THE POSITION:

Academic Coaches are highly qualified, experienced practitioners (minimum of a Master’s Degree or greater) who most frequently serve as the liaison between the university faculty of record and students within the assigned online course. The exact qualifications and requirements of an Academic Coach are tailored according to individual university and program needs. Often the Academic Coach is the student's initial point of contact and acts in a similar fashion that a traditional teaching assistant does in a university.

Academic Coaches may grade assignments per faculty directions, monitor discussion threads, answer inquiries/emails within 24 hours, monitor student engagement, provide asynchronous student support, and regularly collaborate with the university faculty of record. Academic Coaches serve as facilitators and graders, while university faculty members are the instructor of record for the online course. Compensation is based on a per-student-per-course formula. About 75% of the courses are 5 to 9-week course cycles and the programs are year-round, with 4-7 course starts through the year.

The average time per student, per week, is approximately 10-30 minutes; however this can vary on the level of the course, the specific course assigned, and the number of open-ended assignments within the course each week. Academic Coaches who consistently complete course assignments with quality and to the satisfaction of the faculty will be considered for additional sections or responsibilities. We do not want to over-extend a coach's responsibilities to such a degree that this negatively impacts their ability to serve students and meet expectations. In a first course assignment, the practical limit is up to 50 students, with 30 being more typical. The average experienced Academic Coach can support 75-90 students. A highly proficient coach with ample time may be assigned up to 120 students but this is the upper limit and monitored closely. Since we support all disciplines, various levels of courses (undergrad, graduate, and doctoral), and courses varying from 5 to 16 weeks in length; specific "per-student-per-course" rates and/or any potential additional stipends are not disclosed until a contracted Academic Coach is approved by a university and offered a specific upcoming course assignment.

If selected to advance as a candidate, the candidate will be required to complete an Academic Coach Pre-Employment Screening course within our Learning Management System. Candidates can expect to commit 4 to 6 hours to the self-paced screening session, which is to be accomplished over one week (Monday through Sunday). This pre-employment screening session (virtual interview) will include specifics regarding the role and expectations of an Academic Coach, an introduction to learning management systems (LMS), and the various accepted best practices of delivering and facilitating online education courses, FERPA, APA, etc. If a candidate does not complete this screening session in the scheduled allotted time, he/she may request to be rescheduled for a future session. These sessions are only offered twice per month and always start on a Monday and end on Sunday.

Upon successful competition of the screening (active participation, passing of all graded assignments, and working through all modules), candidates will be advanced to the contracting phase. Receiving a contract as an Academic Coach is dependent on the success of a criminal background check and the screening session results. All of the Academic Coaching positions are considered part-time work (as an independent contractor - 1099). A complete "Contractor Package" includes a resume/CV, Official Transcripts and/or Evaluation of Foreign Transcripts for ALL degrees earned (Associate, Bachelor, Master, etc.) and completion of all other onboarding documentation (W-9, Direct Deposit, FERPA Acknowledgement, etc.). Once your contractor package is complete and on file, the Academic Coach's name and resume will be added to our pool of vetted and qualified Academic Coaches ready for an assignment.

Academic Coaching course assignments will be based on approval by the university and are made in consultation with Lead Coaches and/or Program Assistants. We are only able to present fully vetted and contracted Academic Coaches to a university for approval for any upcoming courses that a university may have a need for the assistance of an Academic Coach. Academic Coaches are only offered assignments after being approved by the university. If approved and the Academic Coach accepts a course assignment, the Lead Coach will guide the Academic Coach in a short overview and orientation to the assigned program and course. Actual course assignments are made near the course start date and are dependent on many factors including area and level of graduate study, university approval, and student enrollment.

*** Please review the below requirements carefully before submitting an application, as the requirement listed are NOT flexible as they have been set by our university partners for any applicant to be deemed acceptable for assignment. ***

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM AREA:

For Graduate/Master's Degree Level Business Programs:
A minimum of a Master's Degree in a business-related field with at least 18+ graduate hours in the specific course content area listed below is REQUIRED. Terminal Degree or Actively pursuing a Terminal Degree is STRONGLY PREFERRED. Business degrees from AACSB or ACBSP-accredited institutions are strongly desired. Experience in online, higher education is a plus.

