Academic Fieldwork Coordinator/Faculty Position in Occupational Therapy

THE OPPORTUNITY National Louis University (NLU) is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and mission-driven occupational therapist to serve as the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for its developing Occupational Therapy program at the Chicago campus.

The program will begin with a master's degree pathway and may evaluate future degree options in response to workforce needs, accreditation expectations, and institutional priorities.

As NLU expands its healthcare professions portfolio, occupational therapy is a priority area in addressing healthcare disparities, strengthening workforce development, and preparing graduates to serve diverse individuals, families, and communities.

Occupational therapy practitioners play a vital role in supporting health, participation, independence, adaptation, and quality of life across the lifespan.

Position Summary A 12-month, full-time, Administrative Faculty professional practice position. The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator is responsible for the development, coordination, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences.

Rank will be commensurate with education, experience, and academic record. The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator will report to the Occupational Therapy Program Director and serve as a key member of the Occupational Therapy Program leadership team.

This hybrid position is located in Chicago, Illinois, with remote and in-person work. This position will play a central leadership role in building fieldwork education infrastructure for a new, high-quality occupational therapy program.

This role will ensure fieldwork education is integrated with the curriculum and aligned with the program's mission, institutional goals, student learning outcomes, Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) accreditation requirements, and commitment to preparing practice-ready graduates for contemporary occupational therapy practice.

The coordinator will work collaboratively with the Program Director, faculty, students, fieldwork educators, university offices, community partners, and other stakeholders to support high-quality fieldwork placements, student success, and program development.

Essential Responsibilities ADMINISTRATION Lead the development, implementation, coordination, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the occupational therapy fieldwork education program, ensuring fieldwork experiences align with the profession's scope, values, ethics, and practice standards and remain compliant with ACOTE standards, state regulations, institutional requirements, and program goals.

Coordinate Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences in alignment with the curriculum design, program objectives, institutional mission, student learning outcomes, and ACOTE accreditation standards, including Section C.1.0.

Ensure fieldwork education is intentionally sequenced, integrated, assessed, and aligned across the curriculum in collaboration with the Program Director and faculty.

Develop, implement, maintain, and evaluate fieldwork policies, procedures, manuals, forms, communication systems, documentation processes, and assessment methods.

Develop and manage fieldwork partnerships and affiliation agreements with a diverse network of healthcare, educational, community, and emerging practice organizations to ensure high-quality fieldwork experiences that reflect contemporary occupational therapy practice and community needs.

Provide orientation, resources, consultation, and ongoing support to fieldwork educators regarding curriculum design, student learning outcomes, evaluation tools, supervision expectations, and professional standards.

Represent the occupational therapy program in fieldwork consortia, professional networks, and community partnership meetings, as appropriate.

Use student performance data, fieldwork educator feedback, site evaluations, student feedback, and program outcomes to inform fieldwork quality, student support, and continuous program improvement.

Contribute to the program's self-study, accreditation reports, compliance documentation, and other institutional or regulatory reporting processes.

TEACHING Facilitate courses by delivering engaging instruction in the appropriate content delivery methods, including in-person, hybrid, and/or distance learning formats consistent with program needs and institutional expectations.

Understand and use the university-provided learning management system and digital tools to facilitate student learning. Utilize student assessment data to evaluate learning outcomes, inform instructional decisions, and support continuous improvement of teaching effectiveness and student success.

Prepare students for fieldwork through orientation, advising, documentation review, professional behavior expectations, readiness assessment, and ongoing communication.

Monitor student progress during fieldwork and provide support, consultation, feedback, and problem-solving in collaboration with students, faculty, advisors, fieldwork educators, and the Program Director.

Demonstrate knowledge of university and program resources that support student well-being, academic success, professional growth, and progression through the program.

Promote effective supervision, inclusive learning environments, timely feedback, collaborative problem-solving, and high-quality student learning experiences.

Contribute to curricular planning related to fieldwork preparation, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, documentation, ethics, professional development, and practice readiness.

Empower students to develop competency by sharing passion for the subject and skills being taught by applying principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

SERVICE Participate in faculty meetings, curriculum development, program assessment, accreditation activities, course director/manager, and university service initiatives.

Collaborate with the Program Director, faculty, staff, and university partners to support student success, curricular coherence, program development, and continuous improvement.

Contribute to a collegial, inclusive, student-centered, and mission-driven academic environment that reflects the values of the Occupational Therapy Program and National Louis University.

Engage in ongoing professional development to maintain current expertise in teaching, fieldwork coordination, student advisement, accreditation expectations, and occupational therapy education.

Serve as a faculty advisor and mentor students/class with individual student advising duties.

Qualifications Education and Certification: Minimum of a doctorate awarded by an institution accredited by a USDE-recognized institutional accrediting agency.

Degree awarded in Occupational Therapy from an ACOTE-accredited program. Certification as an Occupational Therapist from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, with current license or eligibility to be licensed in Illinois.

Experience: Minimum of two years of documented clinical practice experience as an occupational therapist. Demonstrated academic and experiential qualifications necessary to support the objectives of the occupational therapy program and the mission of the institution.

Documented current expertise in assigned areas of teaching responsibility, fieldwork coordination, student advisement, and occupational therapy education.

Evidence of effective communication, collaboration, organization, and leadership skills necessary to develop and sustain fieldwork partnerships and support student success.

Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of curriculum design, accreditation standards, student learning assessment, fieldwork education, and occupational therapy education.