Title Preceptor in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
School Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Department/Area Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Position Description

The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology is seeking a Preceptor to develop substantial new pedagogical approaches for the undergraduate courses OEB 10: Foundations of Biological Diversity (anticipated enrollment 100) offered in the Fall Term and OEB 55: Ecology (enrollment 40 students) offered in the Spring Term. During the semester, the Preceptor will also be responsible for the organization and supervision of laboratories and field trips for these courses. If reappointed in future years, the Preceptor may rotate into other OEB Spring Term courses (e.g., OEB 11, other 50-levels) to assist with redesign of lectures, lab, and/or field trip experiences.

Preceptor responsibilities fall into several broad classes:

Course design and development Assist faculty with setting pedagogical goals and substantial redesign of lectures, labs, and assignments to incorporate active learning approaches. Assist in evaluating student reviews of labs and course to assess whether pedagogical goals are being met.

Teaching staff management Recruit, train, and supervise teaching staff. Conduct demonstration laboratories for teaching staff. Maintain a relationship with the Bok Center to provide training for teaching staff.

Assignments and Grading Supervise student laboratory section sessions and reviews progress. Review grading issues not resolved by teaching staff.

Logistics Act as liaison between the instructional staff and laboratory support group. Review lab equipment needs and oversees purchasing and maintenance of core laboratory and field support components, ensuring maintenance of state-of-art teaching laboratory equipment. Manage course website. Prepare laboratory manuals and other handouts.

Basic Qualifications

Ph.D. in Biological Sciences. A strong commitment and background in undergraduate science education using modern pedagogical approaches. Leadership skills to assist in training teaching fellows and to manage relationships with up to 100 undergraduates. Experience working with individual undergraduates and with both bench-based and field-based science research. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills required, as well as demonstrated written and oral communication skills.

Additional Qualifications

Specialized per course:
Strong background in evolutionary and ecological principles, and a familiarity with plant, prokaryotic, and invertebrate and vertebrate biology and diversity.

The position is a twelve-month appointment, July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, with possibility of renewal for up to eight years.

Special Instructions

Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

1. Cover letter outlining your interests, teaching experience, and suitability for the position
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Names and contact information of 3 references.

Contact Information

Sarine Der Kaloustian 26 Oxford Street Cambridge MA 02138
sarine_derkaloustian@fas.harvard.edu

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.