Job no: 525734
Work type: Staff Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: IT Operations
Union: PSU
Categories: Computer & Information Technology, PSU A

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Instructional Technology Support Specialist is responsible for providing high quality, customer-centered support for instructional technologies, including the campus Learning Management System (LMS) and third-party tools. This role involves troubleshooting teaching and learning technology issues, assisting with the implementation of new technologies, and collaborating across teams to ensure the smooth operation of classroom and online learning environments.

Essential Functions

• Collaborates with faculty and departments to support technology adoption and change management, aligning instructional technology with institutional goals and enhancing instructor engagement.
• Serves as a liaison between faculty and technical teams, translating instructional needs into actionable requirements and advocating for faculty-focused digital solutions.
• Provides direct course support to faculty, assisting with modifications and role-based testing to ensure effective digital tool integration and user experience across various teaching and learning scenarios.
• Provides mentoring, training and functional supervision of junior staff/graduate student employees in coordination with the supervisor, handling complex support escalations as needed.
• Creates and maintains documentation and instructional technology support and training materials, including user guides, knowledge base articles, FAQs, and video tutorials for both internal and external audiences to ensure the effective use technology for learning and teaching.
• Designs and delivers training sessions and workshops to help instructors effectively use instructional technologies.
• Collaborates closely with cross departmental teams to implement technology-enhanced learning experiences and ensure instructional technology initiatives are supported.
• Provides excellent customer service and technical support to instructors and teaching assistants (TA’s) via phone, chat, ticketing system, and in person for instructional technologies, including but not limited to learning management systems (LMS), face-to-face and remote teaching technology, lecture capture, media and learning asset creation tools, triage of classroom technology and equipment issues and other educational software and systems as needed; and maintains accurate records of support requests, solutions, and user feedback.
• Helps instructors/TA's leverage technology to prepare instructional content for online, multi-modal, and in-class delivery, including but not limited to converting content to PDF format, creating presentations materials, recording screencasts, editing and delivering video clips, and managing grades in LMS.
• Uses appropriate knowledge bases, relevant research, and available tools to troubleshoot and resolve or escalate instructional technology support requests to appropriate teams.

Other Functions

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical Office Environment.

Work Schedule

Salary Information

Level 27

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter (optional). References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Advertised: Nov 20 2024 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close: Feb 21 2025 Eastern Standard Time