Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for University Educator

🎯 Role Definition

A University Educator designs and delivers higher-education learning experiences that advance student success, academic quality, and institutional goals. This role combines expert-level subject knowledge, curriculum design, assessment and accreditation literacy, research and scholarship, and the use of instructional technology (LMS, online/hybrid pedagogy, learning analytics). University Educators work with diverse learners, collaborate with faculty peers and administrators, advise and mentor students, pursue scholarly activity or applied research, and contribute to program and institutional development.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Graduate Teaching Assistantships or Adjunct Lecturer positions
Industry Professional transitioning to academia (e.g., senior practitioner in a field)
Instructional Designer or Educational Technologist roles within higher education

Advancement To:

Senior Lecturer or Principal Lecturer
Assistant / Associate / Full Professor (tenure-track)
Program Director, Director of Undergraduate/Graduate Studies
Department Chair, Academic Dean, Center Director

Lateral Moves:

Instructional Designer / Director of Online Learning
Academic Program Manager or Curriculum Specialist
Student Affairs or Academic Advising leadership

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, develop and deliver university-level courses (in-person, hybrid, and fully online) that align with program outcomes, institutional learning goals, and accreditation standards, using evidence-based pedagogy and best practices in adult learning.
Create detailed course syllabi, learning objectives, lesson plans, assignments, rubrics, and assessment strategies that map to program competencies and support measurable student outcomes.
Teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses with clear learning outcomes; facilitate active learning through lectures, seminars, labs, case studies, problem-based learning and experiential activities.
Use and manage Learning Management Systems (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) to post materials, grade assignments, communicate with students, and analyze engagement and performance metrics.
Develop and implement formative and summative assessments, provide timely, constructive feedback, and maintain records that demonstrate student achievement and continuous improvement.
Advise and mentor individual students and student groups on academic planning, career pathways, capstone projects, internships, thesis supervision, and professional development.
Supervise graduate students, research assistants, independent studies, internships and capstone projects; set expectations, evaluate progress, and ensure quality of student scholarship.
Conduct and disseminate scholarly research or applied research projects that advance the discipline, secure external funding (grant writing), and contribute to the institution’s research profile.
Participate in curriculum review and program assessment cycles, collect and analyze assessment data, prepare assessment reports and implement curricular improvements to ensure program effectiveness and accreditation readiness.
Serve on academic committees (e.g., curriculum committee, faculty senate, program review panels) and contribute to institutional governance, policy development, and strategic planning.
Develop collaborative relationships with industry partners, community organizations, and other academic institutions to create internships, partnerships, field experiences, and applied learning opportunities for students.
Lead or participate in faculty development activities, workshops and mentoring programs that promote inclusive teaching practices, academic integrity, and adoption of educational technologies.
Integrate principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEI/ADA) into course design, classroom practices, assessments and student supports to ensure equitable learning outcomes for diverse student populations.
Maintain currency in the discipline through continuing education, professional certifications, conference participation, and subscription to relevant journals and professional networks.
Manage course budgets, order materials and equipment for classes and labs, and ensure safe, compliant operation of classroom and laboratory environments.
Develop and maintain high-quality instructional resources — lecture slides, multimedia, reading lists, open educational resources (OER), and online modules — to support scalable and reusable learning experiences.
Employ learning analytics and student performance data to identify at-risk students, tailor interventions, and report on retention, progression and achievement metrics to academic leadership.
Prepare and submit annual or periodic faculty activity reports documenting teaching, scholarship, service, grants, and professional development achievements.
Participate in recruitment, interviewing, onboarding and evaluation of teaching assistants, adjunct faculty and part-time instructors; deliver training on course delivery and assessment expectations.
Champion academic integrity and ethical behavior; manage academic misconduct investigations, grade appeals and student grievances according to institutional policy.
Promote and support experiential learning, study abroad, community-engaged scholarship and service-learning projects that enrich student learning and civic engagement.
Contribute to program marketing and student recruitment efforts by authoring program materials, presenting at open houses, attending recruitment fairs and participating in alumni engagement.
Lead or support accreditation visits and self-study processes by preparing documentation, coordinating stakeholders, and demonstrating alignment with accreditation standards and evidence.
Design and pilot innovative instructional approaches (flipped classroom, competency-based education, micro-credentials) to advance student learning and institutional agility in a competitive higher-education market.

