Head of Public Engagement, APS, College Park MD

https://www.aps.org/about/jobs/head-public.cfm

Head of Public Engagement

The Head of Public Engagement sets the direction for APS public engagement programs in consultation with the Director of Education and Diversity and key APS leaders. This position leads public engagement programs, engages key stakeholders, and works synergistically with other program areas.

Responsibilities

Leads public engagement programs

• Develops and advances high impact public engagement programs that embody APS priorities, in consultation with the department director and key APS leaders.
• Maintains deep knowledge of peer-reviewed literature, reports and other publications to inform program development.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of public engagement programs using best practices and makes changes informed by evaluation results.
• Writes proposals to fund public engagement programs and helps identify potential funding sources.
• Leads the public engagement team to implement programs and assumes primary responsibility for the success of public engagement initiatives.

Engages key stakeholders to help define and advance outreach priorities

• Serves as a liaison to the Committee on Informing the Public (CIP) and engages members in actively shaping and implementing the APS public engagement agenda.
• Serves as a liaison to the Forum on Outreach and Engaging the Public (FOEP) and other APS units interested in outreach, and seeks to engage executive committees in working collaboratively toward common goals.
• Builds and maintains relationships with public engagement leaders in the science community and other organizations to understand trends, challenges, best practices, and opportunities.

Works synergistically with other APS program areas and relevant departments

• Collaborates with Education, Diversity, Careers, International Affairs and the Office of Governmental Affairs in areas of common interest, leveraging the expertise of other program areas to enhance public engagement initiatives and vice versa.
• Works closely with Communications to effectively reach target audiences.

Qualifications

Education: Ph.D. (preferred) or MS in physics or closely related field is required. Additionally, a background in science education and/or science communication is desired.

Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Five years of experience leading outreach programs or equivalent is required. Experience with proposal writing and project management is required. Supervisory experience is preferred.
• Possess a deep knowledge of public engagement, including effective practices and peer-reviewed literature.
• Strong, polished interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to handle several complex projects simultaneously, possess excellent organizational skills, and meet deadlines.
• Proactively identify and respond to needs, and exercise sound judgment.
• Computer skills and high level of proficiency in standard office software are essential.
• Customer service orientation desired, including ability to resolve conflicts constructively, and to empathize and understand perspectives and widely varying backgrounds of others.
• Demonstrate willingness and ability to work as a team player.
• Able to travel several times per year.
• Able to manage up, manage down, and manage across effectively.
• Demonstrate a collaborative style to engage committee members and membership units in advancing outreach objectives, and partner effectively with APS staff in synergistic areas.
• Build and maintain good relationships with key stakeholders in the public engagement community.
• Able to gather strategic input and use results of strategic analyses to identify new directions and refine existing programs, in consultation with the department director and key APS leaders. 
• Competence in managing grants, proposal writing and budgetary management practices is required.
• Understand and employ principles of project management and program evaluation.
• Ability to allocate resources, delegate work, motivate people and resolve conflicts.
• Sensitive to the reactions of others and offer appropriate responses, so they feel their perspectives are heard and taken into account.

To apply, send cover letter with salary requirement, resume, and a list of professional references to the attention of APS Human Resources via e-mail: personnel@aps.org

Head of Education, APS, College Park MD

https://www.aps.org/about/jobs/head-education.cfm

The Head of Education sets the direction for the APS education programs area in consultation with the Director of Education and Diversity and key APS leaders. This position leads education programs, engages key stakeholders and works synergistically with other program areas. This position is based at the APS headquarters office located in College Park, MD (walking distance from the College Park Metro Station).

Responsibilities

Leads education programs

• Develops and advances high impact education programs that embody APS priorities, in consultation with the department director and key APS leaders
• Maintains deep knowledge of peer-reviewed literature, reports and other publications to inform program development
• Evaluates the effectiveness of education programs using best practices and makes changes informed by evaluation results
• Writes proposals to fund education programs and helps identify potential funding sources
• Leads staff teams to implement programs and assumes primary responsibility for the success of education initiatives

Engages key stakeholders to help define and advance education priorities

• Serves as a liaison to the Committee on Education (COE) and engages members in actively shaping and implementing the APS education agenda
• Serves as a liaison to the Forum on Education (FEd), the Topical Group on Education Research (GPER) and other APS units interested in education, and seeks to engage executive committees in working collaboratively toward common goals
• Builds and maintains relationships with education leaders in the physics community and other organizations to understand trends, challenges, best practices, and opportunities

Works synergistically with other APS program areas and relevant departments

• Collaborates with Public Engagement, Diversity, Careers, International Affairs and the Office of Governmental Affairs in areas of common interest, leveraging the expertise of other program areas to enhance public engagement initiatives and vice versa
• Works closely with Communications to effectively reach target audiences

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Education: Ph.D. (preferred) or M.S. in physics or closely related field is required, including physics education research and science education

Experience: Five years of experience leading education programs or equivalent is required. Experience with proposal writing and project management is required. Supervisory experience is preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

General: Needs to possess a deep knowledge of physics education, including effective practices and peer-reviewed literature. Strong, polished interpersonal, written and oral communication skills are necessary. Must have the ability to handle several complex projects simultaneously, possess excellent organizational skills, and meet deadlines. Must be able to proactively identify and respond to needs, and exercise judgment. Computer skills and high level of proficiency in standard office software are essential. Customer service orientation desired, including ability to resolve conflicts constructively, and to empathize and understand perspectives and widely varying backgrounds of others. Needs to demonstrate willingness and ability to work as a team player. Must be able to travel several times per year.

