The Physics Subject Matter Expert (SME) is responsible for curriculum development and reviewing course needs, course materials, and curricula within their specialty. Reviews curriculum for consistency and quality across courses. Serves as the final course reviewer before Sophia’s academic leadership approves. Ensures the development of high-quality, current, relevant, and engaging core course curricula in alignment with accreditation standards and guidelines.
About Sophia:
Since 2012, Sophia has helped students earn college-level credit quickly and affordably. Sophia’s 60+ college-level courses are ACE®-recommended, which means they may qualify for credit transfer at many colleges and universities.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
This role is writing intensive. Strong writing skills and the ability to turn around batches of writing content on an aggressive timeline are key.
Identify skill objectives and create course outlines for new courses or course revisions
Develop and shape each skill objective by answering key content questions to inform the learning design for the content.
Understanding and incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) concepts
Analyze the skill objectives, content outlines, and activity types and make recommendations on what will be most effective to help students learn this targeted skill at a foundational level
Provide feedback on content assets as they are in development to ensure the accuracy of the information being presented
Collaborate with the Learning Designer in the development of skills content, including reviewing assessments, offering course feedback, and media
Write assessments that are aligned with the course learning objectives and Bloom’s Taxonomy levels
Review and write video scripts
Attend scheduled online meetings (check-ins and other sessions as needed)
Job Skills:
Understand curriculum design documents, standards, and processes
Knowledge of principles and best practices of curriculum/assessment design and writing
Strong communication skills
Clear and effective writing
Strong editing and review skills
Tracking tasks to completion with limited oversight and direction
Accountability to team and project goals
Proactively raises and addresses schedule and quality concerns
Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office-style tools, and Windows or MacOS
Must have strong computer skills (spreadsheets, presentations, and HTML)
Maintaining composure in stressful situations
Work Experience:
At least 3 years of collegiate teaching experience is required in one of the related fields: Physics, Modern Physics, Thermodynamics, or Electricity and Magnetism, and/or related field
Previous experience creating course content as a Subject Matter Expert
Education:
Master’s degree in a related field is required; a Ph.D. preferred
Master’s or higher in Physics, Modern Physics Thermodynamics, or Electricity and Magnetism, and/or related field
Other:
Weekly time commitment: 20-25 hrs/wk (will vary by week)
The project can run between 5 to 7 months
Access information using a computer
Effectively communicate, both up and down the management chain
Strong mental acuity
Regular, dependable attendance and punctuality are essential functions of this job
Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification
Be available for 1+ working sessions/wk during daytime hours (9-4 pm Central) – includes standing weekly team check-in.
Be open to discussion and collaboration and receptive to feedback.
Be willing to revise content based on feedback.
Respond to communications/requests with reasonable turnaround time.
Attend weekly and ad hoc working sessions consistently.
Complete content deliverables and action items on time consistently.