Secondary Functions

Provide faculty mentoring and peer observation to support continuous improvement in teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes.
Respond to ad-hoc institutional data requests related to student success metrics and participate in cross-functional teams to translate academic needs into institutional initiatives.
Collaborate with instructional designers, IT services and library staff to improve digital learning infrastructure, multimedia resources and accessibility features.
Participate in faculty hiring processes and support onboarding of new hires, including coordinating orientation sessions and sharing institutional teaching resources.
Assist in the development and maintenance of program policies, student handbooks, and course evaluation instruments.
Support community outreach and continuing education offerings, including executive education, professional development workshops and certificate programs.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Curriculum and course design aligned to learning outcomes, accreditation standards and competency frameworks.
Proficiency with Learning Management Systems (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) and digital classroom tools (Zoom, Teams, Panopto).
Assessment design and measurement: rubric construction, item analysis, program-level assessment, and capstone evaluation.
Knowledge of accreditation processes (regional/national accreditors) and ability to prepare self-study and evidence portfolios.
Research methods and scholarly writing: qualitative and quantitative methodologies, IRB familiarity, and peer-reviewed publication track record.
Grant writing and sponsored research development, including budgeting and compliance for external funding.
Instructional technologies and multimedia creation: course authoring tools (Articulate, H5P), video production, and adaptive learning platforms.
Learning analytics and educational data literacy: use of dashboards, retention analytics, and data-driven intervention design.
Accessibility standards and universal design for learning (UDL) implementation, including familiarity with ADA/508 requirements and assistive technologies.
Classroom and lab safety management, including compliance with institutional, legal and ethical standards.
Experience with online pedagogy and best practices for asynchronous and synchronous remote instruction.
Experience supervising and mentoring graduate students, student researchers and teaching assistants.

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication tailored to diverse student and stakeholder audiences.
Student-centered mentorship and coaching with strong interpersonal sensitivity.
Collaborative teamwork across departments, faculty, and external partners.
Strong organizational and time-management skills to balance teaching, research, service and administrative duties.
Cultural competence and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in classroom and program practices.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills for curriculum improvement and student success initiatives.
Adaptability and resilience in rapidly changing higher-education environments and learning technologies.
Leadership and influence to lead program-level initiatives and faculty development efforts.
Confidentiality and professional ethics when dealing with student records, research data and academic integrity matters.
Reflective practice and commitment to continuous improvement through feedback and evidence-based changes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Master's degree in relevant discipline; for many full-time faculty roles, a terminal degree (PhD, EdD or appropriate field-equivalent) is required or strongly preferred.

Preferred Education:

PhD, EdD, or other terminal degree in the relevant academic field; postdoctoral experience or advanced professional certifications valued for certain applied programs.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Education, Higher Education Administration, Curriculum & Instruction
Discipline-specific fields (e.g., Biology, Computer Science, Business, Nursing, Psychology, Engineering, Humanities)
Instructional Design & Technology, Educational Research, Learning Sciences
Public Policy, Social Work, Health Sciences (for applied professional programs)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2-10+ years, depending on rank and track

Adjunct/Lecturer: 1–3 years teaching experience or professional practice
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer: 3–7 years demonstrated teaching excellence and curriculum development
Tenure-track Assistant/Associate Professor: 5+ years including research output and evidence of scholarship

Preferred:

Demonstrated success in higher-education teaching, curriculum development, and student mentorship
Record of scholarly or applied research, peer-reviewed publications, and/or funded projects
Experience with online or hybrid course delivery, accreditation processes, and program assessment