Leadership and Management: Must be able to manage up, manage down, and manage across effectively. Must demonstrate a collaborative style to engage committee members and membership units in advancing outreach objectives, and partner effectively with APS staff in synergistic areas. Needs to build and maintain good relationships with key stakeholders in the physics education community. Needs to be able to gather strategic input and use results of strategic analyses to identify new directions and refine existing programs, in consultation with the department director and key APS leaders. Must understand and employ principles of project management and program evaluation. Competence in managing grants, proposal writing and budgetary management practices is required.

Supervisory Skills: Must be able to set expectations, monitor and assess performance, and establish accountability. Needs to understand and apply basic supervisory principles involved in allocating resources, delegating work, motivating people and resolving conflicts. Needs to be sensitive to the reactions of others and offer appropriate responses, so they feel their perspectives are heard and taken into account.

To apply, send cover letter with salary requirement, resume, and a list of professional references to the attention of APS Human Resources via e-mail: personnel@aps.org

Learning Assistant (LA) Program Assistant Director and STEM Education Postdocs at FIU, Miami FL

Assistant Director of the Learning Assistant (LA) Program

Florida International University, Miami, Florida

Florida International University is a Carnegie R1 public research university with 54,000 students who mostly come from traditionally underrepresented groups. Located in Miami, Florida, FIU leverages the multinational and multilingual strength of our students to create an inclusive and equitable future. The STEM Transformation Institute mission is to promote active learning and supports more than 7,500 undergraduate STEM majors through a multidisciplinary collaboration across the university. Together we develop research-based education practices which effectively produce substantial increases in the number of well-prepared STEM professionals, including teachers, entering the workforce. The Learning Assistant Program is housed in the STEM Transformation institute and provides an institutional change mechanism that focuses on the implementation of evidence-based STEM instruction. The LA Program serves more than 10,000 students a semester and supports faculty across disciplines in STEM and beyond.

The LA Program has the following open positions (available to be filled immediately):

Assistant Director of the Learning Assistant Program will be involved in all aspects of the LA Program, working closely with undergraduate students, faculty and university administrators. Primary responsibilities include facilitating adoption of the LA model with new faculty and emergent disciplines, including working with faculty and departments to redesign courses to enable best practices in LA-supported courses. Other responsibilities may include program management, faculty development. teaching and/or assessment and research. This is a full time 12-month position, starting as a 1-year postdoctoral fellowship with a path to a permanent position with the LA program.  Required background includes:

• A doctorate in science, mathematics, engineering or science/mathematics/engineering education;
• Minimum 3-years academic experience in teaching and/or managing programs directly related to course transformation and/or implementation of evidence-based STEM Instruction.

• Very strong oral and written communication skills.

Additionally, preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate:

• Experience in faculty development and/or supporting implementation of active learning/student-centered pedagogies.
• Knowledge of recent advances in science, mathematics and/or engineering teaching and learning and/or discipline-based education research (DBER);
• Experience working in highly collaborative environments.

Postdoctoral scholars who are interested in STEM education research, institutional change and Learning Assistants (LAs). Based upon their interest, fellows will be involved in program management, faculty development and/or assessment and research. This fellowship provides an excellent exposure to Higher Ed practices and management as well as to faculty development. When applying, please mention one or more of the categories of interest: (1) Faculty development; (2) Higher Education Management; (3) Research and Assessment of active learning classrooms.

How to Apply: Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply to Job Opening ID 517353 at facultycareers.fiu.edu, and attach a cover letter and curriculum vitae as a single pdf file. Candidates will be requested to provide names and contact information for at least three references. Candidates may explore stem.fiu.edu for more information and may contact Program Director, Dr. Hagit Kornreich-Leshem, directly at hkornrei@fiu.edu or email stemti@fiu.edu with any inquiries. Applications will be reviewed until position is filled.

FIU is a member of the State University System of Florida and an Equal Opportunity, Equal Access Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Two VAPs, Georgia State GA

Full-time Visiting Lecturer Positions at Georgia State University

Georgia State University Department of Physics and Astronomy seeks to fill two limited-term, full-time, non-tenure track positions to teach introductory physics and/or astronomy courses beginning Fall 2019.  The initial appointment is for one year but may be renewed for one additional year.  A Ph.D. in Physics or related discipline is required by August 2019. The department seeks individuals with a commitment to quality undergraduate education and effective teaching. Preference will be given to those with appropriate teaching experience and knowledge of best practices in physics education.  

