Paramedic Certificate Program Director

Westfield State University; Westfield (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan under MA state system

Tuition Waivers & Discounts

Paid Holidays & Leave

Job summary

Westfield State University seeks a Paramedic Certificate Program Director/Professor of Practice to lead the Paramedic Science Certificate program and teach in Health Sciences. The role combines program administration with high-quality instruction under the MSCA collective bargaining framework.

The position supports accreditation, external partnerships, and workforce-focused curriculum development, while ensuring student success and inclusive teaching.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree as required or closely related field.
• Strong written, oral, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to teach, advise, mentor, and support students.

Responsibilities

• Teach Paramedic Science courses and provide advising, curriculum development, and program assessment.
• Oversee operations of the Paramedic Certificate Program, coordinating faculty and clinical education.
• Ensure accreditation, regulatory compliance, and external partnerships for program quality.
• Collaborate with EMS agencies, healthcare organizations, and community partners to advance student learning.

Skills

Written communication

Oral communication

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Education

Master’s degree in Emergency Services Management or related field

Job description

Paramedic Certificate Program Director & Professor of Practice

Campus Title: Paramedic Certificate ProgramDirector & Professor of Practice

State Job Title: Professor of Practice/Assistant Professor

Department: Health Sciences

Job Code: HA3200

FLSA Status: Exempt

Funding: 7107-0029

Bargaining Unit: MSCA

Job Type: Full-Time Temporary (Fixed Term, 2-year renewable contract)

Timeframe: Academic Year (39 weeks) plus additional weeks in Program Director role

Shift: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Regular Days Off: Saturday and Sunday

Supervision Received: Reports to the Chair of the Health Sciences Department and Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education

Supervision Exercised: All Paramedic and EMT Certificate Program faculty, staff, and guest lecturers

Salary: $70,000 to $75,000 annually (commensurate with education and experience), plus an additional summer stipend.

Position Structure and Compensation

This is a full-time, fixed-term Professor of Practice faculty appointment at the Assistant Professor level, with a 39-week academic year salary ranging from $70,000 to $75,000.

The position includes service in an additional Paramedic Certificate Program Director role. The Program Director component is a separate administrative appointment, compensated through a summer stipend of $4,974 for employment outside the academic year.

The Program Director role and the Professor of Practice role is expected for the duration of the contract.

Faculty assigned to the Program Director role will receive a reduced teaching load during the academic year to support administrative responsibilities. Should the Program Director appointment conclude, responsibilities will revert fully to the standard Professor of Practice faculty role.

About the Paramedic Certificate Program

Westfield State University’s Paramedic Science Certificate program prepares students for advanced prehospital emergency care through integrated classroom, laboratory, simulation, clinical, and field education. The program emphasizes current professional practice, student readiness, workforce preparation, and strong partnerships with emergency medical services, fire service, healthcare, and community organizations.

Job Summary

The Paramedic Certificate Program Director provides leadership and oversight for the Paramedic Science Certificate program, including program operations, instructional planning, faculty coordination, student progression, clinical and field education, accreditation and regulatory compliance, and external partnerships. The Director supports program assessment, continuous quality improvement, and workforce-responsive program development while maintaining relationships with EMS agencies, fire departments, healthcare organizations, and community partners.

The Professor of Practice faculty appointment focuses on high-quality teaching, advising, applied professional preparation, and the integration of current paramedic practice into student learning. Consistent with the Professor of Practice classification, the faculty member is expected to bring substantial professional experience into the curriculum and demonstrate consistent and substantive effort in maintaining current skills and knowledge in the field.

REQUIREMENTS

Paramedic Certificate Program Director Responsibilities (Administrative Oversight)

Program Administration and Coordination

• Coordinate Paramedic Certificate program operations, including instructional planning, faculty coordination, student progression, and clinical and field education activities.
• Support the development and coordination of program curriculum, instructional activities, and student assessment.
• Coordinate with faculty, staff, and clinical and field education personnel to support program effectiveness and student learning.
• Participate in program assessment, continuous quality improvement, data review, and initiatives designed to strengthen student outcomes and program effectiveness.

Accreditation and Regulatory Compliance

• Support ongoing program accreditation and regulatory compliance activities, including preparation of required documentation, data, reports, and continuous improvement materials for CoAEMSP and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
• Assist with maintaining alignment with applicable accreditation standards and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate program assessment and continuous improvement activities related to accreditation and program effectiveness.

Clinical and Field Education Oversight

• Support coordination of clinical and field education activities.
• Maintain active relationships with EMS agencies, fire departments, healthcare organizations, clinical partners, and other community-based organizations that support student learning and workforce development.
• Collaborate with clinical and field education personnel to support student progression and professional preparation.

Program Development and External Relations

• Contribute current professional expertise to workforce-responsive program development, continuing education, and related emergency medical services initiatives.
• Represent the Paramedic Certificate program in university, community, and professional settings.
• Collaborate with emergency services agencies, healthcare organizations, academic partners, and community stakeholders to support program development and student learning.

Required Qualifications for the Paramedic Certificate Program Director

• Master’s degree in Emergency Services Management, Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, or a closely related field.
• Current unencumbered Paramedic license/certification, with eligibility to maintain the credential required for professional practice in Massachusetts.
• Minimum of two years of experience serving as the director of a paramedic education program.
• Demonstrated ability to teach, advise, mentor, and support students in professional and applied learning environments.
• Strong written, oral, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with students and colleagues from varied backgrounds and to support an inclusive learning environment.

