Part Time Digital Accessibility Assistant for Course Remediation

Unit: Office Of The Provost MBU

Department: Provost General Admin

Duties & Responsibilities:

Digital Accessibility Assistants play a vital role in ensuring that educational content is inclusive and accessible to all students. In this role, you will focus on the technical remediation of course materials, transforming complex digital assets into formats that meet universal design standards and compliance requirements.

A successful candidate in this role is someone who combines a high attention to technical detail with a passion for digital equity to ensure a polished, accessible learning experience for the VCU community.

Key Responsibilities:

• Audit digital course materials for compliance and to identify barriers; analyze and document accessibility issues and compliance concerns in alignment with accessibility standards.
• Manually remediate inaccessible PDFs by applying sophisticated tagging, optimizing reading order, and configuring form labels for screen-reader compatibility
• Convert files to accessible formats and add alt-text, image captions, and accessible structures to tables and charts
• Edit all audio and video files, as well as transcripts, to ensure high quality and clarity
• Perform other duties, as assigned and within the scope of practice

Minimum Qualifications:

• Post secondary degree (Associate or higher)
• Proficiency within the Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU
• Commitment to the university's strategic plan, mission, vision, values, and goals
• Basic web development skills and media production experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong background in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics, utilizing logical problem-solving skills to troubleshoot technical barriers in digital course materials.

• Knowledge of LaTeX strongly preferred

• Proven ability to consult with faculty members to translate complex academic content-specifically STEM-related material-into accessible digital formats

• Proven ability to analyze and document accessibility barriers within complex tables, charts, and technical diagrams to ensure logical reading order and meaningful alt-text for screen readers

• Experience navigating Learning Management Systems (specifically Canvas) and proficiency in virtual collaboration within technical or academic environments

• Advanced skills in basic web development and media production, with a focus on ensuring high-quality, clear audio/video transcripts for technical subjects

• Experience guiding subject matter experts through the audit and remediation process, providing clear technical recommendations to resolve barriers in Canvas course materials while maintaining instructional integrity

Anticipated Salary Range

• Starting wages range from $15-$18 hourly depending on experience

Digital Accessibility Assistant positions are part-time (up to 20 hours per week) with an estimated duration of 4-6 months. Extension of this appointment is possible, contingent upon departmental needs and budget availability.

Location: Hybrid arrangement allowing for a mix of in-office collaboration and remote work based on task requirements

Schedule: This position offers some flexibility with schedule with the requirement to attend pre-scheduled team meetings and key stakeholder sessions, as needed.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU's robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Hours per Week: Variable, pending project needs, up to 20 hours per week