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SERU Consortium Director and Senior Researcher

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Position description

The Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium is a group of leading research-intensive universities, policy researchers, and scholars based at Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California – Berkeley (CSHE) working in partnership with the University of Minnesota, the International Graduate Insight Group Ltd (i-graduate), the Higher School of Economics – Moscow, and member universities. Consortium activities include:

• The generation of institutional, comparative, and longitudinal data on the student experience in research universities, including administration of on-line census SERU Undergraduate and Graduate Surveys.
• Sharing of best practices and SERU data among member universities under agreed protocols.
• Promoting and supporting the systematic use by Consortium members of data and analysis as tools for policy and scholarly relevant research and institutional self-improvement.
• Development of research collaborations and studies related to the student experience.
• Providing a global network of peer universities concerned with the quality of the undergraduate and graduate student experience.

The SERU Consortium is growing in its member campuses, in the uses of its data for institutional and scholarly research, and has significant opportunities for the development of related and new deliverables and networking that will benefit the project’s goals, and expand the reach of the Berkeley campus among top tier research universities located throughout the world. Further development of the SERU consortium, including an expansive exploration of new data sources, deliverables for Consortium members, and policy and scholarly research, is critical for the continued success of the SERU project.

QUALIFICATIONS
The minimum qualification required to be considered an applicant for this position is a Ph.D. or equivalent degree at the time of application. The candidate must also have extensive demonstrated knowledge of survey techniques, proven data analytical skills at the highest level, knowledge of the research and conceptual models on the student experience, and knowledge of the institutional research needs of research-intensive universities in the U.S. and globally. Preference will be given to candidates who have demonstrated the potential to engage in independent and creative research activity of high quality and significance, equivalent to that expected of the Professor series.

APPLICATIONS
Candidates should submit the following materials for a complete application: a cover letter with a clear statement of research interests and experience; a current Curriculum Vita; two to three examples of scholarship (for example, two publications and a recent working paper), and contact information for three references. A Statement of Contributions to Diversity is optional. The committee will only contact referees of finalists, and will seek the candidate’s permission before doing so.

Materials can be uploaded through the following link:

https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/JPF01545

Position will remain open until filled.

REPORTING
This position will report to SERU Principal Researcher and PI John Douglass – CSHE Senior Research Fellow.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The SERU Consortium Director is a full-time position responsible for overall SERU Consortium Management, SERU-related Research, and SERU- related Development project – as outlined below.

A. SERU Consortium Management – 50% Time
The SERU Director will have overall responsibility for the management of the Consortium, including survey development and administration, and in assessing the strategic development of the SERU project.
• Management and Supervision of SERU Survey Contracting, Administration, and Data Delivery - including supervision of survey administration and data delivery under current contracts between CSHE and the University of Minnesota (UMinn) for the SERU division of Association of American Universities and Carnegie Research 1 (SERU AAU/R1) campuses, I-Graduate (Tribal Group) based in London for SERU International (SERU-I) campuses. Contracts currently run through summer 2019. The Director will be responsible for assessing the performance of UMinn and I-Graduate, any re-negotiations for a renewed contract and assessing alternative survey contractors.
• Management of SERU Survey Content and Design - including regular reviews of survey content and design, development of new survey modules, and coordination between the SERU AAU/R1 and SERU I undergraduate and graduate surveys.
• Service as the primary liaison with all SERU Consortium Member Campuses
• Responsibility for maintaining SERU Organization and Management Plans
• Working with SERU AAU Principal Researchers
• Management and Membership on the SERU AAU/R1 Board of Advisors and other related SERU consulting groups
• Management of CSHE Central SERU Data Archive and New SERU Server
• Management and Coordination of Recruitment of New Universities to SERU Consortium
• Organization and Management of SERU related websites and communications
• Organization and Management of SERU Business Meetings with SERU AAU/R1 and SERU I campuses
• Organization of SERU Research Symposium and Events
• Development and Coordination of Campus Data Reports, On-line Data Tools, and Technical Reports
• Coordination, Management, and Approval of policy and scholarly data access requests.
• Supervision of SERU staff support based at UC Berkeley and/or among one or more of the SERU Consortium member campuses.

B. SERU Project Development – 20% Time
The SERU Director will lead the effort for new approaches to the use of data to assess the student experience and to further the development of the Consortium.
• Identifying and Integrating of Existing Data Sources - Such data sources could include (1) learning analytics (LMS, MOOCs, social networks, etc.); (2) standardized tests of learning outcomes (probably not subject-specific but rather on critical thinking, relational reasoning, communication, learning skills - with national/international benchmarks).
• Development of a Web-Based “MyUniversity” Social and Academic Network – conceptually, this would be a customized and individualized websource for students. MyUniversity would help students navigate, explore, and expand their experience while at often large-scale universities that are SERU members by integrating SERU and other institutional data sources and linking their personal academic record and interests with the academic, social, cultural and other opportunities.
• Expansion of the SERU Consultancy – SERU member campuses have access to SERU based experts in areas such as institutional research. The SERU Consultancy can be expanded in part to: (1) create an international network of CSHE trained professionals that value SERU as a project and (2) create an additional source of income for the CSHE.

C. SERU Policy and Scholarly Research – 30% Time
The SERU Director will be required to pursue both policy and scholarly based research that supports the SERU research agenda, and that of CSHE. This must include peer reviewed publications, and CSHE published reports. Areas of SERU research currently include the following.
• Multi-Engagement in the Research University – this is currently the SERU project’s major research project with initial analysis of over 150,000 survey responses and framed around four areas of the student experience: curricular engagement, research engagement, civic engagement, and co-curricular engagement.
• Campus Climate
• International Students
• A Global Comparative Analysis of the Undergraduate Student Experience
• The Graduate Student Experience
• The SPACES framework for evaluating the undergraduate experience at research universities

Salary is commensurate with experience.

If you have any questions, please contact Aaron Schiller, Academic HR Analyst for the Goldman School of Public Policy, 2607 Hearst Ave., Berkeley, CA 94720-7320, or via email at aaschiller@berkeley.edu.

Confidentiality Policy: All applications will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality: http://apo.berkeley.edu/evalltr.html prior to submitting their letters.

Berkeley has an excellent benefits package and a number of policies and programs in place to support employees as they balance work and family.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter - A cover letter with a clear statement of research
    interests and experience

  • Example of scholarship 1 - Published research paper, article, or chapter

  • Example of scholarship 2 - Published research paper, article, or chapter

  • Recent working paper (Optional)

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to diversity through research, teaching, and/or service.
    (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)

Job location

Berkeley, CA