Professor of Practice Faculty Responsibilities (Department of Health Sciences)

The faculty member serving within the Department of Health Sciences is expected to fulfill teaching, advising, and service responsibilities consistent with the Professor of Practice classification and the MSCA collective bargaining agreement. Teaching load adjustments may be made to reflect Paramedic Certificate Program Director administrative responsibilities during the academic year.

• Perform faculty duties in accordance with the MSCA collective bargaining agreement.
• Teach Paramedic Science and related emergency medical services courses. The standard teaching load is 12 credit hours per semester.
• Provide academic advising, career advising, and professional development support to students.
• Demonstrate consistent and substantive effort to maintain modern skills, certifications, and knowledge in paramedic practice and emergency medical services.
• Liaise with clinical and field education personnel and provide supervision and guidance to students in practicum, clinical, simulation, and field settings.
• Develop, deliver, and continuously improve instruction across classroom, simulation, clinical, and field learning environments.
• Integrate current paramedic practice, emergency services operations, evidence-informed care, quality improvement, technology, and simulation into teaching and student learning.
• Assess student learning and clinical readiness and provide timely feedback, remediation support, and academic guidance as appropriate.
• Contribute to curriculum review, course development, student assessment, and program improvement activities.
• Participate in faculty and university committee work and contribute to the academic and public-service mission of the University.
• Support curriculum development informed by current professional practice, with a focus on equity-minded teaching and transformative learning.
• Participate in professional development and relevant conferences, trainings, and activities that maintain currency in paramedic practice and EMS education.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, community partners, and emergency services professionals to advance student learning and professional preparation.
• Perform additional faculty-related duties consistent with the Professor of Practice role and the MSCA collective bargaining agreement.

Required Qualifications for the Professor of Practice Faculty

• Master’s degree in Emergency Services Management, Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, or a closely related field.
• Current unencumbered Paramedic license/certification, with eligibility to maintain the credential required for professional practice in Massachusetts.
• Minimum of two years of experience serving as the director of a paramedic education program.
• Demonstrated ability to teach, advise, mentor, and support students in professional and applied learning environments.
• Strong written, oral, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with students and colleagues from varied backgrounds and to support an inclusive learning environment.

Preferred Qualifications for the Professor of Practice Faculty

• Substantial professional experience as a practicing paramedic and/or firefighter-paramedic in prehospital emergency care.
• Previous college or university teaching experience in paramedic, EMT, emergency medical services, or related professional education.
• Experience developing or leading paramedic or EMT curriculum, instruction, faculty coordination, student assessment, and program operations.
• Experience teaching across classroom, laboratory simulation, clinical, field, hybrid, and/or online learning environments.
• Experience developing and using high-fidelity or technology-enhanced simulation to support clinical decision-making, communication, and team-based training.
• Experience developing and maintaining clinical and field education partnerships with EMS agencies, fire departments, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations.
• Experience with continuous quality improvement, student outcome assessment, or EMS quality-improvement processes.
• Experience in mobile integrated health, community paramedicine, or other evolving models of prehospital care.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with emergency services agencies, healthcare organizations, academic partners, and community stakeholders.

Westfield State University seeks faculty whose teaching and service contribute to student success, academic excellence, workforce preparation, and the University’s public mission. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to work effectively with students from varied backgrounds and to support an inclusive learning environment.

Compensation

The overall compensation for this position consists of the base salary associated with the Professor of Practice faculty appointment in the Department of Health Sciences and additional stipended work associated with the Paramedic Certificate Program Director appointment.

Base Salary (subject to MSCA collective bargaining agreement provisions)

• Professor of Practice (Assistant Professor): $70,000 to $75,000 annually.

Stipend (Program Director Administrative Appointment)

• Summer Stipend: $4,974

In response to the Presidential Proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, imposing a significant fee on the entry of individuals with new H-1B visas, this position may not be eligible for visa sponsorship.

Job Requirements:

See above section for required and preferred qualifications for each position.

Additional Information

Salary:

Salaries for current Westfield State University employees and individuals currently working for the state of Massachusetts must be calculated individually in accordance with collective bargaining agreements as well as state policies. State job specifications may be found on Department of Higher Education’s webpage.

Employee Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Westfield State offers a variety of HMO, POS, and PPO-type health insurance plans for eligible employees. Coverage is effective on the 1st of the month following the date of hire. Exceptions to employees hired on the 1st of the month, coverage is effective immediately.
• Retirement: the MA State Employee Retirement System provides eligible employees with a retirement pension following a 10-year vesting period. In lieu of the retirement pension, eligible employees may select the Optional Retirement Plan with a maximum 5% employer matching contribution.
• Tuition Waivers & Discounts: eligible employees, including spouses and dependent children, receive reduced tuition at MA state colleges, community colleges, and universities.
• Paid Time Off: employees receive 12 paid holidays and generous vacation, personal, and sick leave benefits.
• Additional information regarding employee benefits is available on the University’s Benefits & Wellness webpage.

Disability Accommodations

Westfield State University is committed to the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities and will ensure the availability of reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at [phone] or visit us in the Horace Mann Building, 1st floor.

Background Check

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion and review of a background check. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration.