Assistant Professor - Director, Surgical Assistant ProgramLiberty University

Faculty are essential to Liberty University’s mission of Training Champions for Christ. It is expected that ‎‎‎‎‎‎a faculty member model a personal commitment to the goals and values of Liberty University, engage ‎‎‎‎‎‎in an active commitment to, and experience of, personal spiritual formation within a biblically informed ‎‎‎‎‎‎Christian worldview. Faculty should view their teaching, engagement with students, and scholarship as a ‎‎‎‎means to a significant educational ‎‎end. They should strive to employ a variety of techniques for the ‎‎‎‎development of good learning ‎‎conditions, view each student as a unique individual, and insofar as it is ‎‎‎‎possible, provide for individual ‎‎differences, abilities, and interests. ‎

The Assistant Professor’s primary role is to teach in their areas of expertise, maintain the ‎‎integrity of ‎‎‎course and ‎instructional programs, and to ensure that their delivery is in alignment with the University ‎‎‎mission and ‎‎‎vision for the student experience. As such, faculty are responsible for creating an academic ‎‎‎atmosphere ‎‎‎of mutual respect and consideration for individual dignity. Faculty members may be asked ‎‎‎to aid in the ‎‎‎development of curriculum in the residential and distance education environments, as well ‎‎‎as engage in ‎‎‎research/scholarship or creative activity that varies depending upon the expectations of ‎‎‎their respective ‎‎‎college or school and any additional activities involving service to students and their ‎‎‎professional ‎‎‎discipline. ‎

Faculty attain the rank of Assistant Professor based upon scholarly and professional achievements. An ‎‎earned doctoral degree or a terminal master’s degree at an accredited institution in an area relevant to ‎‎‎the faculty member’s area of teaching or a professional certificate (e.g., CPA) is preferred but not ‎‎‎required.‎

Assistant Professors are contracted for 10, 11, or 12 months (30, 33, or 36 load hours, respectively).‎ ‎‎Release from contracted teaching load is determined each semester by the Dean, per Liberty University Faculty Handbook.

Job Specific Details

The School of Health Sciences at Liberty University invites applicants for an Assistant Professor faculty position in Surgical Assisting, to serve as the Program Director, beginning Fall 2026. Candidates must be able to teach in the Surgical Assistant program.

Working independently and exercising good judgment and discretion, the Program Director is responsible for providing leadership, direction, and administration of the Surgical Assistant Program. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, program and curriculum development, student advisement, accreditation compliance, maintaining accreditation standards, and clinical site management. The program director ensures the program meets the educational needs of students, programmatic accreditation, and keeps up with advancements in the field.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Additional responsibilities of the Faculty Program Director include, but are not limited to, the following:

Program administration: develop, implement, and manage the Surgical Assistant curriculum; ensure the program adheres to institutional, state, and accrediting body standards; work in partnership with the Department Chair, to prepare and facilitate the program’s resources and equipment needs, for budget alignment; oversee clinical education sites, including clinical agreements and quality of clinical training.

Accreditation and compliance: working with the Dean, Associate Deans, Department Chair, Accreditation Director for School of Health Sciences, and Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research, secure and maintain program accreditation by preparing self-study reports, hosting site visits, and responding to recommendations from accrediting bodies (e.g., CAAHEP, ARC/STSA); ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, as well as accrediting body standards.

Curriculum development and instruction: update the curriculum to reflect current changes in surgical assistant practices, procedures, and equipment; develop syllabi and learning objectives; teach courses as needed and participate in evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum; ensure that program competencies and learning outcomes meet professional standards.

Quality assurance and program evaluation: collect and analyze data on program outcomes, including graduation rates, retention, job placement, and credentialing exam results; use evaluation data to implement program improvements; conduct regular surveys of alumni, employers, and clinical sites for feedback.

Student Support and Advisement: advise and mentor students on academic and career matters related to surgical assistan and assisting; monitor students’ progress, providing remediation or counseling, if necessary; oversee student recruitment, admissions, and orientation.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS

• Minimum of an Associate Degree and five years of experience, either in the operating room scrub role or as an instructor in surgical assistant, or a combination of both, within the last 10 years
• Master's Degree in Surgical Assisting preferred.
• Documented education and/or experience in instructional methodology, curriculum design, and program planning is required.
• Graduate of an education program in Surgical Assisting, accredited by a nationally recognized programmatic accreditation agency is required.
• Possess a credential in the field of Surgical Assistant through a national certification program that is accredited by the National Commission on Certifying Agencies (NCCA) is required.
• Documented experience in instruction, evaluation, student guidance and in educational theories and techniques required.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member, embracing and fostering LU’s mission.
• Possess strong collaborative skills and the desire/ability to work collegially.
• Demonstrated passion for teaching and student development.
• Committed to the evangelical standards and mission of Liberty University.
• Strictly adheres to Liberty University policies, representing the University in an exemplary manner.

Target Hire Date

2026-07-01

Time Type

Full time

Location

Lynchburg - In Office

The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal and state statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes. It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job. All personnel related activities such as compensation, benefits, transfers, job classification, assignments, working conditions, educational assistance, terminations, layoffs, and return from layoffs, and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including all applicable state of employment protected classes. The University is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. The University’s hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law. Federal law creates an exception to the “religion” component of the employment discrimination laws for religious organizations (including educational institutions), and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.