Visiting Associate Director, INI

Department of Human Development and Family Studies

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

WE TRANSFORM LIVES.

Everything we do is designed to improve the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across the nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to higher levels of understanding and influence.

About INI:
The Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative (INI) is a comprehensive support program housed in the Department of Human Development & Family Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. INI promotes the success of neurodivergent college students from orientation through graduation by providing academic supports, mental health services, social connection, and employment preparation. The program currently serves approximately 70 students and is grounded in a strengths-based, neuroinclusive philosophy that centers student voice and self-advocacy across academic, social, and professional settings.

Supports the leadership and daily operations of the Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative (INI), combining staff supervision, course instruction, direct student support, and program development to advance INI's mission of supporting neurodivergent college students. INI is a comprehensive support program housed in the Department of Human Development & Family Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. INI promotes the success of neurodivergent college students from orientation through graduation by providing academic supports, mental health services, social connection, and employment preparation.

The program is grounded in a strengths-based, neuroinclusive philosophy that centers student voice and self-advocacy across academic, social, and professional settings.

• Student advising
  • Provide individual executive function support to assigned students
  • Support students in developing self-advocacy skills across academic, community, and professional settings
  • Assist with academic support programming and student needs assessment
  • Support INI's corporate internship program and employer partnerships
  • Provide employment preparation and career readiness programming
  • Connect students with work-based learning opportunities and employment resources
• Course instruction and curriculum development
  • Teach 1-2 courses per semester from INI's curriculum based on program need and candidate expertise which may include:
  • HDFS 202:
    Pre-Employment Seminar
  • HDFS 255:
    Current Topics in Autism
  • HDFS 398:
    Leadership in Neurodiversity
  • HDFS 398:
    Global Self-Advocacy
  • Contribute to curriculum development and the ongoing refinement of course materials
  • Support the development of novel programming and interventions for neurodivergent college students
• Program leadership and operations
  • Assist the Director with program planning, implementation, and evaluation
  • Contribute to the development and refinement of program policies and operational infrastructure
  • Support student recruitment and retention efforts, including recruiting events, application review, and student onboarding and orientation
  • Assist with campus and community trainings on neurodiversity and neuroinclusive practices
  • Support parent and family engagement
  • Contribute to program assessment and outcome tracking
• Supervision
  • Supervise INI program staff, including providing regular feedback, guidance, and professional development support

Position involves working on campus in academic environments (e.g., classrooms, offices), occasional evening or weekend hours, and occasional meetings with non-campus partners.

Master’s degree in special education, speech-language pathology, social work, psychology, rehabilitation, human development, or a closely related field. Minimum of three (3) years of experience working directly with neurodivergent individuals. Demonstrated experience in program coordination, staff supervision, or a related leadership role. Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to work collaboratively and flexibly in a small, dynamic team environment.

• Experience working with neurodivergent students in a post-secondary or higher education setting.
• Teaching or instructional experience at the college level.
• Research experience related to neurodiversity, disability, or transition.
• Experience in employment preparation, career readiness, or vocational support for neurodivergent individuals.
• Familiarity with executive function support models and academic support strategies.
• Experience developing or leading social programming or community-building initiatives.
• Knowledge of neuroinclusive practices across academic, workplace, and community settings.
• Experience with program assessment, data collection, or outcome tracking.
• Knowledge of local,…