Taste & Sensory Perception Adjunct

The hiring rate for this position is as follows: Base rate is $5,200.

Hiring offers will be determined based on the final candidate’s education and relevant experience. The recruiter can share more information about what the anticipated hiring salary would be based upon your specific qualifications during the selection process.

Please apply to learn more about the benefits of working for the CIA.

Position Summary

Culinary Institute of America adjunct faculty members play a critical role in delivering high-quality, career-relevant education to students while supporting a professional, inclusive, and academically rigorous learning environment. Adjunct faculty are responsible for teaching assigned courses, facilitating student learning, evaluating student performance, and maintaining academic standards consistent with CIA policies, program outcomes, and course expectations.

MCTH-510 Taste, Palate and Sensory Perception, 3 credits

This course will delve into the science of how we taste, how our tastes change over time or due to various influences, and how we can train and develop our palates with the goal of enjoying more healthful foods. Students will discover how to optimize the use of ingredients and employ flavor combinations to create craveable foods appropriate for a variety of populations and consumption patterns. The focus will include exploration of sensory perceptions through taste, aroma, texture, sound, and visual appearance. Students will explore the notion of "good cooking begins with good ingredients." Finally, this course will enhance knowledge of sensory and taste evaluation through lectures, readings, and selected case studies and activities.

Essential Responsibilities

• Design and deliver instruction appropriate for adult and graduate-level learners, emphasizing applied analysis, professional communication, industry relevance, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Teach assigned graduate or undergraduate courses, primarily in an online asynchronous format, using the Institute’s learning management system and established course design standards.
• Collaborate with the Instructional Design team and academic leadership to maintain course quality, alignment with program outcomes, accessibility standards, and consistency within the online learning environment.
• Compile and present instructional material in accordance with graduate level standards and the College Catalog descriptions, course syllabi and outlines and class schedules as assigned. Course materials include but are not limited to: video content lectures, course announcements, readings, audio clips, etc.
• Ensure course materials are current, relevant, and up to date.
• Provide timely, constructive, and rubric-aligned feedback; evaluate student work objectively and consistently; and maintain accurate records of student progress, engagement, attendance, and grades.
• Actively facilitate the online learning environment through announcements, discussion engagement, timely communication, student outreach, and regular monitoring of course activity.
• Support an inclusive, accessible, and professional learning environment in accordance with Institute policies, academic integrity expectations, and applicable accessibility standards.
• File course grades promptly within the specific timeframe allowed.
• Maintain record of student attendance, student progress, and grade distributions.
• Hold weekly office hours.
• Participate in the faculty online orientation/training process (“Faculty Primer”).
• Attend online School of Graduate Studies (SGS) or CIA faculty meetings as requested.
• Work individually with students who may need extra help, who have questions about course information, or who need assistance in their studies.
• Communicate through appropriate channels.
• Enforce attendance policies, Institute’s Professionalism, and other academic policies.
• Complete mandatory online compliance trainings.
• Facilitate student engagement in the online learning environment through regular announcements, discussion participation, timely responses to student questions, proactive outreach when students are not engaging, and clear communication of course expectations.
• Any and all other duties as assigned.
  
  

Education/Experience

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Masters Degree or minimum five (5) years experience in area of specialization.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in area specialization.
• Graduate or undergraduate college level teaching experience.
• Online teaching experience.
• Experience with Moodle or similar online education software.
  
  

Required Skills

• Demonstrated expertise in subject matter specialization.
• Demonstrated leadership in field of expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to teach or share expertise with others.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate clearly with students, faculty, instructional designers, and academic leadership.
• Ability to use sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive student issues with confidentiality and discretion.
• Strong computer experience, which must include abilities to work effectively with MS Office suite products, i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Moderate to strong organizational skills, detail oriented and thorough.
• Ability to work independently or in a team environment and maintain collaborative relationships with all members of faculty and administration.
• Professional presence and communication style appropriate for representing the Institute in academic, online, and student-facing settings.
  
  

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Must be available to work the assigned course schedule.
• Must be available to work nights and weekends as required due to business needs.
• Regular work requires a great deal of sitting and standing for extended periods.
• Regular work requires the use of a computer, sometimes in excess of eight (8) hours per day.