Secondary Transition Associate

Mission or Goal of Unit:

The School of Education (SOE) is committed to excellence in the initial preparation and continuing development of professionals for leadership, teaching, service and scholarly inquiry in culturally diverse settings across the life span. Our mission and values are grounded in and committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and engagement.

Virginia Commonwealth University RRTC’s Center on Transition Innovations provides evidence-based resources and information along with emerging practices to assist individuals with disabilities obtain postsecondary education and employment opportunities.

Chief Purpose of this position: The chief purpose of this position is to serve as a Secondary Transition Associate in a grant supported position focusing on the delivery of online professional development, resources, and technical assistance on the transition of students with disabilities. This position requires extensive knowledge and experience in providing technical assistance across the state to regions, school divisions, and staff to improve the quality of transition services, increase and implement effective career development practices, and support the use of data-driven decision-making to improve post school outcomes for students with disabilities. In addition, the position requires a detailed understanding of federal and state laws (IDEA, WIOA, Perkins V, HEOA, ADA), experience in writing manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, and delivering presentations at national and state conferences. The ability to establish strong working relationships with the Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, VDBVI, DBHDS, and other state agency leadership is also required. The position will also be responsible for identifying and developing grant applications to fund projects that support the mission of CTI.

Position Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Director for the Center on Transition Innovations, the Secondary Transition Associate's responsibilities include:
-Developing and updating online training materials and resources aligned with best practices, facilitating online instruction, delivering presentations through videos, webinars, and conferences, writing online courses, and identifying resources.
-Developing and providing technical assistance to regions, divisions, and schools aimed at improving the quality of transition services and supports.
-Conducting presentations on the research and demonstration outcomes of the Center to advisory councils, stakeholders, funding sponsors, and other state and national professional groups and organizations.
-Conducting evaluation and research activities.
-Applying research-based practices in developing inclusive career development and employment programs for individuals with disabilities.
-Representing VCU, RRTC, and the Center to the public, key stakeholders, colleagues, and other professional organizations.    --Creating and establishing collaborative working relationships and networking with other researchers in the disability field to advance the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities in higher education, employment and the community at large.     
-Developing applications to obtain approval from VCU IRB to conduct human subjects research, and submitting reports on progress toward meeting goals, objectives, and outcomes of funded projects.

Required Qualifications:
-Master’s degree from an accredited college/university with major course work in special education, social/behavioral sciences, or rehabilitation required.
-A minimum of 10 years’ experience working in schools with students with disabilities and extensive knowledge of the transition of youth and young adults with disabilities and associated evidence-based practices.
-Prior experience in developing and delivering targeted training in multiple live and online formats.
-Demonstrated experience in providing technical assistance to collaborative teams of school personnel, community agencies, families, and students with disabilities to implement person-centered transition services and supports in local community settings.
-Demonstrated experience in writing and speaking on research or demonstration outcomes to stakeholders, funding sponsors, and other professional groups or organizations.
-General knowledge of qualitative research methods and understanding of confidentiality involved with collection and storage of research data.
-Ability to manage multiple projects and requests and prioritize work tasks to ensure they are completed in a timely manner.
-Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications:
-Knowledge and experience with developing grant applications.
-Familiarity with school divisions and community resources.
-Ability to maintain accurate and complete electronic and paper filing systems.
-Experience in college and career readiness preparation of individuals with disabilities.|
-Experience working with state agencies including but not limited to the department of education and vocational rehabilitation.

Position Type: Teaching & Research Faculty
Full time equivalent: 1
Tenure: Ineligible
Rank: Instructor
Months: 12
Department: SOE Spec Ed & DP - RRTC

Salary: $70,000 - $80,000

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Christine Groah
Contact Email: chgroah@vcu.edu