MDS Course Coordinator

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

M&P - AAPS

Job Profile

AAPS Salaried - Educational Programming, Level A

Job Title

MDS Course Coordinator

Department

Administrative Program Operations | Masters of Data Science Program | Department of Computer Science | Faculty of Science

Compensation Range

$4,970.92 - $7,141.92 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

July 21, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

This position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary
The MDS Course Coordinator is the go-to expert for all matters related to MDS course design, delivery, and maintenance, playing a key role in ensuring that courses run smoothly and effectively. The Course Coordinator may also design and develop assessments and materials within the curriculum and related course materials.

Organizational Status
Reports to the Option Co-Directors of the Master of Data Science Vancouver program. Works collaboratively with faculty and staff in the Computer Science department.

Work Performed

Course Operations and Curriculum Development

• Develops and maintains course materials and technical platforms, including but not limited to web pages, quizzes on PrairieLearn and Canvas, assignments, peer-grading software, and version control systems for labs, assignments and projects.

• Contributes subject matter expertise to the design and development of course materials, including assignments, lectures, and assessments, to ensure academic quality and alignment with program objectives.

• Coordinates the Master of Data Science Capstone project course, including liaising with Capstone partner organizations and coordinating the Capstone seminar series.

• Handles the updating, sending, and signing of legal documents with industry partners, students, and instructors. 

• Participates in the documentation and assessment of course-level policies and provides expertise in developing and redesigning procedural guidelines and policies to meet educational and program goals.

TA Management

• Regularly communicates with course staff including faculty members, GTAs and UTAs; acts as a bridge between instructional faculty and Teaching Assistants; manages logistics, resources and communication.

• Manages the hiring of teaching assistants (TAs). Prepares job description, handles position advertising, and facilitates the interview and section of TAs.

• Conducts onboarding procedures for TAs such as in-person training, online training material and coordinates with union representatives, to ensure TAs are well-equipped to support course delivery.

• Provides the supervision and evaluation of TAs. Including, collating student and academic feedback and developing code to report statistics to the instructors, on topics such as exam grades, student attendance, and academic misconduct.

Technical Development

• Keeps current on the new software available to support teaching and website development; identifies additional software necessary for the effective instruction and assessment of students, and takes primary responsibility for assessing its feasibility

• Makes recommendations to faculty members and leads in the deployment of new software by coordinating with technical staff on requirements and timelines; troubleshoots problems with teaching and learning technologies.

• Writes, modifies, and improves code written in languages such as Python and R to automate administrative tasks. Such tasks involve but are not limited to, matching students to mentors, assigning students to sections, and classifying data into various categories.

• Streamlines workflows and reduces manual effort by developing tools that support course operations, data processing, and communication. Common tasks involve building Docker images for reproduce workflows and developing dashboards to collate and display relevant information.

• Develops and maintains documentation for internal tools, workflows, and administrative tasks to ensure process transparency, support onboarding, and facilitate knowledge transfer among team members. 

Other Tasks

• Serves as a member of the admissions team; evaluates new student applications and provides input on admission decisions in accordance with program criteria and policies. 

• Provides logistical and on-site support at academic and program-related events, including seminars, presentations, orientations, and workshops; assists with setup, coordination, and participation as needed. 

• Other special projects may be assigned by their supervisors.

• Performs other duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Errors in judgment may result in the inefficient use of resources, and may damage the image and reputation of the University and the Master of Data Science program.

Supervision Received
Works independently with general direction of Master of Data Science Vancouver Option Co-Directors and the Master of Data Science academic team members who are teaching the courses supported by this role.

Supervision Given
Will provide functional supervision for undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants.

Minimum Qualifications
University degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience working as a teaching assistant for undergraduate computer science courses at UBC is preferred. Preference will be given to those with ability to design and develop assessments and materials within the curriculum and related course materials appropriate for first- and second-year computer science courses; Ability to set up, administer and update technical platforms such as SVN or Git repositories, peer-grading software, websites, and identify potential cases of academic misconduct.

Proven leadership abilities; ability to take initiative and to work independently as well as in a team environment; Ability to work under pressure and manage a number of projects concurrently; Ability to guide parties with differing opinions to consensus; Excellent communication and planning skills; Ability to investigate and synthesize complex information. Effective diplomatic and interpersonal skills; Highly effective communication in group situations.

Ability to communicate effectively verbally. Ability to be thorough, accurate, and have a high level of attention to detail. Ability to compose correspondence, reports, presentations, and other written materials using clear concise business English. Ability to identify and correct missing and incomplete data. Ability to learn new software programs. Ability to perform intermediate programming in the Python and/or R computer languages is preferred. Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities. Ability to accurately proofread for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment. Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines. Ability to understand and apply policies, procedures, and instructions. Ability to listen actively and attentively, and obtain clarification as required.

Ability to read and comprehend technical material. Ability to select the most effective communication media for a situation. Ability to prepare complete, concise, and understandable technical documentation. Ability to analyze and redesign workflow/business processes to make them more efficient and effective. Ability to make thoughtful, informed, and thorough decisions. Ability to exercise sound judgment. Ability to create accurate, clear, and comprehensive software documentation in Markdown and/or Quarto. Ability to approach interactions with an awareness of sensitive issues. e.g., issues concerning specific cultures. Ability to exercise tact and discretion. Ability to diagnose a variety of computer software problems, and complete routine repairs. Ability to work effectively with minimal supervision. Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve. Ability to deal with a diversity of people in a calm, courteous, and effective manner. Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships. Ability to develop and implement policies and procedures. Ability to create and accurately maintain record and filing systems. Ability to gather, record, and organize information. Ability to respond appropriately to inquiries in person, on phone, and in writing, and make appropriate referrals. Ability to anticipate problems and issues and plan ahead.