Dominican University Hiring for Assistant Director of STEM Internships & Career Programs at River Forest, Illinois Full Time

JOB TITLE: Assistant Director of STEM Internships & Career Programs

FLSA STATUS: Exempt (Salaried)

DEPARTMENT: Title III-F and the Office of Career Programs and Employer Relations

REPORTS TO: Director of Career Curriculum and Employer Relations

HOURS: Full-time (37.5 hours)

LOCATION: On site 4 days, 1 day remote

DATE AVAILABLE:  March 2024 – October 1, 2025

This is a grant-funded position under #P031S200008 Title V, Part A: Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions  program, El Faro: Shining a Beacon on Hispanic/Low-Income Students’ Career Services, Employer-Aligned Curricula and Financial Literacy and #P031C210006 Title III – Part F STEM, Improve STEM Services, Strengthen Teaching and Learning, Fill Program Gaps. Each grant year is contingent upon renewed funding by the Department of Education and is not to be assumed.

PRIMARY PURPOSE//POSITION SUMMARY:

Housed within the Office of Career Programs & Employer Relations, the Assistant Director of STEM Internships & Career Programs will work with the Title III-F Activity Director and the Director of Career Curriculum and Employer Relations to assist in the implementation of the “Improve STEM Services, Strengthen Teaching and Learning, Fill Program Gaps” project, which is grant funded by the Department of Education. With funding of this position, Dominican University seeks to enhance career opportunities for undergraduate students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs, including health science disciplines. In partnership with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, the Assistant Director of STEM Internships & Career Programs will expand and manage a STEM internship program that aims to provide enriching work-based learning experiences with employers and Career Practicum (internship or research internship) sites in STEM industries and agencies. In addition, the Assistant Director of STEM Internships & Career Programs will provide career exploration support and advice to undergraduate STEM students. This position is expected to demonstrate knowledge of local STEM industry needs and embody a genuine enthusiasm for serving Hispanic and first generation/low-income students. The Assistant Director of STEM Internships & Career Programs will meet performance measures and deliverables in accordance with federal regulations, program requirements, and Dominican University policies and procedures. The Assistant Director of STEM Internships & Career Programs will also work in collaboration with the Director of Career Curriculum and Employer Relations and the Title V Part A2 project to provide STEM employer input to tailor Career and Vocation (CV) curriculum to reflect employer needs, partner with campus stakeholders to increase employer outreach within STEM industries, and assist with employer recruitment activities and events. Work towards implementation of project activities, outcomes, and preparation of program objectives reports as follows: time devoted to Title III-F grant activities represents 80% of effort; time devoted to Title V Part A2 grant activities represents 20% of effort. This position is funded through the Title III (2021-2026) and Title V A2 (2020-2025) Department of Education projects.

Beginning in academic year 2024-2025, undergraduate students will enroll in a sequence of four unique one-credit hour Career & Vocation (CV) courses and a required Career Practicum (internship or research internship) as part of their general education requirements through a newly revised Core Curriculum. This is an exciting time for Dominican University and the Office of Career Programs, as the Office expands its award-winning program. In 2023, the Office was recognized with CEIA’s Best Practices Award and NACE’s Career Services Excellence Award, and in 2024, the team was recognized with an Honorable Mention within NACE’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Excellence award category.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Job Components:

