The Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation at the University of Southern California invites applications for a full-time research faculty position in Learning Innovation (non-tenure track, rank dependent on qualifications) to begin in the Spring or Summer 2023 semester. The ideal candidate will hold a M.S. and/or Ph.D., or equivalent advanced degree, as well as a record of research experience, in one or more of the following fields, or a related field: education, psychology, sociology, policy, information science, domain related pedagogy education (i.e. engineering education).

Qualifications

Candidates with experience or a specific interest in the following areas will be prioritized: hybrid (quantitative and qualitative) research methods, collaborative learning and/or collaborative innovation, inter/trans/meta disciplinary education, educational technologies, sociotechnical systems, philosophy or neuroscience or cognitive psychology of learning, sociocultural theories and applications of learning, inclusive pedagogy.

Responsibilities

The position focuses on research in intersectoral learning. The appointee will take a lead role in applied research, and resulting publications, related to the groundbreaking IYA learning framework on intersectoral expertise and intersectoral innovation. A key goal is to begin to analyze, codify and assess the framework as well as its components: courses, degree specializations, minors, overall curriculum. Research will lead to publication(s), and wide dissemination and potential scaling of the framework. Results of the research will also inform the continuous improvement of the framework. Another key goal for the position is applied research (and related publications) regarding the scaling of the framework in secondary education in close collaboration with LAUSD and the Iovine and Young affiliated high school (Iovine and Young Center).

The IYA learning framework focuses on the intersection of technology, design and business within the overarching goal of advancing purpose driven technological and business innovation. However, its characteristics can be adapted to other intersectoral contexts (i.e. health, technology and policy). The appointee will work closely on this research with the IYA Director of Research and IYA faculty, students and industry and community partners (including high school teachers and administrators). As a research faculty, the appointee will be expected to co-develop (and where appropriate lead) collaborative funding proposals (to federal organizations, foundations and private philanthropy) that can advance, scale, and disseminate the research.

During the first two years the position will be 100% dedicated to the described research. Opportunities for up to 25% teaching as well as expanded research directions (based on external funding secured) may exist for potential renewals from the third year onwards.

Requirements

Candidates should have a minimum of two years research experience at peer institutions/organizations. Preference will be given to candidates who can also show evidence of participation or leadership published and/or funded research. Experience in doing applied research in higher education and/or secondary education is desired. The successful candidate is a team player who will provide vision for this groundbreaking research in a cross-domain school, within the strategic goals of this top-tier research university. The successful candidate will also be interested in forging relationships and building opportunities with other schools and departments at USC as well as industry and community partners.

The USC Iovine and Young Academy is especially interested in candidates whose backgrounds and experience have prepared them to contribute to our commitment to the engagement, teaching, and inclusion of diverse audiences.

About USC Iovine and Young Academy

USC Iovine and Young Academy students develop expertise at the intersection of design, technology, business and communication along with competencies in each of these areas. Academy graduates can integrate divergent ideas to develop new ways of working, learning, collaborating in key emerging specializations of the 21st century – design strategy, product innovation, integrated business innovation, extended reality, physical computing, health innovation and participatory wellness, purpose-driven innovation and entrepreneurship. Academy students and graduates regularly receive offers for top internships and jobs from leading companies such as Apple, Google, Intel, Adidas, Sony, Spotify, Khan Academy, Tesla, Facebook, and Ernst and Young, and student startups have garnered significant funding and acquisition payouts since the school’s opening in 2014.

The Academy is proud of our efforts to foster an accessible, inclusive, diverse, and equitable learning community. As a school, it is our express purpose to reinvent undergraduate and graduate education, specifically to meet the changing needs of our students and, through their abilities, society. Through these new models for education, we are intent on providing greater access for students from diverse backgrounds, especially those who exhibit talents, traits, and attributes different from those traditionally sought by higher education programs. As a growing community of innovators, we are seeking collaborators that share in this vision and will actively contribute to the diversity of thought, expertise, and experience our community requires.

About University of Southern California

The University of Southern California is one of the world’s leading private research universities. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology, and international business, USC's diverse curricular offerings provide extensive opportunities for interdisciplinary study and collaboration with leading researchers in highly advanced learning environments. USC strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity employment. Members of all gender and of all racial and ethnic groups are encouraged to apply.

Instructions to the applicant:

Applicants should submit a letter of application discussing professional and scholarly work, teaching, and related experience; curriculum vitae; and names and contact information of three references. All application materials should be uploaded through the online portal at usccareers.usc.edu. Finalists will be asked for additional materials. The application deadline is December 1, 2022. Questions can be addressed to Professor Michael Crowley, assistant dean of faculty affairs, through the administrative assistant for faculty affairs, Yolanda DiConti (ydiconti@usc.edu).

USC Iovine and Young Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.