"Instructional Assistant II"

Regular/Temporary

Regular

Job Title

Instructional Assistant II

Job ID

64327

Location

Central Campus

Open Date

07/31/2024

Job Type

Continuing

Close Date

08/20/2024

Employee Group

Unifor Unit 1, Staff

Favorite Job

Department

ENG Experiential Learning Off

Salary Grade/Band

Grade 8

Salary Range

$27.66 - $41.64 (hourly)

Hours per Week

37.5

Posting Details

Schedule Monday - Friday; 8:00 - 4:30

Education Level Bachelor's Degree

Career Level 3 years of relevant experience

Job Description

This position will organize and coordinate activities related to undergraduate design projects and laboratories within the Experiential Learning Office.  This position will be responsible for ensuring that safety procedures are considered and implemented into all the teaching activities in the labs; providing a safe working environment for students and staff; training of Teaching Assistants and IAI's (co-op students) to use all equipment safely; testing of existing labs and design activities to ensure they are optimized prior to undergrad students' arrival; designing and preparing experiential learning activities; supporting undergraduate labs and design projects throughout the academic term including through the delivery of the content needed; maintaining online learning environments and databases.  The successful candidate will acquire and maintain expertise in all new software or hardware used (including performing maintenance/repairs as needed).  The successful incumbent will provide direction and support to TAs (and IAI's) assigned to the lab, tutorial (design studio) and lectures and must ensure that safety and operating protocols are adhered to at all times.

Job Summary:

Provides pedagogical and technical support to instructors, teaching assistants and students. Responsible for the development, implementation, coordination and evaluation of curriculum, assessment and instructional activities within an academic unit, department, or faculty.

Purpose and Key Functions:

• Write and design lesson plans in accordance to the curriculum priorities of the instructor.

• Provide formal supervision to teaching assistants and other part-time staff.

• Communicate curriculum to teaching assistants that is to be covered in tutorial sessions.

• Review current educational research literature to ensure curriculum follows best practices in teaching, education and learning.

• Organize and coordinate teaching laboratories, computer-based instruction, and tutorial classes accordingly.

• Introduce and demonstrate labs or tutorial sessions to students.

• Tutor students in programs and assist students with lab work.

• Train others on proper lab techniques, operating laboratory equipment, and on running efficient and effective tutorial sessions.

• Compose test questions and assignments, and prepare solution sheets for

review by others.

• Assist staff with the preparation and set up of equipment and supplies for laboratories and tutorial sessions.

• Organize and monitor the on-line learning environment for courses in an academic unit, department, or faculty by ensuring that the appropriate course content information is made available to students.

• Write a variety of documents such as procedure manuals, correspondence, and reports.

• Prepare a variety of lecture materials including presentation slides and handouts.

• Provide guidance, advice, and solutions to teaching assistants when resolving student inquiries.

• Provide teaching assistants with appropriate teaching material as specified by the instructor.

• Ensure accurate grading of assignments is completed by teaching assistants and report discrepancies to the instructor.

• Correspond and meet with students to address concerns related to the course including, but not limited to, the resolution of contested grades.

• Liaise with instructors, teaching assistants, and students to ensure information within the academic unit is understood by all parties.

• Exchange technical and scientific information amongst colleagues.

• Operate, adjust, and maintain a variety of equipment and instruments.

• Troubleshoot equipment and perform minor repairs. Ensure major repair requests are escalated to the appropriate area.

• Assign tutorials to teaching assistants and arrange teaching assistant office hours.

• Section classes at the beginning of the year, dealing with all scheduling changes, room reservations, and scheduling conflicts.

• Assess the need for laboratory equipment and provide recommendations for the acquisition of materials and equipment.

• Calibrate laboratory equipment according to established calibration standards.

• Collect, track, and safeguard student marks and tests.

• Calculate student marks and submit final grades to appropriate areas.

• Input, maintain, and verify information in a variety of databases and spreadsheets.

• Pipette a variety of reagents and media.

• Prepare chemical reagents and biomedical media according to formulae and assume responsibility for accuracy in the preparation and standardization of solutions.

• Ensure that all laboratory waste is disposed of according to established policies and procedures.

Supervision:

• Ongoing responsibility for supervising up to 9 casual employees at any one time.

Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering a relevant field of study.

Requires 3 year of relevant experience.

Assets:

The successful candidate will:

• Hold a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, and will have Instructional Assistance experience with at least three years of relevant experience.
• Have strong communication and organization skills, applied skills (including, but not limited to, computing, modelling & drafting, robotics, knowledge of basic computer software such as Word, Excel, etc.
• Possess a good understanding some of: 3D printing, machining practices, programming principles, control systems, data acquisition systems, and microcontrollers.
• Have experience and/or demonstrated interest with some CAD and solid modelling, Raspberry Pi and Arduino, programming in Python, MATLAB and/or LabVIEW, building 3D printers. 

- Demonstrated experience in working with robotics and mechatronics systems. 

• This position requires an individual capable of handling a diverse workload in a busy environment, the ability to meet multiple and simultaneous deadlines and perform equally well individually and as part of a team. The successful applicant will be expected to take the initiative to improve processes and develop new processes to adapt to changing conditions.
• The ideal candidate is friendly, energetic, tactful, confident, resourceful, is a highly organized and motivated individual with proven communication skills, with the ability to act independently as well as in a team environment, the ability to work well under pressure, and the ability to deal with multiple concurrent deadlines in a demanding work environment.

How To Apply

To apply for this job, please submit your application online.

Employment Equity Statement

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and, within the lands protected by the “Dish with One Spoon” wampum agreement.

In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity. The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. While all qualified candidates are invited to apply, we particularly welcome applications from women, persons with disabilities, First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, members of visible minorities, and LGBTQ+ persons. Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact the Human Resources Service Centre at 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247) or the Faculty of Health Sciences Human Resources office at ext. 22207 to communicate accommodation needs.