• Accounting/Auditing (Master's Degree in Accountancy or MBA with primary Accounting focus REQUIRED, PhD, DBA or CPA may be preferred for some courses)
• Data Analytics/Quantitative Analysis (Master's Degree REQUIRED, PhD or DBA preferred)
• Economics (Master's Degree in Economics or a closely related area is REQUIRED, PhD or DBA preferred)
• Finance (Master's Degree REQUIRED, PhD or DBA strongly preferred. CFP preferred)
• Marketing/Advertising (Master's Degree REQUIRED, PhD or DBA preferred; Digital/Social Media Marketing Certifications desired)
• Supply Chain/Logistics (Master's Degree in Supply Chain/Logistics is REQUIRED, PhD or DBA may be preferred)

For Computer Science Programs:
A minimum of a Master's Degree in Computer Science or Information Technology related field with at least 18+ graduate hours in the specific course content area listed below is REQUIRED. 3 to 5 years of industry experience in the field.

• Business or Data Analytics/Quantitative Analysis (Master's Degree REQUIRED, PhD or DBA may be preferred)
• Computer Science (Master's Degree REQUIRED)
• Computer/Software Programming (Master's Degree REQUIRED; SalesForce Admin/Developer, Tableau, Asana Certifications strongly desired)
• Cybersecurity/IT Security (Master's Degree REQUIRED)
• Information Technology Mgmt (Master's Degree REQUIRED)

For Graduate & Post-Graduate Level Nursing/Nurse Practitioner Programs:
A current and valid RN license and conferred Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) or greater is required. However, a PhD in Nursing or DNP (doctorate/terminal degree) is strongly preferred for all MSN, Post-Grad NP, and DNP programs. Nurse Practitioner programs, must be Board Certified, see below for specific area(s) of need. Nursing degrees must be from ACEN or CCNE-accredited institutions. A minimum of 3 years of nursing practice experience is required; prior teaching experience (trainer, clinical, preceptor, face-to-face, or online) is preferred.

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care/Primary Care Nurse Practitioner [AGACNP-BC​/AGPCNP-BC] (min. MSN in NP REQUIRED with NP License and certification with prescriptive authority)

For Undergraduate-Level General/Core Courses and Other Disciplines:
A minimum of a Master's Degree with at least 18+ graduate hours in the specific course content area listed below is required. Experience in online, higher education is preferred. A doctorate/terminal degree may be preferred in some areas or for specific courses.

• Chemistry (Master's Degree in Chemistry or closely related field REQUIRED)
• Geology/Geography/Geographic Information Science/Geospatial Intelligence (Master's Degree in GIS or closely related REQUIRED)
• Math - Algebra, Calculus, etc. (Master's Degree in Math or closely related field REQUIRED)
• Physics (Master's Degree in Physics or closely related field REQUIRED)
• Political Science (Master's Degree in Political Science or closely related field REQUIRED)
• Statistics (Master’s Degree in Statistics or closely related area REQUIRED, experience in statistical modeling and analysis)
• United States History (Master's Degree in History is REQUIRED, PhD in History is strongly preferred)

For Graduate/Master's Degree Level Education Programs (we currently do not support any undergraduate education programs):
A terminal degree (EdD or PhD) with at least 18+ graduate hours in the specific course content area listed below is REQUIRED. Must have at least 3-5 years of experience working in the K-12 environment related to the areas listed below. Experience in an online, higher education environment is desired.

• Educational Diagnostician ** (A minimum of Master's Degree in Special Education is REQUIRED, -AND- MUST hold an Educational Diagnostician certification/licensure - State of Texas certification is preferable. EdD or PhD is preferred.)

Please review the above minimum requirement carefully before submitting an application, as the requirement listed are NOT flexible as they have been set by our university partners for any applicant to be deemed acceptable for assignment. Educational degrees and certifications are the primary areas that will be reviewed for qualification and consideration. Applications received that do not meet the minimum requirement stated above will not be considered or contacted.

These positions are virtual and do not require residence in a particular city or state. You only need to apply once, as our system does not allow for duplicate applications.

We are unable to consider or hire applicants that are not US Citizens or who do not have the authorization to work in the US. Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States and with Instructional Connections (i.e., H1-B visa, F-1 visa (OPT), TN visa or any other non-immigrant status).

Thank you for your interest.