Mandarin Conversationalist

Career Centre Position Description Mandarin Conversationalist Department/Faculty Faculty of Arts Home Campus (Location) Surrey Main - Surrey, BC Employment Duration 12 months Apply Now Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is Canada’s only polytechnic university, proudly serving the South Fraser region for more than 40 years. With campuses in Surrey, Richmond, Langley, and Cloverdale, KPU is deeply connected to the communities it serves and to the diverse cultures, backgrounds, and lived experiences of its students. Through academic excellence, applied learning, innovation, and strong industry and community partnerships, KPU prepares students for meaningful futures. As an open-access university, KPU is powered by the people who live and work here. We believe every employee plays a meaningful role in supporting student learning and success. We are honoured to carry the name of the Kwantlen First Nation and are committed to equity, inclusion, reconciliation, and respectful relationships. As one of BC’s Top Employers, KPU is dedicated to fostering a supportive, inclusive, and engaged workplace where employees feel valued, connected to purpose, and empowered to make an impact. We invite you to explore your next career opportunity at KPU and discover how your work can contribute to a university where thought truly meets action. Competition ID: 4637 Internal Closing Date: June 8, 2026 External Closing Date: June 8, 2026 # of Openings: 1 *Salary Information: Casual Employee - Hourly Rate Employment Type: On-Call Workplace Type: On-Site Travel Frequency: Employee Group: Casual Employee Days of Work (BCGEU): Hours of Work (BCGEU): Hours per Week (BCGEU): ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE This role reports to Mandarin Instructor/Faculty. SUMMARY The Department of Language and Cultures at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is inviting applications for a casual service position to conduct conversation labs for our lower level Mandarin courses. The successful applicant should be committed to providing KPU students taking Mandarin courses with a first-class undergraduate educational experience. Applicants could be solicited for work assignments in fall and spring semesters, day and evening, at our Richmond campus or online. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Providing an authentic language environment to students and conducting sessions primarily in Mandarin during the lab component of the lower level Mandarin courses. Helping students to review the vocabulary and dialogues/texts in the main textbook and to work on oral and reading exercises. Providing pronunciation modeling, guidance and ongoing oral feedback on student performance in conversational proficiency. Monitoring student attendance and assessing students’ oral and aural competencies and reporting the accurate results to the instructor in a timely fashion. Consulting the instructor on any teaching related issues to jointly enhance teaching efficacy and maximize student learning outcomes. QUALIFICATIONS Native or near-native fluency in Mandarin Chinese. Familiarity with the standard Pinyin orthography in reading and writing. Familiarity with the use of technology-assisted teaching and learning in the classroom such as Moodle. Minimum of 2 years’ experience in teaching Mandarin Chinese as an additional language in a Canadian education context. A post-secondary degree in teaching Chinese as an additional language or Arts in general, as well as familiarity with Traditional Chinese Medicine and its terminology, will be considered an asset. SALARY INFORMATION Anticipated hourly pay rate: $34.64 APPLICATION PROCESS Application must include a current curriculum vitae, a one-page statement of teaching philosophy, and a list of two professional references able to comment on your teaching ability and academic accomplishments. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Click "Apply Now" and submit the required documentation as one document. Total Rewards As a part of our total rewards offerings, KPU also offers extended health and dental benefits, healthcare spending account, generous vacation package, defined pension plan, parenthood top-up, sick leave, long-term disability, life insurance, professional development days, tuition waiver, inhouse training & development, inter-campus transportation, and more! Note: Eligibility requirements apply, benefits may vary depending on the employee group the position belongs to and whether the position offered is temporary or part-time. Visit https://www.kpu.ca/hr for more information on KPU’s workplace, culture and total rewards. Note to Applicants Kwantlen Polytechnic University welcomes and encourages applications from equity deserving groups and diverse experiences including, but not limited to, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, and members of the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community. If there are any barriers that you are experiencing or an accommodation that we can provide to support you through the application process, please reach out to us at talentacquisition@kpu.ca . Kwantlen Polytechnic University is committed to protecting the safety and welfare of employees, students, and the general public, and upholding the reputation and integrity of the University. For this reason, final applicants will be asked to undergo a background check. We thank all applicants for their interest in employment with KPU. Only candidates who are legally eligible to work in Canada will be considered; only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Back Share Apply Now