Director of Doctoral Research & Practicums for School of Health Sciences

Working independently and exercising good judgment and discretion, the Director of Health Science Research & Practicums will be responsible for overseeing doctoral practicum experiences, gate coordination, matching dissertation faculty and doctoral students through internal systems, and serving as a university policy mentor for dissertation readers. We are seeking a highly organized and experienced pre-doctoral professional as the Director of Health Science Research & Practicums for the School of Health Sciences. This position will also assist the Administrative Chair and Associate Dean on policy development, program implementation, and assessment of Doctoral programs. The Director will work closely with faculty, staff, and program directors to ensure excellence in education experiences for students while also supporting the growth and success of the School of Health Sciences Doctoral programs. This is an on-site position (not remote).

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Programmatic Management:

• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to track Practicum hours and placements for those in the DHSc and other relevant programs.

• Develop, implement, and employ policies, procedures, and guidelines for Doctoral Practicum placements, ensuring compliance with relevant accreditation standards, regulatory requirements, and University practices.

• Create and maintain consistent evaluation processes, through data collection, analysis, and feedback of practicum experiences and placements to improve effectiveness of Doctoral practicum programs.
• Assist with development of regular evaluation and updates of the Doctoral Handbook in concert with the Associate Dean and Administrative Chair as policies and procedures change.
• Maintain database of all dissertation/practicum students, committee members, practicum locations, preceptors, research, or dissertation topic.
• Address questions outside of Doctoral Program Support Coordinator and other staff’s purview
• Maintain schedule for all dissertation and research defenses.
• Place committee members into practicum and applied doctoral project courses.
• Engage in interviews for dissertation and research only faculty.
• Point of contact for all dissertation and research only faculty.

Supervision and Mentorship:

• Oversight of Doctoral program gates

• Provide leadership and guidance to a team of adjunct dissertation readers regarding the policies for faculty engagement in doctoral mentorship.

• Foster a supportive environment for doctoral faculty engaging in the mentorship of students.
• Collaborate with faculty to identify practicum placements while ensuring consistency and quality in supervision practices and reporting.
• Teaching responsibilities, as needed.

Student Support and Advocacy:

• Assist doctoral students in pairing process for dissertation mentors and readers.

• Develop and deliver workshops and resources to enhance the professional and personal development of Doctoral students and dissertation faculty members.

• Coordinate all practicum and clinical paperwork.
• Register students in practicum and applied doctoral project courses.
• Assist with IRB paperwork, when necessary.

External Partnerships and Collaborations:

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including practicum site supervisors, organizations, and professional associations, to facilitate practicum placements and strengthen program partnerships.

• Seek opportunities for collaboration and innovation, such as joint research projects, experiential learning initiatives, or community engagement activities that enrich the doctoral practicum experience.

• Regularly review grant opportunities for doctoral students in Health Sciences.

Program Assessment and Accreditation:

• Collaborate with department leadership to organize data and provide reporting summations on accreditation compliance as required.

• Track program progress and participate in program assessments by providing documentation and evidence of program quality and continuous improvement efforts.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervise and evaluate the Doctoral Programs Support Coordinator position.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS

Education and Experience

• Required:

  • Master’s degree in a relevant Health Science field.

  • Pursuit of a doctoral degree in a relevant Health Science field from an accredited institution.
• Doctoral degree in hand is welcomed, but not required, as this is not a faculty position.
• Experience in higher education administration, program development, accreditation, leadership, or a related field.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Doctoral education, including practicum experiences, systems analysis, and best practices for graduate-level program development.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to lead a team, foster collaboration, and drive programmatic initiatives.
• Knowledge of accreditation processes and standards for doctoral programs is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and ethical guidelines related to doctoral practicum experiences in relevant professional fields is preferred.

Communication and Comprehension

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders, facilitate dialogue, and resolve conflicts.
• Proven ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing to convey clear, articulate information.
• Ability to understand, speak, and write English to convey messages and correspond in an articulate and professional manner.
• Possess public communication skills that allow professional representation of Liberty University to a variety of business, government and community customers and associates.
• Intuitively able to reason, analyze information and events, and apply judgment to solve problems of both a routine and complex nature.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Excellent computer and scheduling skills.

Other

• Willingness to strict adherence to Liberty University policies, representing the University in an exemplary manner.
• Work effectively as a team member, embracing and fostering LU’s mission.
• Commitment to fostering a Christian worldview in the training of Health Sciences professionals.
• Commitment to the University doctoral statement and young-Earth Creationism.
• Some travel locally required.
• Other duties as assigned.

This is an on-site position located within the School of Health Sciences at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA.