Academic Fieldwork Coordinator New

Description

Helena College University of Montana a comprehensive two-year college, provides access to and support of high quality lifelong educational opportunities for our diverse community. Helena College is seeking qualified applicants who wish to become part of a dynamic and creative team for a full-time position as an Academic Fieldwork Coordinator of Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities

The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator (AFWC), which reports directly to the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program Director (PD), is a full-time core member of the (OTA) program at Helena College. Primary responsibilities of the position are split equally between clinical fieldwork management/coordination and student instruction. The AFWC will work closely with the OTA Program Director for overall administration of the OTA program.

• OTA program compliance with the fieldwork requirements of the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) fieldwork standards Section C.1.0.
• Establish and evaluate clinical education/fieldwork sites and facility standards.
• Draft critical reports and recommendations based on standardized criteria.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the OTA program and the clinical education/fieldwork sites and facilitate ongoing development of and communication with clinical sites and clinical instructors.
• Obtain and maintain all documentation pertaining to the program’s clinical fieldwork sites, including Clinical Affiliation Agreements, Declarations of Intent, Clinical Site Information Forms, logs, records, and all other documentation relevant to the clinical fieldwork program.
• Establish and assess appropriate learning opportunities for students in clinical/fieldwork educational sites
• Student instruction, both theory/lecture and lab, in the skills required for entry into the field of Occupational Therapy (OT) and based on the AFWC’s documented areas of clinical expertise and experience.
• Curriculum design and assessment in collaboration with program faculty and Program Director.
  
  

General Administration As Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

• Through program development and process improvement, develop, monitor, and refine the clinical education component of the curriculum.
• Draft critical reports and recommendations based on standardized criteria.
• Facilitate quality learning experiences for students during clinical education.
• In cooperation with program faculty, evaluate students' performance and determines students’ ability to integrate didactic and clinical learning experiences and progress within the curriculum.
• Educate students and clinical and academic faculty about clinical education.
• Select clinical learning environments that demonstrate characteristics of sound patient/client management, ethical and professional behavior, currency with occupational therapy practice, and adherence to program philosophy and curricular design.
• Maximize available resources for the clinical education program.
• Provide documented records and assessment of the clinical education program (includes clinical education sites, clinical educators, etc.), and links assessment findings with appropriate clinical faculty development activities.
• Actively engage core faculty in clinical education planning, implementation, assessment, and process improvement.
• Participate in professional development activities and staff development.
  
  

Teaching And Instructional Duties

• Actively participate in curriculum and program development and program assessment.
• Maintains active responsibilities with teaching, advising, and mentoring OTA students.
• Maintain clinical expertise for teaching OTA courses, labs, and fieldworks. Must possess and maintain documented expertise in areas of instruction and in course delivery methods (in-person, online, hybrid, etc.).
• Participate in professional development activities and staff development in assigned instructional areas.
• Demonstrate effective changes to personal teaching strategies, based upon faculty and student feedback and evaluations.
• Strictly adhere to policies and procedures within the OTA Program, Helena College, and clinical sites.
• Actively participate in program activities, including team meetings, lectures, labs, field trips, guest lectures, and fieldwork, as appropriate and assigned.
  
  

Student Interaction

• Coordinate and supervise the admission of students into the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.
• Participate in program related and campus events, such as program recruitment events, career events, graduation, and others.
• Support Helena College advising of pre-OTA students.
• Serve as the point of contact for student inquiries and concerns.
• Support students admitted to the program.
  
  

Other duties as assigned by the OTA Program Director and relevant to overall program administration.

Travel: Yes, up to 25%.

The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must hold a valid, unencumbered license to practice Occupational Therapy in Montana
• Bachelor’s level or higher degree in Occupational Therapy or a related discipline (e.g. Exercise Science, Public Health, Psychology, Kinesiology, Health and Human Performance, etc.).
• Must have 2-years of documented experience in the field of occupational therapy or qualifications meeting equivalent experience and competency in the field of occupational therapy as defined by the institution. This experience must include:
• Clinical practical experience as an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant
• Experience with occupational therapy assistants
• Must be initially certified by the NBCOT and must maintain ongoing NBCOT certification.
• Must hold a valid driver’s license
  
  

Preferred

• Clinical Instructor through AOTA credential.
• Professional practice experience as a clinical fieldwork educator.
• Must possess documented expertise in areas of instruction.
• Teaching experience in a variety of settings including but not limited to institutions of higher education, clinical instruction of student occupational therapy assistants, staff in-services, presentations at local, regional, or national conferences.
• Significant experience in occupational therapy professional network for student clinical experience.
• Active participation in state and national professional organizations.
• Ability to work well in a team environment under challenging circumstances.
• Ability to collaborate with other programs and institutions.
• Flexible attitude in preforming daily duties and responsibilities.
• CPR/Basic Life Support certification.
  
  

Post-Training Position Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of ACOTE C standards pertaining to fieldwork.
• Understanding of the of the OTA Program’s curriculum design.
• Knowledge of the OTA Program’s policies and procedures relating to fieldwork.
• Maintain NBCOT certification.
• Maintain active status for MT OT licensure
  
  

Additional Information

Work Schedule: Full-time, 1.0 FTE (40 Hours a week), Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm schedule. Hours and schedule may vary depending on the needs of the program. Includes a comprehensive and competitive benefits package including insurance package, mandatory retirement plan, partial tuition waiver, and wellness program.

Priority Application Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM (Mountain Time)

Screening of applications will begin after the closing date; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

A Complete Application Includes

1.Letter of Interest – addressing your qualifications and experience related to the stated required skills for the position. A general letter salutation such as “Dear Search Committee” or “Dear Hiring Manager” is acceptable

• Detailed Resume listing education and describing work experience
• Transcript- (Unofficial transcripts acceptable with application) Official transcripts due upon hire
• Three (3) professional references - names and contact information for three (3) professional references.
  
  

Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Employment Eligibility: All New Employees must be eligible to work lawfully in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

The Affiliation of the University of Montana (UM Affiliation) is an equal opportunity employer. UM Affiliation does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of protected class status as described in UM’s non-discrimination policy and any applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law.

Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to the offer of employment. In accordance with university regulations, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations.

References: References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant. UM partners with SkillSurvey for reference checking. Applicants may receive emails from SkillSurvey to submit reference information.

Testing: Individual hiring departments withing the UM Affiliation may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions.

Employment Eligibility: All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UM and all affiliated campuses, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9).

The University of Montana offers a wide variety of benefits. Please visit the Montana University System Benefits website for full information or contact our office if you have additional questions.