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

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

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 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 who most frequently serve as the liaison between the university faculty of record and students within the assigned 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 much a similar fashion that a traditional teaching assistant does in a university.  These positions are virtual, work from home and do not require residence in a particular city or state. 

Academic Coaches grade assignment per faculty directions, monitor discussion threads, answer inquiries/emails within 24 hours, monitor student engagement, provide online student support, and regularly collaborate with university faculty of record. Academic Coaches serve as facilitators and graders, while university faculty are the teachers of record. 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 is approximately 10-25 minutes per student per week; however, this can vary on the level of the course, the course you are assigned and the number of open-ended assignments within the course. Academic Coaches who consistently complete coach assignments with quality will be considered for additional sections or responsibilities. We do not want to overextend a coach's responsibilities to such a degree that this negatively impacts their ability to serve students. In a first assignment, the practical limit is 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. 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 are not disclosed until a contracted Academic Coach is approved and offered a specific course assignment.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAMS: 

A current and valid RN license and Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) or greater is required. PhD Nursing Science or DNP (doctorate/terminal degree) is strongly preferred for SOME MSN, Post-Grad NP and DNP programs. Nursing degrees must be from ACEN or CCNE accredited institutions. Minimum of 3 years of nursing practice experience required; prior teaching experience (trainer, clinical, face-to-face or online) is preferred.

• Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner [AGACNP-BC​ or AGPCNP-BC] (min. MSN in NP REQUIRED with NP License and certification with prescriptive authority)
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner [CPNP-AC or CPNP-PC] (min. MSN in NP REQUIRED with NP License and certification with prescriptive authority)
• Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner [PMHNP-BC] (min. MSN in NP REQUIRED with NP License and certification with prescriptive authority)

THE SCREENING PROCESS:

If selected as an applicant, you will be required to complete an Academic Coach Pre-Employment Screening course (a virtual interview). Participants can expect to commit 4 to 6 hours to the self-paced screening, accomplished over one week. The screening includes detailed of the role and expectations of an Academic Coach, introduction to the learning management systems (LMS) and best practices of online education, FERPA, etc. If a participant does not complete this screening session in the allotted time, he or she may be rescheduled for a future session. The sessions are only offered twice times per month and always start on a Monday.

Upon successful competition of the virtual interview (active participation, passing of all graded assignments and working through all modules), you will be advanced to the contracting phase. The contract is dependent on the success of the background check and the screening. All the Academic Coaching positions are considered part-time work (as an independent contractor). A complete "Contractor Package" includes a resume/CV, Official Transcripts and/or Evaluation of Foreign Transcripts for ALL degrees earned (Associates, Bachelors, Masters, etc.) and all completed on-boarding documentation. Once your contractor package is complete, your name will be added to our pool of vetted and qualified Academic Coaches ready for an assignment.

Academic Coaching assignments will be based on approval by the university and are made in consultation with Lead Coaches and/or Program Assistant. She/he will guide the Academic Coach in a short orientation to the assigned program and course. Actual course assignments are made near to the course start date and are dependent on many factors including area and level of graduate study, university approval and student enrollments.

HOW TO APPLY:

To be considered for an Academic Coach position and start the process, you MUST complete our online application (https://form.jotform.com/ICForms/AcademicCoachApplication2021)

It is best to complete the online application on a computer and not a mobile device or tablet. To complete your application package, you will be required to upload the following documents at the end of the online application. The preferred files types are Word Document (.doc/.docx) and/or Portable Document Format (.pdf) and should not have any non-printable ascii, / or \, names with trailing spaces, and the special names "." and ".." in the file name.

• Proper & Professional Cover Letter (NOT a Teaching Statement or Philosophy)
• Complete & Relevant Professional Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial Transcripts (Official Transcripts for ALL DEGREES EARNED will be required later if selected to advance to the screening process)

These positions are virtual and do not require residence in a particular city or state. Our system will only allow one application submission per email address, please do NOT try to apply more than once.

We are unable to consider or hire applicants that are not US Citizens or who are not authorized 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).

An Equal Opportunity Employer - M/F/D/V

Instructional Connections, LLC provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Instructional Connections, LLC complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Instructional Connections, LLC expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Instructional Connections' employees and contractors to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.