About this role
Working at USF
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
About USF
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.
Compliance and Federal Notices
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.
The University of South Florida College of Education serves a community of over 2,200 students and 130 faculty members dedicated to advancing high-quality education through excellence in research, teaching, and learning. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and fully approved by the Florida Department of Education, the College offers innovative teacher training and collaborative graduate programs aimed at developing educational leaders.
In partnership with school districts across the Tampa Bay region, the College is committed to extending proven educational initiatives and exploring new approaches to preparing lifelong learners. Whether pursuing initial teaching certification or advancing professional development through graduate studies, the College provides comprehensive resources and support to help students achieve their educational and career goals.
The open-rank position of Professor of Instruction/Director of Field and Clinical Experiences – Teacher Preparation is housed in the Dean's Office in the USF College of Education, Tampa, University of South Florida. The position reports to the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and works collaboratively with Department Chairs, Program Coordinators, teacher preparation faculty, PK-12 partners, and university stakeholders. The position requires a 12-month appointment.
The Professor of Instruction/Director of Field and Clinical Experiences – Teacher Preparation provides college-wide leadership for the development, implementation, coordination, evaluation, and continuous improvement of clinical practice across teacher preparation programs in the College of Education. The Director advances a coherent vision for high-quality clinical preparation through strong school-university partnerships, effective field and clinical placements, high-quality internships, consistent clinical supervision, and innovative models of educator preparation.
The Director develops and sustains strategic partnerships with PK-12 school districts and other education agencies to support field placements, clinical practice, internships, residency experiences, and other school-based preparation models. The position establishes and maintains college-wide structures, policies, procedures, and quality standards that promote consistency and excellence in clinical experiences across programs and campuses.
The Director coordinates the preparation, professional development, and ongoing support of university supervisors, mentor teachers, and other clinical partners. The position serves as a key liaison among the College of Education, PK-12 school districts, state agencies, professional organizations, and community partners and represents the College in matters related to clinical practice and educator preparation.
The Director also provides leadership for professional learning, assessment, evaluation, accountability, and continuous improvement associated with clinical practice. Responsibilities include designing and facilitating professional learning for university supervisors, mentor teachers, and other clinical partners; coordinating college-wide clinical practice initiatives and events; overseeing the development and implementation of observation instruments, dispositions assessments, evaluation tools, and other clinical assessment systems; and supporting the collection, analysis, and reporting of clinical practice data for accreditation, accountability, and program improvement.
The Director monitors state and national policies, standards, and emerging practices affecting educator preparation and clinical experiences and provides recommendations to College leadership regarding implementation and continuous improvement. The position works closely with faculty and program leaders to ensure that clinical practice remains aligned with program outcomes, accreditation standards, state requirements, PK-12 partner needs, and emerging best practices in teacher preparation.
Additionally, this position may include teaching responsibilities that support the delivery of high-quality undergraduate instruction. Teaching assignments may include, but are not limited to, clinical supervision, classroom management, and methods courses.
The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, collaboration, organizational, communication, and project management skills and will be expected to build consensus and facilitate effective collaboration across academic departments, teacher preparation programs, campuses, school districts, and other stakeholders.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Earned Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, Teacher Education, Educational Leadership, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated experience in clinical practice within teacher education.
- Experience coordinating, supervising, or overseeing clinical and/or field-based components of educator preparation programs.
- Demonstrated success developing and sustaining school-university partnerships.
- Experience coaching, mentoring, and/or supervising preservice and/or in-service educators.
- Experience designing, facilitating, and evaluating professional learning for educators or clinical partners.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.
- Previous PK-12 teaching and/or school leadership experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience serving in a director, coordinator, department, college, or university leadership role related to teacher preparation, clinical practice, field experiences, or educator preparation.
- Familiarity with accreditation, assessment, accountability, and continuous improvement processes in educator preparation.
- Experience teaching in a higher education setting.
- Demonstrated organizational, planning, project management, and problem-solving skills in complex educational environments.
- Experience developing innovative models of educator preparation, including residency, co-teaching, yearlong clinical practice, or other school-university partnership models.
- Experience leading professional learning for university supervisors, mentor teachers, clinical faculty, and PK-12 partners.
- Evidence of statewide or national leadership, professional presentations, publications, grants, or professional service related to teacher preparation, clinical practice, or educator preparation.
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams and complex initiatives involving faculty, school districts, university supervisors, mentor teachers, and other stakeholders.
SALARY
Commensurate with qualifications and experience.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications should include a letter describing qualifications for the position in each of the above areas, current curriculum vitae, unofficial university transcripts, and the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three professional references. All required documents must be uploaded in one PDF attachment. Position finalists will be required to provide official university transcripts and letters of recommendation from professional references. Letters from references are not required at the time of application. References will not be contacted until the advanced stages of screening, and candidates will receive prior notification. Please specify Position # 330128080 on all submitted documents. Applications must be submitted electronically to https://www.usf.edu/work-at-usf/careers/index.aspx. To locate the posting, search for requisition #44604.
Full consideration will be given to complete applications received by 5:00 PM EST on November 20, 2026. For more information about the position or application, please contact Dr. Jennifer Jacobs ([email protected]), Chair of the Search Committee.