Instructor-Economics Course

Position: Instructor-Economics Course Posted: 09/03/2025

Job Title: Instructor-Economics

Location: Arlington, VA- possible remote or virtual position depending on class

Classification: Part Time-possible full time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Security Clearance: Public Trust

Required

Travel Required

• This position is contingent on contract award*
  
  

About Chi-Chack

Founded in 2007, Chi-Chack specializes in supporting government clients with effective training, education, program management, and operational solutions to enhance mission success. Headquartered in Tacoma, WA, with a nationwide workforce of training professionals and subject matter experts, Chi-Chack is also an SBA 8(a) program graduate and a certified EDWOSB.

Position Summary

This position provides instruction for courses in the Economics Division within the Department of State’s (DOS) School of Professional and Area Studies (SPAS). This role involves designing, delivering, and evaluating engaging training courses that incorporate adult learning principles and align with DOS standards. The Economics Course Instructor will collaborate with Course Chairs, technical staff, and guest speakers to prepare course materials, facilitate interactive sessions, and manage in-person and/or virtual classrooms.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Pre-Course Preparation
• Maintain regular communication with the Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators for content guidance on course development and delivery and the Contractor for technical guidance.
• Review existing course guidance, course design/lesson plan, course syllabus, course schedule (also called a course grid) to incorporate adult learning principles and interactive methods that build on participants' professional experience and knowledge. Update existing materials or create new materials based on research and expertise and submit to the Contractor for technical review and the Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators to review for content and approval.
• Ensure all materials created meet NFATC and U.S. Government standards, including Section 508. Guidance on Section 508 can be found at https://www.section508.gov and many commercial products such as MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel run compliance reviews.
• Send a list of proposed guest speakers to the Contractor and the Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators for finalization.
• Review all materials before final submission to the Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators ensuring they are error free and are properly formatted.
• Once proposed guest speakers, course materials, and course grid/schedule are approved by Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators, coordinate with the SPAS division staff to send a welcome email to students that provides material for the students to read and view before the course starts. The pre-reading/viewing material shall serve as the basis for class discussion that potentially could be part of the course syllabus. The final course schedule/grid shall also be included in the welcome email.
• Ensure any planned independent activities and assignments during a class are short and focused (generally no more than one hour), are linked to or followed by a discussion or expert-led session that covers the assigned reading or activity and are not scheduled concurrently with other independent activities.
• Identify and invite (when approved) guest subject matter experts that have specialized knowledge or experience on a topic being addressed in class and be prepared to facilitate their discussion, ensuring the presenter remains on topic, covers the appropriate learning points and objectives, and there is sufficient time for student questions and interaction.
• Coordinate presentations by guest lecturers, ensuring they are informed as to the necessary scope and objectives for their presentations to fulfill the requirements of the course design, suggest using slides for visuals but with limited text, and confirm their discussions shall be interactive with sufficient time for student questions and dialogue.
• For in-person classes, submit guest speaker information at least one week before the course begins to ensure their registration with the Visitor Access Requests and Parking Office to have access to the NFATC campus.
• Advise the CPM and the SPAS division staff immediately when there is a change of guest speakers.
• For in person classes, coordinate with SPAS division staff to ensure appropriate classroom set-up, that the necessary audiovisual equipment is present and working, and that classroom materials (maps, artwork, handouts, etc.) are present in the classroom for the start of class.
• Establish a method for verifying student attendance courses with SPAS division staff.
• Day 1 of Delivery
• For in-person classes, arrive one hour early to ensure that all audiovisual equipment is in proper working condition and that their personal device is connected to the system.
• For virtual classes, ensure you can log in at least one business day prior to the start of class and on the first day of class, log in at least 15 minutes prior to the start of class.
• Ensure that students have access to adequate resource materials such as student handouts, maps, videos, and readings as appropriate for both in-person and virtual classes.
• During Course Delivery
• Attend all in-class activities. Lead sessions and present material for approximately half of the allotted course time.
• Teach and engage students in a variety of sessions including lectures, discussions, and interactive activities including presenting a variety of guest speakers while maintaining an overarching framework for the course that pulls all the material together in an organized manner.
• Advise students on information sources and other matters related to their thematic or geographic interest.
• Link course content to course objectives, learner needs and key issues.
• Use formative assessments (e.g., quizzes, group exercises, reflections) and real-time feedback to monitor student understanding and adjust instruction during the course.
• Track daily student attendance for each class day.
• Manage the classroom to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for all participants.
• Ensure NFATC classroom norms of safety, respect, and professionalism are observed. Address any deviations from the norms including harassing or discriminatory comments immediately and as soon as possible report student discipline problems to the Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators or Division Director or Deputy Director.
• Be familiar and in compliance with the DOS policies and instructions that deal with civil rights, equal opportunity and affirmative employment, equal opportunity for persons with disabilities, sexual harassment, and harassment and retaliation, internet security, and physical security protocol.
• Last Day of Course Delivery
• Ensure that each student has time to complete an end-of-course student evaluation prior to course conclusion and explain the importance of completing and submitting the survey since NFATC factors in the anonymous input towards course improvement.
• Explain to students how to access their record of course completion.
• Return all reusable course materials for which the Course Instructor has responsibility, and report equipment damage, loss or inoperability to the Chairs.
• Coordinate with SPAS Division staff to ensure excess papers, used easel pad chart paper, and tape on walls or boards are removed and classrooms are left in a neat and orderly condition.
• Provide confirmation that guest subject matter experts attended their scheduled session to enable prompt payment of honoraria and/or other fees as authorized.
• Submit a fully completed Sign-In sheet listing each class participant’s name and signature for in-person courses, or an accounting of daily student participation for virtual classes, to the designated SPAS Division staff at the conclusion of each course offering.
• Post Course Delivery
• Meet or discuss in person or virtually with the CPM and Course Chairs/Coordinators or Deputy Course Chairs/Coordinators and provide initial observations and recommendations concerning the course, materials, equipment, facilities, etc., as needed.
• After receiving student evaluation, analyze the feedback to guide recommendations for future improvements.
  
