Training and Technical Assistance Associate

Mission or Goal of Unit:

Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Education advances learning and knowledge through impactful research, teaching and engagement to provide our students, professionals and communities with the tools to create progressive change. We prepare and support professionals to lead change and inform social, economic, health and educational policy and practice.

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC), a grant-funded unit in the School of Education, enhances services and supports for individuals with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder, by promoting research-based practices in schools and the community through training, technical assistance, research, and collaboration.

The RRTC’s Customized Behavior Application Training initiative provides evidence-based regional training and technical assistance to participating school divisions, aiming to enhance the capacity of public school practitioners in behavioral assessment and intervention.

We are seeking applications for a Training and Technical Assistance Associate position to support regional partnerships in one of three Virginia areas: central Virginia (Superintendent's Region 1), the Northern Neck (Superintendent's Region 3), or Southside Virginia (Superintendent's Region 8). This role requires on-site work within the assigned region and does not offer remote work options.

The focus of this position is to provide in-person coaching and consultation services that emphasize implementing evidence-based practices in public school settings, applying behavioral assessment in the context of public schools, and implementing feasible interventions for students with autism and related disabilities within the educational context. In this pivotal role, the responsibility lies in facilitating regionally-based training initiatives, fostering collaboration with various school professionals, and strategically developing and executing project objectives to ensure positive impacts and outcomes for students with autism and related disabilities. Note to applicants: This is a grant-funded position.

Position Responsibilities:
Providing regionalized training and technical assistance support to identified regions to designated division liaisons on research-based content and on-the-job coaching in behavior assessment and intervention applications within the public school setting;
Developing online training coursework to provide statewide training opportunities on critical topic areas;
Facilitating online content;
Providing regionalized technical assistance to comprehensive public schools and school divisions to increase capacity and improve services for students with ASD across the age range; Coaching division-level staff in the implementation of evidence-based practices for individuals with ASD; Assisting public schools and school divisions in developing systems change plans for improving services to students with ASD;
Developing and delivering targeted training in numerous live and online formats;
Coordinating and collaborating with statewide stakeholders on the development of additional products to meet the needs of students with ASD across the state;
Providing data collection and research development related to the goals of VCU-RRTC by writing and disseminating training materials.
Providing consultative and coaching services to school division personnel in identified regions regarding implementing evidence-based practices and behavior analysis in regional partnerships.
Maintaining excellent communication with supervisor, co-workers, and external staff through written and verbal communication, completing data collecting and reporting on time, responding to requests for information promptly through electronic communication, and other means; and completing additional projects as assigned to support the RRTC’s work in local and statewide service improvement plans and statewide goals.

Required Qualifications:
Master’s degree in education, psychology, behavior analysis, or a related field and equivalent training;
Holds an active Virginia teaching licensure and is in good standing with the Virginia Department of Education;
Extensive knowledge of evidence-based practices used with children and adolescents with disabilities who have interfering behaviors;
Prior experience in delivering systematic personnel training and technical assistance within a public school setting;
Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
Experience developing and implementing live or online training and education in autism;
Ability to travel regionally and overnight;
Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications: Certification and Virginia state licensure as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in good standing with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and the Virginia Board of Medicine;
Prior experience in teaching or administration in public school systems;
Prior experience developing and implementing live and online training and education.