Program Development Instructor (SME) – AI & Machine Learning

JOB#AIM100

UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) is the lifelong learning arm of the university. The division maintains the most diverse portfolio on the campus, with programs spanning pre-college, professional continuing education, workforce development, international academic and cultural exchange, and training services for corporate and agency partners. CPE serves more than 55K enrollments annually, making it the third largest UC Extension by enrollment, and supports online education across UC Davis.

Overview:

Under the general supervision of a program lead, the Professional Program Development Instructor will collaborate with UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) staff to design and develop a cohort-based professional learning program. This work is a “work for hire” focused on the design and creation of program materials. The development timeline, scope, and deliverables will be established during the planning phase and agreed upon by all parties. The Program Development SME serves as the primary subject matter expert in AI & Machine Learning and works in close partnership with an assigned learning experience designer (LXD), program lead, and other UC Davis support team members. The SME will collaborate closely with the LXD to ensure instructional quality, alignment with learning outcomes, and adherence to UC Davis instructional standards.

The targeted domain for this UC Davis Professional Program is AI & Machine Learning.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate actively and professionally with a learning experience designer throughout the full program development lifecycle, including planning the project, establishing timelines, and delivering agreed-upon milestones.
• Design the overall curriculum structure for a technical AI and Machine Learning bootcamp, including defining learning objectives, sequencing instructional content, and articulating program-level outcomes in the syllabus.
• Develop detailed curriculum components, including module outlines, learning activities, assessments, and applied project requirements aligned with industry standards in AI and machine learning.
• Curate and align existing online learning content from third-party platforms (e.g., Coursera or similar providers) to support defined program learning objectives.
• Develop hands-on learning activities using real-world datasets, including coding exercises and labs reflecting end-to-end machine learning workflows.
• Design the parameters, scope, and learning objectives for a real-world, project-based experiential learning component, delivered in partnership with a third-party experiential learning provider (e.g., Riipen or similar platforms).
• Contribute subject-matter expertise to ensure program content reflects current and emerging practices in artificial intelligence, machine learning, mathematical concepts, and related technologies.
• Participate in structured review cycles and incorporate feedback from UC Davis stakeholders to refine and improve program content.
• Deliver agreed-upon development artifacts, which may include content maps, curriculum outlines, assessment frameworks, rubrics, project briefs, and supporting instructional materials.

The resulting program will represent approximately 250–300 hours of structured learning, plus significant time for hands-on labs, applied project work, and portfolio development using real-world datasets, delivered over an approximately 3–6 month period, depending on final program design.

This role is focused on the design and development of a technical AI and Machine Learning bootcamp and does not include instructional delivery, facilitation, mentoring, or learner support during program delivery. Instructional delivery will be handled by a separately contracted instructor. The same individual may be considered for both roles under separate agreements.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, machine learning, engineering, statistics, or a closely related field (or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience), plus five or more years of professional experience developing, deploying, or working with AI and machine learning systems.
• Proficiency in core AI/ML tools and programming environments, such as Python, Jupyter Notebooks, and common frameworks (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch), as well as experience working with real-world datasets.
• Demonstrated experience with the end-to-end machine learning workflow, including data preprocessing, model development, evaluation, and basic deployment concepts.
• At least 2 years of experience as a trainer, instructor, teacher, lecturer, or facilitator, including experience teaching or supporting learning in an online or virtual environment.
• Experience designing or developing curriculum, course materials, or structured learning experiences, including incorporating third-party or externally developed content.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a structured, collaborative development process, including meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality work products on time.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in computer science, data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or a related field.
• Relevant AI/ML or cloud ML certifications.
• Professional experience building and deploying machine learning models in production environments (e.g., MLOps, cloud-based ML platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Proven experience collaborating with instructional designers and program managers within a learning program development context.
• Two or more years of experience teaching, training, or facilitating learning in AI, machine learning, data science, or related technical fields.
• Experience developing technical labs using cloud platforms, virtual environments, or notebook-based workflows.
• Familiarity with industry trends and emerging topics in AI/ML (e.g., generative AI, large language models, model monitoring, or responsible AI practices).
• Experience creating project-based on scenario-based learning experiences.
• Experience developing or deploying applied, project-based, or experiential learning in professional or workforce education contexts.
• Experience with learning via self-study massive open online courses.
• Experience with managing company internships or interns.

Appointment:

The Professional Program Development Instructor position is an exempt by-agreement appointment. The incumbent will be hired into the UC Davis payroll title of Teacher-University Extension Contract YR and will be subject to Federal and State Income Tax Withholdings.

Compensation:

Compensation will be a set amount per assigned course development or instructional services.

Benefits:

Position is not eligible for UC health & welfare benefits. As a by-agreement instructor, the employment is considered “part-time” and will participate in the Defined Contribution Plan (the “DC Plan”) as a Safe Harbor† participant. By-Agreement instructors are automatically enrolled in the DC Plan per their eligible appointment. Safe Harbor participants contribute 7.5% of their wages, on a pretax basis, in lieu of contributing to Social Security. Please review the Retirement Savings Program Information for Safe Harbor Participants and the DCP Summary Plan Description for more information.

Apply:

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Please insert AIM100 in the CPE Job Number Section.

About UC Davis:

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services. We encourage individuals whose experiences and perspectives will contribute to an inclusive environment to apply. For the complete University of California Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/