Director of Applied AI and Academic Innovation & Co-Director for the Center for AI Enablement

The Director of Applied AI and Academic Innovation serves as Co-Director of the Center for AI Enablement (CAE) at Midwestern University alongside the Co-Director of Digital Innovation. This position provides strategic, pedagogical, and operational leadership for the academic branch of the Center for AI Enablement (CAE) across both the Glendale, AZ, and Downers Grove, IL campuses. Bridging health sciences education, human-centered change management, and emerging technology, this role aligns artificial intelligence solutions with modern health sciences curricula to elevate student engagement, faculty productivity, and institutional distinction. Serving as a key academic transformation leader, the Director establishes short- and long-term goals, manages program resources, and ensures that AI deployment maintains rigorous academic integrity and compliance.

This position serves as an enabler for the university community: evaluates needs, presents a set of options with a recommended path, and helps implement the chosen option within the constituent's field. Where the options do not serve the constituents, escalates to senior leadership for a thoughtful review with the stakeholders.

Grouped by core focus areas, the responsibilities combine institutional leadership and operational management with academic AI integration:

• Establish, facilitate, and maintain the AI community of practice at Midwestern University.
• Spearhead the academic integration of AI across health sciences curricula, aligning technological capabilities with pedagogical goals and clinical education standards.
• Partner with IT and faculty to architect and build custom clinical simulations using Institution approved platforms to enhance practical health sciences training.
• Establish short- and long-term goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and strategic initiatives for academic AI adoption in alignment with university priorities.
• Serve as the primary academic AI subject matter expert across campus committees, university working groups, and external leadership bodies.
• Evaluate emerging academic technology tools and vendor platforms to maintain high standards of instructional quality and technology alignment.

• Assist in ensuring full compliance with regional accreditation standards, higher education legal regulations, and HIPAA/FERPA data privacy requirements in all instructional and clinical AI applications.
• Support the AI platform architecture from the vantage point of applied AI and academic innovation.
• Champion institutional values across all academic AI initiatives, policies, and personnel practices.

• Co-direct university-wide listening tours and needs assessment discovery sessions across academic and clinical units to identify opportunities and requirements.
• Design, deploy, and manage tiered professional development pathways, Institution approved platforms, and certification tracks for faculty, staff, and students.
• Establish and manage an institutional AI grant application process to fund and feature innovative projects during annual campus AI summits and forums.

• Oversee day-to-day academic operations of the CAE, ensuring continuous quality improvement using data-driven metrics, learning analytics, and stakeholder feedback.
• Recruit, supervise, evaluate, and mentor academic and administrative staff supporting the CAE's pedagogical initiatives.
• Build strong cross-institutional partnerships with Deans, faculty, clinical chairs, and regional health partners, while representing the university at national conferences (e.g., EDUCAUSE, ` Education Summits).

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  This individual must have regular, in-person and predictable attendance with the ability to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 8+ years of leadership experience within higher education, specifically supporting faculty, clinical workflows, or CME administration.
• Background bridging scientific disciplines and instructional technologies, with experience in regional accreditation processes, assessment, or grant management.
• Active involvement or recognized thought leadership in national or regional educational technology initiatives (e.g., EDUCAUSE, Google Education summits).
• Formal credentials or certifications in AI prompt engineering, content creation, process optimization, or data analysis.

• Bachelors required from an accredited institution preferably in Instructional Design and Technology, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Technology, Healthcare Informatics, or a related discipline. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressively responsible administrative leadership or faculty leadership, experience in higher education, including direct supervisory and budget management experience.
• Demonstrated expertise with advanced AI tools, Learning Management Systems (LMS), and cloud ecosystem platforms.
• In-depth understanding of compliance frameworks, data safety, and privacy standards in healthcare and higher education settings (FERPA, HIPAA, intellectual property guidelines).
• Proven track record of leading human-centered change management, faculty development programs, and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills with a history of presenting at regional or national higher education forums.

Computer proficiency in Google and MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) required.

High skills:  Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or governmental regulations.  Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.  Ability to effectively present information to top management, and boards of directors

High skills:  Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.  Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form. 

Intermediate skills:  Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interests, commissions and proportions, percentages, area, circumference and volume.  Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Ability to routinely lift 20 lbs.; vision correctable to 20/20 in one eye, hearing correctable to normal, ability to tolerate prolonged sitting; ability to stoop, stand, use of fingers, hands and arms; ability to tolerate repeated routine tasks.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate (examples: business office with computers and printers, light traffic).

Midwestern University is a private, not-for-profit organization that provides graduate and post-graduate education in the health sciences. The University has two campuses, one in Downers Grove, Illinois and the other in Glendale, Arizona. More than 6,000 full-time students are enrolled in graduate programs in osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, cardiovascular perfusion, podiatry, optometry, clinical psychology, speech language pathology, biomedical sciences and veterinary medicine. Over 500 full-time faculty members and 400 staff members are dedicated to the education and development of our students in an environment that encourages learning, respect for all members of the health care team, service, interdisciplinary scholarly activity, and personal growth.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance plans as well as life insurance, short/long term disability and pet insurance.  We offer flexible spending accounts including healthcare reimbursement and child/dependent care account.  We offer a work life balance with competitive time off package including paid holiday’s, sick/flex days, personal days and vacation days.  We offer a 403(b) retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, child care subsidy reimbursement program, identity theft protection and an employee assistance program.  Wellness is important to us and we offer a wellness facility on-site with a fully equipped fitness facility.