Certificate Director - Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science - LTI

Carnegie Mellon University; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition benefits

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Bus pass (Pittsburgh regional)

Childcare support

Fitness center access

Job summary

Carnegie Mellon University seeks a Certificate Director for its Language Technologies Institute Professional Certificate portfolio, launching Fall 2026. The role centers on academic leadership, program governance, and industry partnerships, with the portfolio online and largely remote, requiring campus presence for select activities.

Responsibilities include setting strategy, appointing directors, coordinating curriculum, and ensuring rigorous delivery across certificates while engaging with CMU

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in computer science, language technologies, machine learning, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated record of teaching excellence and curriculum leadership.
• Experience with academic program administration or governance.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively across faculty, staff, industry, and University leadership.
• A combination of education and proven experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Portfolio strategy and thought leadership – Define the vision and strategic direction of the LTI Professional Certificate ecosystem and oversee its evolution.
• Academic governance – Appoint Faculty Course Directors and Certificate Curriculum Developers, approve Adjunct Preceptors, ensure rigor.
• Faculty engagement – Promote participation and cross‑certificate collaboration across certificates.
• Student experience – Lead orientation and onboarding for cohorts, communicate expectations and norms, foster engagement.
• University and external relations – Liaise with Provost's Office and CMU Online, cultivate industry collaborations.
• Portfolio review – Conduct annual reviews of enrollments, outcomes, demand, quality, and sustainability.

Skills

Academic leadership

Teaching excellence

Cross‑faculty collaboration

Communication skills

Education

PhD in computer science or related field

Job description

Carnegie Mellon University is a private, global research university that stands among the world’s most renowned education institutions. With ground-breaking brain science, path-breaking performances, creative start-ups, big data, big ambitions, hands‑on learning, and a whole lot of robots, CMU doesn’t imagine the future, we invent it. If you’re passionate about joining a community that challenges the curious to deliver work that matters, your journey starts here! The Language Technologies Institute within the Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science seeks a qualified individual to serve as Certificate Director for its new Professional Certificate ecosystem, launching in Fall 2026. The portfolio is a fully online, stackable set of professional certificates—beginning with the Machine Learning & Data Science (MLDS) and Generative AI (GenAI) certificates—built on a distinctive model: faculty own the science, professional curriculum developers own the pedagogy, and distinguished industry Adjunct Preceptors own live delivery. The Director provides academic leadership for the entire portfolio and is accountable for its strategic direction, academic integrity, growth, and external visibility. The role is designed to be conducted largely remotely; campus presence is expected for select activities such as cohort orientations, annual portfolio reviews, and key meetings with SCS and University leadership.

Core Responsibilities

• Portfolio strategy and thought leadership – Define the vision and strategic direction of the LTI Professional Certificate ecosystem and oversee its evolution, identify emerging technical areas and workforce needs; recommend new certificate offerings (e.g., AI Evaluation and Veracity, Human-Centered AI, Speech Technologies, Multilinguality), and ensure alignment with the educational mission and research strengths of LTI/SCS. Represent LTI in discussions on AI workforce development, executive education, and lifelong learning.
• Academic governance – Appoint Faculty Course Directors and Certificate Curriculum Developers, approve Adjunct Preceptors from the approved instructional pool, ensure consistency and academic rigor across all certificates, chair the certificate admissions committee (convening twice per semester).
• Faculty engagement – Promote faculty participation and cross‑certificate collaboration, encourage shared courses and instructional assets across certificates.
• Student experience – Lead portfolio-wide orientation and onboarding for each new cohort, in coordination with program staff, communicate academic expectations, resources, and community norms; foster engagement through seminars and networking, serve as faculty ambassador for the portfolio.
• University and external relations – Serve as primary liaison to the Provost's Office and CMU Online, oversee certificate approvals, renewals, and compliance, work with SCS Partnerships and Advancement to cultivate industry collaborations.
• Portfolio review – Conduct an annual review of enrollments, student outcomes, industry demand, instructional quality, financial sustainability, and curriculum refresh priorities.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in computer science, language technologies, machine learning, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated record of teaching excellence and curriculum leadership.
• Experience with academic program administration or governance.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively across faculty, staff, industry, and University leadership.
• A combination of education and proven experience from which comparable knowledge is demonstrated may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with online, professional, or executive education.
• Established relationships with industry research and engineering leaders in AI.
• Familiarity with CMU academic governance, CMU Online, and certificate approval processes.
• Experience launching or scaling new educational programs, including stackable or micro‑credential models.
• Knowledge of the AI workforce landscape and professional learner needs.

Requirements

• Successful completion of a pre‑employment background check.

Benefits

• Benefits eligible employees enjoy a wide array of benefits including comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance as well as a generous retirement savings program with employer contributions.
• Unlock your potential with tuition benefits, take well‑deserved breaks with ample paid time off and observed holidays, and rest easy with life and accidental death and disability insurance.
• Additional perks include a free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass, access to our Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs, fitness center access, and much more!

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Job Function: Academic Program Administration

Position Type: Staff – Fixed Term (Fixed Term); Full Time/Part time; Part time

Pay Basis: Salary

Prospective Employee Disclosures

Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran.

We are committed to providing an accessible experience throughout our recruitment process. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation at any stage of the application, interview, or hiring process, please contact Equal Opportunity Services by email at [e-mail] or by phone at 412-268-5072.