Academic Technology Specialist

Department: Technology & Innovation, Academic Services Reports To: Chief Information Officer Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt Location: Davidson, North Carolina The Academic Technology Specialist is a relationship-first role at the intersection of teaching, learning, and technology. You'll build direct, lasting connections with Davidson faculty and students, lead our learning platform strategy, and help the campus think clearly about how technology, including AI, can serve real teaching and learning goals. This isn't a maintenance role. You'll be designing and growing programs, not just keeping existing ones running. We're looking for curiosity, adaptability, and a genuine growth mindset at least as much as we're looking for a specific technical background. Community Engagement and Faculty Partnership Build direct, sustained relationships with faculty and students across departments, serving as T&I's primary point of contact for academic technology Design and run standing programs, advisory groups, feedback sessions, and proactive outreach, that help us understand how technology is actually working (or not) for teaching and learning Coordinate with the Library, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Academic Affairs so our work is complementary, not duplicative Turn what you hear from faculty and students into findings that shape real platform decisions Represent T&I's academic technology work in campus governance and conversations Steward an existing portfolio of Academic software, ensuring faculty and students have "the right tools for the job" Learning Platform Strategy and Adoption Own Davidson's learning management system strategy, including onboarding, governance, vendor relationships, and adoption standards centered on students Build onboarding and support pathways that meet faculty wherever they're starting, from first-time users to power users Define and track adoption metrics that measure real engagement, not just logins Stay current on the capabilities and integration ecosystem of our learning platforms Lead or contribute to platform evaluations and institution-scale adoption efforts as they come up Emerging Technology Integration Serve as one of T&I's go-to resources for faculty navigating emerging tools Bring the faculty and student perspective into T&I's AI initiatives, so technical decisions stay grounded in their effects on teaching and learning Track how peer institutions are approaching AI in academic settings and bring those findings back to Davidson Cross-Functional Collaboration Sit on T&I project teams for work that touches the academic mission, making sure faculty and student perspectives are in the room from day one Give informed, honest review of significant technology changes, keeping T&I accountable to Davidson's educational purpose Partner with Academic Services colleagues to make sure implementations actually serve the people using them Who You Are You have a bachelor's degree in instructional design, educational technology, learning experience design, a teaching discipline, or a related field, or you've built equivalent expertise through professional experience You've spent three or more years in academic technology, faculty support, instructional design, or a similar role in higher education You know learning management systems at a configuration or power-user level, not just as an end user You've worked directly with faculty on technology adoption or teaching practice, and you know that trust is built one relationship at a time You can facilitate a structured conversation with a room full of different perspectives, including people who are skeptical of new technology You write and speak clearly enough that both technical and non-technical audiences walk away understanding what you meant It's a plus if you have: Experience at a small, residential liberal arts college, and an understanding of relationship-intensive faculty culture Experience with LMS evaluation, platform selection, or institution-scale migrations Familiarity with AI tools and the questions they raise for students and faculty Knowledge of open educational resources, open access publishing, or alternative assessment approaches Familiarity with systems adjacent to the LMS, like course reserves, reading lists, or publisher integrations If this sounds like the work you want to do but you don't check every box, we'd still love to hear from you. We hire for curiosity and fit as much as for a job skill checklist. Meet the Academic Services Team You'll join a team of Instructional Technologists, a Research Computing Facilitator, and an Instructional and Research Computing Architect, colleagues who move comfortably between pedagogy and technology every day. Right now, the team is: Leading an assessment of Davidson's learning management system Exploring emerging technologies, including AI, and what they mean for teaching and learning Partnering directly with faculty on digital projects tied to specific learning outcomes Building authentic partnerships with faculty and students to assess real needs and shape new services The team works in close, day-to-day partnership with the Library, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Davidson's Assistant Dean for Data and Computing. It's a genuinely collaborative environment, and the work connects directly back to Davidson's primary purpose of teaching and learning. About T&I Mission: We remove barriers between people and Davidson's primary purpose through authentic partnerships and purposeful technology. North Star: Authentic partnership. Purposeful technology. Operating Philosophy: Be Kind. Do Good Work. Core Values: Collaborative, Transparent, Empathetic, Innovative, Accountable. Why Davidson Competitive salary package College-paid retirement account (Davidson contributes 9.5% of your salary annually) Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage Staff tuition assistance and dependent tuition assistance Paid vacation, sick leave, and parental leave, with accruals starting on day one Flexible working time Access to Davidson's Lake Campus, fitness facilities, and Employee Assistance Program A community-first culture in a town consistently ranked among the best small towns in America Our Commitment to Access and Non-Discrimination Davidson College complies with all applicable federal, state, and local non-discrimination laws, including Title VI, Title IX, the Age Discrimination Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Davidson does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in its programs, activities, or employment practices, and is committed to access and opportunity for candidates and employees from all backgrounds and perspectives. Full policy details are available in Davidson's Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity policy. #J-18808-Ljbffr