Dissertation Development and Research Support Coordinator

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION   SUMMARY

The Dissertation Development and Research Support Coordinator provides academic leadership, faculty mentorship, research consultation, and quality assurance across the dissertation process. The Coordinator supports faculty serving as Dissertation Chairs and provides candidates and chairs with guidance on research design, methodology, analysis, and ethical research practice. This role promotes consistent scholarly standards, strengthens faculty capacity, and supports timely progression through dissertation milestones. The Coordinator serves as a program-wide resource, supplementing the work of faculty advisors and dissertation chairs and committees. This is a full-time faculty administrator position with faculty rank.

Responsibilities:

• Mentor and support faculty serving as Dissertation Chairs, particularly new and first-time chairs. 
• Provide guidance on dissertation supervision, substantive feedback, candidate progression, and milestone management. 
• Facilitate professional development related to dissertation advising, research methodology, ethical practice, and scholarly standards. 
• Help chairs identify appropriate methodological expertise for a candidate’s dissertation committee or for targeted consultation. 
• Provide consultation to candidates and chairs on research questions, design, methods, data collection, analysis plans, and interpretation of findings. 
• Assist candidates in evaluating the feasibility and scope of proposed project-based dissertations in coordination with their Faculty Advisor or Dissertation Chair. 
• Support chairs and candidates in identifying appropriate research resources, tools, and specialized expertise. 
• Refer methodological or subject-matter questions beyond the Coordinator’s expertise to a qualified specialist, as needed. 
• Guide candidates and chairs in understanding research ethics and preparing for IRB review, while recognizing that formal IRB determinations rest with the appropriate institutional body. 
• Promote consistency in dissertation expectations, evaluation criteria, and scholarly rigor across Dissertation Chairs and committees. 
• Review dissertation proposals or drafts as needed to advise on alignment with program standards and identify areas requiring further attention by the Chair and committee. 
• Advise chairs on addressing common dissertation challenges involving scope, methodology, candidate readiness, or the coherence of the project. 
• Contribute to consistent use and refinement of dissertation policies, templates, rubrics, and assessment tools. 
• Assist with program-level coordination related to dissertation enrollment, milestones, review processes, and completion timelines. 
• Monitor patterns in candidate progression and dissertation completion to identify support needs and opportunities for program improvement. 
• Provide feedback to the Ph.D. Program Director regarding dissertation processes, faculty workload, methodological support needs, and resource requirements. 
• Serve as a consultative resource when chairs encounter complex methodological, ethical, or progress-related issues. 
• Support chairs in navigating IRB institutional research policies and dissertation procedures. 
• Assist the Ph.D. Program Director and chairs in addressing concerns related to candidate progress, timeline delays, or academic standards. 
• Collaborate with the Program Director, Faculty Advisors, Dissertation Chairs, committee members, and academic leadership to ensure coherent support across dissertation stages. 
• Communicate research support opportunities and dissertation process expectations clearly to candidates and Dissertation Chairs. 
• Maintain appropriate records of consultations and program-level issues to support continuity and improvement. 
• Teach courses and serve as Dissertation Chair for select students in the PhD program as needed, subject to appropriate faculty qualifications and program needs. 

Qualifications:

• Earned research-based doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) from a regionally accredited institution. 
• Expertise in doctoral research design and methodology, including applied or project-based dissertations.
• A minimum of three years’ experience teaching at the graduate level required; doctoral-level teaching experience is preferred. 
• A record of teaching and scholarship appropriate for rank appointment at the level of Associate Professor or higher.
• Proven successful experience serving as a doctoral Dissertation Chair and/or dissertation committee member. 
• Knowledge of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research approaches sufficient to consult on methodological fit and identify when specialized expertise is needed. 
• Familiarity with institutional dissertation standards, Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, and ethical research practices. 
• Ability to assess the alignment among a candidate’s problem, research questions, design, data collection, analysis, and intended applied contribution. 
• Ability to recognize questions beyond the Coordinator’s expertise and refer candidates and chairs to a qualified methodological or subject-matter specialist. 
• Experience in faculty mentoring, academic leadership, or program oversight. 
• Demonstrated experience providing methodological consultation on qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods projects. 
• Evidence of effective interpersonal, coaching, facilitation, and communication skills, including the ability to support doctoral candidates and faculty in an online program.
• Ability to contribute to a climate that supports a diverse student body, serves first-generation college students, multilingual learners, and contributions to equity and social justice through their work.

Successful candidates should be committed to contributing to a climate that supports a diverse student body, serves first-generation college students, multilingual learners, and contributions to equity and social justice through their work.

Benefits:

This is a full-time position, eligible for the usual and customary benefits. Avila University’s comprehensive benefit package includes a generous holiday schedule, tuition remission for employee and dependents, vacation and sick leave, retirement benefits and health insurance. 

The Community:

Kansas City, a two-state metropolitan area with a population of nearly two million, offers a wide variety of cultural, educational and social life opportunities.  Avila University, a Catholic university founded and inspired by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, provides undergraduate and graduate education in the liberal arts and professional studies, preparing lifelong learners who make meaningful contributions to the global community.

Additional Employment Information:

Avila University is committed to equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of, sex, race, religion, age, color, sexual orientation, disability, national or ethnic origin, marital status, veteran's status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.  

You must be at least 18 years of age to be employed by Avila University.

All new employees will be required to complete an "Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9)” and produce requested documentation after employment.

In compliance with the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, the university's annual security and crime statistics report is available at -resources/campus-safety. A copy of this report is available upon request from the Campus Safety Office in the Whitfield building any weekday between 8am and 5pm.

Avila University requires the successful completion of a background check as a condition of employment.