  

Qualifications, Knowledge And Skill Required

• A post-graduate degree in economics or other academic field directly related to Environment, Science, Technology, and Health (ESTH) or at least ten years of working in this field; PhD preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience and substantive expertise and recognition as an expert in their area of expertise, as evidenced by published works, experience working in an international or non-governmental organization, employment with the U.S. or a foreign government, media appearances, and past teaching or professional training experience or similar.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience with instructional design, professional training, or academic teaching and delivery of engaging training for experienced, adult learners, including demonstrated evidence of dynamic and interactive instruction approaches and capabilities within their area of expertise. In addition to in-person instruction, experience designing and delivering online courses is also preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and delivering adult education programs particularly those dealing with complex ESTH issues and Government policies.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with a range of stakeholders—such as interagency partners, foreign government officials, NGOs, or multilateral organizations—within the U.S. foreign affairs or government foreign policy environment.
• Ability to work independently, under deadline pressure, with diverse teams, and effectively liaise with multiple State Department and USG personnel for course inputs.
• Ability to provide print-ready course materials that are free of grammatical errors and contain consistent formatting, using NFATC and Contractor provided templates by the required deadlines.
• Must be available to fulfill pre-established course schedule according to NFATC requirements.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office - PowerPoint, Word, Excel.
• Experience with online/remote learning platforms.
• Understanding of the United States Government, the U.S. Department of State, and U.S. foreign affairs.
• Fluent English required.
  
  

Physical And Environmental Requirements

• May be required to use computer screen for extensive periods of time.
• Extended working hours may be necessary.
  
  

What We Offer: (benefits vary based on FT, PT, or On-Call status)

• Benefits offered include Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Employer-paid Life insurance, long-term disability and short-term disability
• Paid time off -including 11 Holidays
• Participation in the Chi-Chack LLC 401(k) plan
  
  

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Chi-Chack LLC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to unlawful considerations of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, sensory, physical, or mental disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. Reasonable accommodation is available for qualified individuals with disabilities, upon request.

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This company participates in the E-Verify Employment Verification Program.

Background, Credit, and Criminal History Check

Due to the nature of the company’s work, certain positions may require completion of a successful background, credit, and/or criminal history check.