Dear Colleague,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing on behalf of the Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University (MSU). Please distribute widely to those you think may be interested.
Our Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University is in search of two positions to coordinate and support our transformed introductory chemistry laboratory courses. These laboratory courses implement project-based, cooperative curricula in which teams of students use their chemistry knowledge and learn chemistry techniques to plan and carry out investigations, collect and analyze data, and generate arguments from that evidence to satisfy the project scenario. Research on the efficacy of this approach has been published in Journal of Chemical Education, and the organic chemistry curriculum is innovating to incorporate and engage students in green and sustainable chemistry.
These positions will facilitate laboratory courses taught in our new STEM Teaching and Learning Facility, set to open later this spring.
Position descriptions and requirements:
(1) Organic Laboratory Coordinator: Oversee operation of the non-major organic chemistry laboratories (CEM 255 and CEM 143) for STEM majors. Will report to the Chemistry chair and will work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students associated with MSU’s Organic Chemistry program. Will implement and refine the reformed laboratory curriculum to include evidence-based approaches to laboratory education, and will develop a training program for graduate teaching assistants. Will be responsible for day-to-day mentorship of graduate student teaching assistants and coordination of operations with a laboratory manager. The individual hired for this position will have an opportunity to be involved in campus-wide efforts to reform pedagogy in gateway science and mathematics courses.
Required: Ph.D Chemistry or related field, with emphasis in Organic chemistry and relevant teaching experience. The successful candidate will demonstrate outstanding teaching and mentoring skills, strong content knowledge, excellent writing skills, and the ability to work with undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and staff in a collaborative environment. Experience with project-based laboratory curricula is preferred. Demonstrated interest in laboratory development is also desirable.
(2) General and GOB Laboratory Coordinator: Oversee operation of the primary general and organic chemistry laboratory courses (CEM 161, CEM 162, and CEM 143) for STEM majors. Assist with CEM 255, as needed. Will report to the Director of General Chemistry and will work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students associated with MSU’s General and Organic Chemistry programs. Will continue to refine the existing evidence-based approaches to laboratory curriculum, and assist with the development of a training program for graduate teaching assistants. Will be responsible for day-to-day mentorship of graduate student teaching assistants and coordination of operations with laboratory staff. The individual hired for this position will have an opportunity to be involved in campus-wide efforts to transform pedagogy in gateway science and mathematics courses.
Required: Ph.D Chemistry or related field, with emphasis in chemistry and relevant teaching experience. The successful candidate will demonstrate outstanding teaching and mentoring skills, strong content knowledge, excellent writing skills, and the ability to work with undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and staff in a collaborative environment. Experience with project-based laboratory curricula is preferred. Demonstrated interest in laboratory development is also desirable.
Interested applicants should review the required application materials on the respective job postings for organic laboratory coordinator and general/organic laboratory coordinator. Review of applications will begin March 29.
Questions regarding the position may be directed to Professor Gary Blanchard, Chair of the Search Committee ([blanchard@chemistry.msu.edu]blanchard@chemistry.msu.edu), or to Professor Robert Maleczka, Chair of the Department of Chemistry (maleczka@chemistry.msu.edu).
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Day, PhD
Research Associate
Department of Chemistry
College of Natural Science
Michigan State University
578 S. Shaw Lane
East Lansing, MI 48824