Assistant Teaching Professors in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology

Application Window

The Departments of Integrative Biology (IB) and Molecular & Cell Biology (MCB) at the University of California, Berkeley seek applications for two Assistant Teaching Professor positions in General Biology, with emphasis on (1) Organismal and Evolutionary Biology or (2) Molecular and Quantitative Biology. Based on review for promotion, these full-time positions have the possibility of security of employment, which is the equivalent of tenure.

UC Berkeley is one the world’s foremost public research universities and attracts students and faculty of the highest accomplishment and potential. The IB and MCB Departments are both recognized with high national standings for their outstanding academic and research programs. Comprising the core of the Biological Sciences Division, the IB and MCB faculty are responsible for training the next generation of biologists, ranging interest from the molecular, genetic, and cellular to the organismic, environmental and evolutionary. For more information about IB, visit: https://ib.berkeley.edu/; for more information about MCB, visit: http://mcb.berkeley.edu/.

At Berkeley, Teaching Professors (officially titled Lecturers with the Potential for Security of Employment, or LPSOEs) are members of the Academic Senate. Their primary responsibilities center on undergraduate education, including classroom instruction, assessment of learning outcomes, pedagogical innovation, and academic program development. The primary responsibilities associated with these positions, described further below, will be focused on transforming and coordinating the introductory biology courses led by the IB and MCB departments. Our new Teaching Professors will work with their faculty colleagues to enhance curriculum and course design and pedagogy within their home departments, as well as work with other faculty and Teaching Professors on campus, for example in the nationally recognized School of Education and Graduate Group in Science and Mathematics Education (SESAME). The successful candidates will be expected to conduct independent scholarly research, particularly related to pedagogy and educational practice.

Applicants are asked to indicate which of the following position(s) they wish to be considered for by selecting the corresponding “specialization” in their application materials and may be considered for both positions.

Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Integrative Biology (IB) The successful candidate will become the lead instructor for the laboratory portion of Bio 1B, a large, foundational course that enrolls 1,500 students per year which fulfills requirements for nine majors on the Berkeley campus. They will work in close collaboration with faculty who teach in the lecture portion of the course. Our goal is to provide a model for inclusive, discovery-based education in organismal and evolutionary biology that facilitates success by students from diverse backgrounds. On continuing basis, the appointee will teach 1-2 lab sections per semester and oversee ca. 40 Graduate Student Instructors per semester as well as several members of the department’s instructional staff. The successful candidate will lead revision of lab content and will work with existing departmental and campus programs to enhance the inclusivity of the student experience in the course, as well as other courses within the Department.

Molecular and Quantitative Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) The successful candidate will contribute to updating our introductory biology curriculum to increase the emphasis on quantitative skills and understanding. Additionally, the incumbent will implement inclusive pedagogical methods and develop new assessment approaches to promote success of students from diverse backgrounds and levels of preparation, contribute to and coordinate teaching in Bio1A, and work closely with other faculty and staff in the associated Bio1A laboratory course and Bio1B. Eventual responsibilities will include promoting inclusive pedagogy across the MCB department, contributing to curriculum design, building curricular connections with courses in Data Science, and developing learning objectives related to quantitative and computational approaches for MCB majors.

The two finalists will collaborate to develop and promote teaching and pedagogical research strategies and to provide students with an integrated, cohesive introduction to modern biology.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are important values in the Departments of Integrative Biology and Molecular and Cell Biology. Successful candidates will demonstrate a commitment to these values consistent with Berkeley's principles of community (see below).

The Departments of Integrative Biology and Molecular and Cell Biology are committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths or who have taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit: http://ofew.berkeley.edu/new-faculty

Department: https://ib.berkeley.edu/

Department: http://mcb.berkeley.edu/

PhD or EdD (or equivalent international degree) at the time of application.

Advanced degree in a relevant biological discipline or in education with an emphasis on biology.

Successful candidates will demonstrate excellence in teaching and potential for accomplishment in research in biology education. Considerations will include the candidate’s potential for pedagogical innovation, record in teaching at the undergraduate level, contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion, and potential for effective leadership. Consideration will also include professional service, including efforts to promote access to and diversity and inclusion in higher education and academic professions.

In IB, the ideal candidate will have an established record of expertise in one of the IB’s signature disciplines as well as a record of pedagogical innovation and commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

In MCB, the ideal candidate will have an established record of expertise in molecular and/or quantitative biology as well as a record of pedagogical innovation and commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

References will only be contacted for those candidates under serious consideration and we will seek your permission before doing so.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values at UC Berkeley. Our excellence can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and academic and non-academic staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates for our academic positions will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to advancing equity, inclusion, and belonging.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality (http://apo.berkeley.edu/ucb-confidentiality-policy) prior to submitting their letter.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. Please refer to Appendix F, Section II.C. of the policy for the deadlines applicable to new University of California employees. (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.) Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

Positions that are represented by a collective bargaining unit or agent have particular contracts. For more information, please refer to the relevant contract: Lecturer contract, Postdoctoral contract, Research Series contract, and Librarian contract. Questions about represented positions can be directed to the hiring unit.