Software Engineering Pre-Capstone Grader

ABOUT ALU

ALU provides higher education for a higher purpose. Our students declare missions, not majors.They develop the real-world skills to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. And they take ownership of their learning from day one through our peer and student-led approach – because ALU believes in the power and agency of young people to start shaping the future right now. Together with a world-class faculty and staff, our students are igniting a ripple of positive impact across Africa and the world.

We are dedicated to fostering an open yet secure environment, balancing the safety of students, staff, and visitors with respect for individual rights, and safeguarding responsibilities.

HOW WE WORK

The ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.

The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The BSc Software Engineering programme is a new three-year degree programme with the aim of developing Software Engineering graduates at scale that are ready to meet the needs of employers globally immediately after graduation. This innovative and scalable programme prepares graduates not only with relevant technical skills but also entrepreneurial leadership skills missing in our tech graduates.

The Pre-Capstone course equips students with the foundational research knowledge and skills required to design a rigorous and impactful Capstone research proposal. Grounded in ALU’s mission-driven philosophy, this course guides students as they formulate research questions, align their work with one or more of the 14 Global Challenges and Opportunities, and prepare for their Mission Capstone implementation phase.

Throughout the course, students refine their mission statements, explore problem spaces across sectors such as Agriculture, Climate Change, Education, Governance, Healthcare, Women's Empowerment, and others, and develop a feasible, well-structured proposal that demonstrates academic rigor, clarity, and real-world relevance. As part of the assessment process, graders play a key role in ensuring that students' research ideas are sound, methodologically aligned, mission-driven, and ready for advancement into the Capstone phase.

NATURE AND SCOPE OF WORK

As a BSE Pre-Capstone Grader, you are responsible for evaluating students’ research-design assignments, proposal drafts, and associated reflective components. You will assess students’ understanding of research principles, including problem framing, literature analysis, methodology selection, feasibility assessment, and alignment with their chosen mission area.

Through structured evaluation and constructive feedback, you will help students improve the clarity, relevance, and rigor of their proposals. You will also support quality assurance by applying grading standards consistently, collaborating with course faculty, and maintaining accurate academic records.

Your role directly contributes to ensuring that each student enters the Mission Capstone trimester with a strong, well-designed, mission-aligned research proposal.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Review and grade research-related assignments, including problem statements, literature summaries, methodology outlines, and full research proposal drafts, using established rubrics.

• Provide clear, actionable, and timely written feedback to guide students in strengthening their research logic, structure, and alignment with the 14 Global Challenges.

• Evaluate proposal feasibility and academic rigor, ensuring students select appropriate research methods and articulate realistic implementation plans for the Mission Capstone.

• Input grades accurately into the Canvas gradebook and maintain organized records of all assessments.

• Share selected graded samples with faculty coaches for moderation and apply suggested improvements to grading practices.

• Collaborate with course faculty to clarify assignment expectations, ensure consistency in assessment, and uphold academic standards.

• Monitor adherence to academic integrity, research ethics, and assessment guidelines.

• Contribute to continuous improvement of evaluation processes and rubrics where needed

Skills and Competencies

• Strong understanding of research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, literature analysis, feasibility assessment, and ethical research practices

• Ability to assess research proposals and related assignments using rubrics, apply grading criteria consistently, and exercise sound academic judgment.

• Capacity to provide clear, constructive, and actionable written feedback that supports student learning and proposal improvement.

• Ability to evaluate problem framing, logical coherence, methodological fit, and alignment with mission areas and global challenges.

• High level of precision in grading, record-keeping, and data entry within any learning management systems

• Working knowledge of Canvas or similar platforms for grading, feedback, and academic record management.

• Ability to identify potential academic integrity concerns and ensure adherence to ethical research and assessment guidelines.

• Effectiveness in working with faculty, moderators, and academic teams to ensure consistency and quality in assessment.

• Ability to manage multiple grading deadlines, prioritize tasks, and deliver feedback within agreed timelines.

• Openness to feedback and willingness to contribute to refining rubrics, grading processes, and assessment practices.