EXCITE Curriculum Specialist (Buyout or Contractor)
EXCITE Curriculum Specialist (Buyout or Contractor)
Arrangement: University buyout or independent contractor
Estimated Effort: about 45 to 55 percent of a buyout applicant's time, or about 20 to 22 hours a week for a contractor
Location: remote, with occasional travel
The Extension Foundation (EXF) is a well-established non-profit organization providing a range of services to over 100 public universities across the United States. EXF is a membership-based 501(c)(3) non-profit operating foundation formed in 2006 by Extension Directors and Administrators. EXF partners with university-based Cooperative Extension Services to increase their capacity and offers exclusive professional development to its members. EXF has multiple funding sources, including memberships and federal awards.
The Extension Foundation seeks a Curriculum Specialist to play a key role in integrating adult immunization education into Extension curriculum for EXCITE. EXCITE, the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement, is a national Cooperative Extension effort, funded by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that builds adult immunization education into Extension health and wellness programs.
The Curriculum Specialist will work with subject matter experts (SMEs), facilitators, and EXF-supported teams to integrate adult immunization education into technically sound, visually appealing programs that use appropriate adult engagement methods and maximize learner success across diverse backgrounds.
This position is open to two arrangements: a buyout of a university employee's time, or an independent contractor. The work is defined by the deliverables below, and the EXCITE Program Director or designee reviews and accepts each one. In your cover letter, tell us which arrangement you are applying under.
Scope of Work & Deliverables
Integration Plan: Create an inventory of curriculum materials aligned with organizational goals, learning objectives, and applicable standards, and a plan showing where adult immunization education fits.
Integrated Curriculum Modules: Integrate high-quality adult immunization content into existing Extension curricula or modules, developed with subject matter experts, educators, instructional designers, and other stakeholders, and aligned with adult learning and digital accessibility standards.
Curriculum Reviews: Provide a written review of each existing curriculum identifying gaps, outdated content, inconsistencies, and opportunities for improvement.
Project Schedules & Updates: Maintain a schedule for each curriculum project, from concept through development, implementation, evaluation, and revision, coordinating timelines, deliverables, and priorities across projects, plus a brief monthly progress update for planning, reporting, and internal communications.
Instructor Training: Coordinate and provide four virtual training sessions per year,
with supporting materials, for instructors or staff implementing new curriculum.
Improvement Recommendations: Develop recommendations for curriculum enhancements based on data and performance outcomes, twice a year.
Coordination Meetings: Participate in up to four EXCITE national whole health working group or leadership meetings monthly.
Qualifications
Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Adult Education, Extension Education, or a closely related field, with 3+ years of community or public health experience and experience designing non-formal educational programs. A master's or terminal degree in one of these fields is preferred.
Adult Learning Expertise: Deep understanding of adult learning theory applied to diverse, community-based, and non-traditional learner populations.
Subject Matter Expert Partnership: Proven ability to partner with subject matter experts to create practical, accessible curriculum. Experience partnering with land-grant university faculty, county Extension educators, and technical subject matter experts to translate research into practical curriculum preferred.
Project Management & Organization: Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks.
Communication & Learner-Centered Design: Excellent communication skills and the ability to design materials that meet diverse learning needs.
Current Practice Knowledge: Current knowledge of trends in instructional design, educational technology, and digital accessibility standards.
Arrangement: Either current employment at a land-grant university or other institution able to enter into an agreement with EXF, or the ability to work as an independent contractor.
Option A: University Buyout
Agreement: EXF will issue an agreement, most likely a subaward, to the applicant's institution for the agreed share of the applicant's time.
Effort: This covers about 45 to 55 percent of the applicant's time, depending on salary and institutional rates.
Institutional Approval: The applicant's supervisor or department head and the institution's sponsored programs office must approve the time commitment.
Invoicing & Effort: The institution invoices EXF for actual costs and certifies the time the applicant spends on EXCITE.
Employment: The applicant remains an employee of their institution, keeps its benefits, and follows its policies.
Systems Access: EXF will provide access to Google Workspace and Adobe Acrobat Pro for EXCITE work.
Option B: Independent Contractor
Independent Work: The consultant sets their work location, provides their own equipment, software, and internet service that supports video meetings, and may serve other clients, disclosing any work for EXCITE partners or other potential conflicts of interest. EXF provides access to its Google Workspace and Adobe Acrobat Pro accounts as needed for EXCITE work.
Effort: This is about 20 to 22 hours a week on average.
Authority: The consultant cannot sign for or bind EXF. EXF staff review and accept all deliverables.
Federal Requirements: The consultant must not be suspended or debarred from federal awards. The agreement includes required federal provisions and records access for audit.
Application Materials
All Applicants: A cover letter highlighting experience related to the position and naming the arrangement you are applying under, a résumé with a minimum of 3 references, and an example of your work, such as a curriculum or learning module you developed.
Selection: based on related experience and the work sample, with total cost considered for both arrangements.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The Extension Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants with disabilities upon request.
Equal opportunity requirements may vary for buyout and contractor arrangements. The Foundation’s general policy applies wherever allowed for the type of arrangement. Applicants who need a reasonable accommodation during the application process may contact Ashley Griffin at agriffin@extension.org.