What are the responsibilities and job description for the Distributed Computing Course Teaching Assistant (TA) Online MEng position at Dartmouth College?
Position Purpose
Distributed Computing course description:
Many modern computing tasks benefit from coordinating processing across multiple systems. Distributed platforms enable a vast range of services including cloud storage, media streaming, remote sensing, the Internet of Things, federated learning, and swarm robotics. This course introduces the key principles and challenges involved in designing and implementing distributed systems. Students are introduced to computer networking, concurrent programming, distributed architectures and algorithms, and system analysis. Frequent programming exercises, laboratories, and case studies develop student proficiency with these concepts that are then applied in a term-long, hardware-centric team project.
Applicants to this TA position should have:
- Significant programming and software system design experience
- Experience working in the Go programming language (Golang)
- Facility with git, VSCode, and common command line Linux tools
Familiarity with concurrent programming, computer networking, interprocess communication (e.g. remote procedure calls) is a plus. Previous teaching or mentoring experience is also desirable.
Please highlight relevant skills and experience in your resume and cover letter.
Overview of TA responsibilities:
Online Master of Engineering (MEng) in Computer Engineering Course Teaching Assistants (TAs) will support faculty and students during course run in areas including assisting the professor with facilitation of Synchronous Sessions, holding online office hours, monitoring discussion forums, assisting with administration of the Coursera platform, grading of assignments, and providing technical support related to course content for students when necessary. TAs should have demonstrated proficiency in Computer Engineering course content at or above the graduate level.
Lectures for the course are offered asynchronously, with weekly Synchronous Sessions that are optional for students. The expected TA time commitment is approximately 15 hours per week. The online MEng courses will be offered on the Coursera platform. There will be required TA training in June before the term begins.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or a related field
- Demonstrated experience working in the Go programming language
- Strong organizational skills, interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills
- Ability to work independently and as a member of the team
- Ability to prioritize, problem solve, multi-task, and effectively manage time to meet deadlines
- Ability to track and follow up on outstanding tasks or matters as needed
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience designing and implementing concurrent and distributed systems
- MS/PhD or equivalent experience in computer engineering or a related field
- Experience as a teaching assistant or course instructor
- Familiarity with learning management systems, particularly Coursera
FLSA
Non-Exempt
Employment Category
Temporary Part time
Schedule
Department Contact for Recruitment Inquiries
Department Contact Phone Number
Department Contact for Cover Letter
Danielle Pierce
Contact's Phone Number
Equal Opportunity Employer
Dartmouth College is an equal opportunity employer under federal law. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Applications are welcome from all.
Background Check
Employment in this position is contingent upon consent to and successful completion of a pre-employment background check, which may include a criminal background check, reference checks, verification of work history, conduct review, and verification of any required academic credentials, licenses, and/or certifications, with results acceptable to Dartmouth College. A criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Dartmouth College has a Tobacco-Free Policy. Smoking and the use of tobacco-based products (including smokeless tobacco) are prohibited in all facilities, grounds, vehicles or other areas owned, operated or occupied by Dartmouth College with no exceptions. For details, please see our policy. https://policies.dartmouth.edu/policy/tobacco-free-policy
Additional Instructions
Key Accountabilities
Key Accountabilities
Instructional Support (70%)
- In collaboration with course faculty, grade course assignments and provide feedback to students.
- In collaboration with course faculty, provide content help or tutoring to students.
- Attend live course sessions, answer student questions during live sessions in the chat, and facilitate portions of the live sessions.
- Facilitate live TA help sessions to support student progress on assignments and group projects
- In collaboration with course faculty, create student teams for group projects.
- Update or re-allocate student teams as needed.
Course Communication (10%)
- Actively monitor and respond to discussion forum questions in a timely manner.
- Create threads during the live course to spark discussion in the discussion forums.
- Review any reported inappropriate activity in discussion forums that needs review against academic integrity policy and take action in accordance with Dartmouth College policies.
- Send course announcements.
Course Administration (10%)
- Launch live events in the course on the Coursera platform and post the recordings afterwards.
- Help with scheduling live events in the course.
- In collaboration with the Online Education Academic Program Manager, apply item setting exceptions in-course for approved program-level student accommodations.
- In collaboration with course faculty, consider course-level student accommodation requests (including extensions, emergency absences, etc) and apply item setting exceptions for approved course-level student accommodations.
Technical Support (10%)
- Troubleshoot and escalate student technical issues.
- Report course content or settings corrections in the live course.
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Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness through actions, interactions, and communications with others.
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Performs other duties as assigned.