Director of the Clinical Assessment Team

The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine invites distinguished applicants to the faculty position of Director for its Clinical Assessment Team (CAT) Program within the Clinical Education Phase of the curriculum. The Director will lead groundbreaking work in the development, training, and implementation of observational coding systems designed to assess medical students’ non-cognitive skills. This faculty position requires a Ph.D. in psychology, or a closely related field, with demonstrated expertise in observational coding and a robust background in both qualitative and quantitative research methods. As an expert in social-emotional learning in early or higher education, the Director will oversee a dedicated team of CATs, guide program strategy and quality, collect and analyze assessment data for clinical feedback and research, and uphold the integrity and confidentiality of assessment data.

Major Responsibilities / Duties / Critical Tasks:

Lead the development of the observational coding scheme codebook and ensure its effective application within the CAT program.

Train and certify CATs in observational coding methodologies.

Serve as an expert coder for complex scenarios and validate the standardization of assessments.

Conduct ongoing evaluation of the CAT program, including regular meetings to address coding drift, conducting reliability analysis, and assessing CAT performance.

Spearhead research initiatives related to observational coding, noncognitive skills, and social-emotional learning in medical education.

Disseminate research findings through scholarly publications and presentations at national and international forums.

Collaborate with the Phase 2 Director, Department of Medical Education, Faculty Affairs, Student Affairs, and affiliated healthcare system leadership to ensure program alignment with strategic goals.

Perform data analysis at the student, cohort, and program levels, reporting outcomes to the leadership of the School of Medicine as directed by the Phase 2 Director.

Uphold confidentiality and compliance with FERPA, HIPAA, and cybersecurity protocols.

Develop and oversee the program budget and manage the performance reviews and retraining of CAT team members.

Accompanying Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies:

Ph.D. in social science, psychology, or related field with expertise in observational coding.

Demonstrated leadership or management experience, preferably overseeing a small team of observational coders.

Proficiency in educational assessment software (e.g., One45), OpenAI platform, Microsoft 365, and other relevant qualitative/quantitative research software preferred.

Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to lead and work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary environment.

Strong commitment to confidentiality and ethical handling of sensitive educational and medical data.

Innovative thinker with an interest in the application of AI technologies in educational assessment.

Required Education / Experience:

Master’s degree in psychology, social sciences, or related field with expertise in observational coding required, PhD preferred.

3 or more years of experience in observational coding within an educational environment.

Demonstrated experience in creation of observational coding systems preferred.

Experience in leading or managing teams, with experience in budget management and performance evaluation.

Familiarity with software tools relevant to educational assessment and data analysis.

Record of scholarly research and publication in related fields.