The Assistant Director roles are 10-month appointments beginning August 14, 2024 (pay period beg. Aug. 10, concluding May 24th, 2025), with the possibility of annual renewal for up to three years. During the academic year, X-Labs assistant directors receive either a course release (negotiated with their Academic Unit Head) or an annual stipend, or a combination of the two. This is an internal JMU service opportunity.

Contact Connie Frigo, Executive Director, for more details at frigocm@jmu.edu.

The following materials must be sent via email to express interest:

1. Letter of Interest, two pages max, indicating the specific opportunity you are interested in (you may express interest in both), what interests you about JMU-X-Labs, and what unique and relevant experiences you will bring to JMU X-Labs.
2. Current CV
3. Endorsement statement from your Academic Unit Head and Dean

Send all three documents via email to Melissa Gaines, X-Labs Programs Assistant, at jmuxlabs@jmu.edu by Monday, April 29 at 5pm.

JMU X-Labs is launching a faculty fellows program and is seeking an Assistant Director of Faculty Development in Cross-disciplinary Pedagogy to develop and lead this exciting program.

This JMU X-Labs Assistant Director will manage all aspects of the X-Labs Faculty Fellows program and reports to the X-Labs Executive Director. The Assistant Director is responsible for:

• Designing the X-Labs Faculty Fellows program during the 2024-25 academic year to train faculty in cross-disciplinary and collaborative design thinking pedagogy, to be launched in Summer 2025
• Building a detailed budget for the program
• Creating and administering the Call for Applications for X-Labs Faculty Fellows program in Fall 2024 for Summer 2025 launch, assembling the applicant review and selection panel, managing all communication with applicants and those selected
• Understanding and implementing the use of the Teaching Transdisciplinary Courses manual authored by Heinrich, Lewis, Louson, Ludwig, McCarthy, Swayne as the primary resource to train faculty while introducing additional new and relevant resources
• Building and managing relationships and communication with internal partners (faculty, AUHs, directors) specific to the support of faculty fellows
• Working with the other X-Labs Assistant Director to coordinate faculty fellows to observe, teach, and coach X-Labs courses
• Working with Executive Director to set program goals and evaluation plan, and to align pedagogy goals and outcomes with X-Labs' vision
• Meeting weekly with X-Labs leadership (executive director and other assistant director)
• Working an estimated 12 hours per week during the academic year and approximately 40 hours throughout the summer of 2025

To serve, faculty must have:

• Terminal degree
• 5 years of full-time university teaching experience
• Leadership experience in a university setting
• Program management training or experience
• Training and experience in utilizing design thinking pedagogy
• Knowledge of or desire to learn how the university can best support the fellows program
• Experience communicating with large number of internal stakeholders
• Attention to detail and ability to ensure confidentiality of data and records
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student development   

Additional Considerations: Training in cross-disciplinary and collaborative teaching; training in assessment; and training or experience developing programs would be beneficial.

JMU X-Labs is seeking an Assistant Director of Engaged Learning Experiences to manage the design, execution, and follow-up for all X-Labs courses as X-Labs explores new ways and methods to support the innovative pedagogical and research interests of JMU faculty, including The Reimagined Internship program that X-Labs launched this year. This person reports to the X-Labs Executive Director. The Assistant Director is responsible for:   

• Management of course design, execution, and follow-up for all X-Labs courses, minimum 8-10 per year (from course idea submission to course finalization and archiving documentation, institutional research, and course data)
• Building and managing relationships and communication with internal and external partners, and clients specific to X-Labs courses
• Working with the Executive Director to plan appropriate course development and rotation
• Working with the other X-Labs Assistant Director to coordinate faculty fellows to observe, teach, and coach X-Labs courses, and assist in program evaluations
• Working with Projects and Initiatives Manager to market courses across campus
• Generating drafts of MOUs for faculty the semester prior to the X-Labs course
• Participating in professionalization experiences that bring new skills and perspectives back to JMU X-Labs and promote JMU X-Labs nationally and internationally
• Developing and maintaining a database of courses, partners, and outcomes
• Working an estimated 10 hours per week during the academic year.

To serve, faculty must have:  

• Terminal degree
• 5 years of full-time university teaching experience
• Leadership experience in a university setting
• Experience with innovation and entrepreneurial spaces in university settings
• Desire to learn or experience in design thinking pedagogy
• Experience communicating with large number of internal and external stakeholders
• Experience with data management systems and flexibility with learning new systems
• Attention to detail and ability to ensure confidentiality of data and records
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student development

Additional Considerations:

• Training in cross-disciplinary and collaborative teaching and training or experience managing growing programs would be beneficial.

Contact Connie Frigo, Executive Director, at frigocm@jmu.edu.

Expressions of interest must be sent via email by Monday, April 29, 5pm.