• Provide one-on-one career advising, skill development, and support for undergraduate students interested in STEM majors, including the health science disciplines.
• Collaborate with internal departments (Center for Cultural Liberation, TRiO, and others) in order to design, organize, recruit for, and deliver STEM career-focused events for students and parents, including workshops.
• Responsible for delivering various presentations, both internally and externally, regarding career development programming.
• Partner with the Director of Careers Curriculum and other members of the Career Programs team to create opportunities for STEM students embedded within the CV courses.
• Partner with the Career Programs team to embed into the CV courses site visits to employers and STEM alumni panels/speaker series highlighting the types of careers available in STEM aimed at increasing career exploration of students interested in STEM fields.
• In collaboration with the Title III Office, Student Success and Engagement, Academic Departments and additional internal stakeholders, assist in the development of and continuously strengthen and manage STEM Career Practicums (internship or research internship).
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with employer networks, professional development organizations, and additional external organizations, to build, create and sustain Career Practicums (internship or research internship) for the general education requirement and full-time employment opportunities in STEM.
• Track, maintain, and produce reports on student career data, employer engagement activities, student program participation, Career Practicum outcomes, post-graduation placements, and more.
• Maintain and develop relationships with faculty in STEM departments and relevant academic support offices to implement career development programming for undergraduate students in STEM majors.
• In collaboration with Career Programs team work to advance innovative career programming to support student career awareness and preparation.
• Consult regularly and work closely with the Title III-F and Title V A2 Activity Directors for guidance regarding the implementation of project activities, outcomes, and preparation of program objectives reports.
• Collaborate with STEM Center staff and other relevant department/office efforts to recruit and retain students in STEM majors.
• Support the University’s strategic priority of ensuring student success in completion and career outcomes.
• Performs other duties as requested, delegated, or assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:

All qualifications are required unless otherwise indicated.

• Bilingual in Spanish and English strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in STEM field or related area.
• Knowledge about STEM majors, industry and agency employers, employment trends, and internship and research internship opportunities.
• Must be committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive working and learning environment.
• Experience working with and creating programming for the professional and career development needs of Hispanic, low-income, first-generation, and/or other under-represented students.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative to develop strong relationships with internal (e.g. students, faculty, staff, and administrators) and external (e.g. employer partners, diverse professional associations, and executive-level corporate leaders) stakeholders to create robust career opportunities for STEM students.
• Excellent listening, interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable in a rapidly growing office.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team and independently with creativity, professionalism, and a positive attitude.
• Ability to develop, organize, and independently manage a variety of projects simultaneously and meet all required deadlines.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with Applicant Tracking systems (ATS), Learning Management systems (LMS), Career Management systems (CMS), and Customer Relations Management systems (CRM). Experience working with Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred knowledge, skills, abilities

• Advanced degree in STEM field, higher education, or equivalent professional experience.
• Advanced knowledge of career development theories, counseling processes, career decision making, learning styles and job search strategies
• Proficient in Canvas, 12Twenty, Handshake and/or uConnect

DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY 

Dominican University is a Catholic, comprehensive teaching university located in River Forest, a suburb of Chicago. Dominican University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as a baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degree-granting institution. It is highly regarded for its academic rigor and thoughtful accompaniment of students, its intentional affordability and values-based, relationship-centered learning environment. Dominican currently enrolls over 3,300 students, which includes 2,280 undergraduates and 1,027 graduate students. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of our undergraduate students identify as Latinx, 5% are Black or African American, and 3% are Asian. Under-represented minority students, make up 77% of the DU undergraduate enrollment and 38% of the graduate enrollment. Over 90 percent of undergraduates receive some type of financial aid. Nearly half of all undergraduates are first-generation college students; over half are federal Pell Grant recipients, illustrating their families’ level of income; and 58% are eligible for low-income MAP grants from the State of Illinois. Recognized since 2011 as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), a federal designation of the U.S. Department of Education, Dominican is committed to expanding and enhancing educational opportunities for Latinx students and all students from historically underrepresented groups.

To Apply

Apply online at http://www.dom.edu/jobs. Applicants will be asked to submit a cover letter and resume with a list of 3 references.

A background screening is required.

EEO Statement

Dominican University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to the goal of building an equity-centered faculty and staff committed to teaching, working, and learning in a multicultural environment. Dominican University believes that justice, equity, and inclusion are critical to our growth and development and seek to recruit, develop, and retain from a diverse pool of applicants who bring varied experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds.

If you need accommodations due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected] for assistance.