Send letter of application, CV, three letters of recommendation, official transcript, and statement of teaching philosophy to: Dr. Brian Thoms, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5060, Atlanta, GA 30302-5060 or by e-mail to bthoms@gsu.edu.  Position will remain open until filled.  

Georgia State University, located in downtown Atlanta, is a majority-minority institution serving a very diverse student body. The Department of Physics & Astronomy is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and strongly encourages applications from individuals in under-represented groups. An offer of employment is conditional upon background verification. Georgia State University is an AA/EEOinstitution.

PER Faculty Search at Michigan State [Advance Notice]

Michigan State University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy anticipates hiring a PER faculty member to start in the Fall of 2020. Details and application instructions are forthcoming. For questions, please email Danny Caballero (caballero@pa.msu.edu), Katie Hinko (hinko@msu.edu) and/or Vashti Sawtelle (vashtis@msu.edu). 

Postdoc at Michigan State

Research Associate-Fixed Term

Position Summary

An interdisciplinary research team at Michigan State University is
seeking up to two candidates to fill one-year, 12-month (with additional years contingent on performance) Research Associate positions for research in STEM education. We are a team of Discipline-Based Education Researchers (DBER) from Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Engineering, and Education. For four years, funded by the Association of American Universities (AAU), we worked with MSU faculty to change the focus of our gateway science courses to scientific practices and disciplinary core ideas (Cooper et al.,2015; Laverty et al.,2016; Matz et al.,2018.)

Our initial efforts have centered on the extent to which teaching
practices and assessments have changed over time and the factors that act as levers and barriers.

Now with funding from NSF,we have been expanding this project to include courses beyond introductory sequences, as well as three partner institutions (Grand Valley State University, Florida International University, and Kansas
State University). The selected Research Associate will participate in this project in collaboration with faculty from these institutions and MSU faculty from the College of Natural Science, Lyman Briggs College, and College of Education. Our research team members have strong postdoctoral researcher mentoring histories and excellent placement records for our researchers.

The successful candidate for this position will analyze data generated from faculty in a fellowship about STEM education, and conduct research on student learning related to scientific practices and disciplinary core ideas.

The targeted start date is flexible between June 1 and August 31, 2019.

Required Degree

Doctorate -chemistry/physics/biology education

Minimum Requirements

The applicant should have completed (or anticipate completion of) a doctoral degree in chemistry/chemistry education, physics/physics education, biology/biology education, or higher education, with some demonstrated experience in DBER. Applicants should have a strong commitment to  undergraduate STEM education and interest in working with a leading group of interdisciplinary STEM education researchers.

The successful candidate will have experience with a mix of some
set of the following areas, enabling the Research Associate to make unique contributions to the research team:

-   research on institutional change

-   assessment of student learning

-   assessment of student affect

-   observation protocol development and use

-   qualitative research methods

-   quantitative research methods

-   mentoring undergraduate researchers

-   presenting and publishing research findings

Excellent writing and organizational skills are required, and the successful candidate will be expected to participate in the mentoring of graduate and undergraduate research assistants. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Required Application Materials

A complete application package will consist of:

-   Cover letter

-   Curriculum vitae

-   Transcripts

-   Two samples of scholarly writing

-   Names and email addresses of three references

Special Instructions

Contact Melanie Cooper (Chemistry, mmc@msu.edu), Danny Caballero
(Physics, caball14@msu.edu), Diane Ebert-May (Biology,
ebertmay@msu.edu), Cori Fata-Hartley (Biology, fatahart@msu.edu), or
Becky Matz (Chemistry, matz@msu.edu) about your interest or possible
candidates.

**Review of Applications Begins On**

04/16/2019 and will continue until the positions are filled

To Apply

Go to careers.msu.edu and search for position 567153

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

TWO NTTs at University of Cincinnati (#37202)

The Department of Physics within the University of Cincinnati’s College of Arts & Sciences seeks candidates for Assistant Professor-Educator to start August 15, 2019.  The Department of Physics has more than one hundred undergraduate majors in Physics and Astrophysics and teaches
introductory physics every year to several thousand students from other disciplines.  A research
capstone project is required for an undergraduate degree in Physics.  The primary responsibilities of
this position will be teaching the introductory physics lecture courses, but the candidate is also
expected to engage with our undergraduate major laboratories and undergraduate research
capstones.

The Department of Physics seeks dynamic and motivated individuals to join our drive to engage
students and maximize learning in our classrooms.  We particularly seek candidates who have a
strong interest in using research-based and active learning approaches, are willing to evaluate new
models of instruction, and are able to contribute to the Physics Education Research activities of the
department.  Such activities include development of assessments, collection and analysis of data on
student learning, and presentation of results within the department and at conferences.

This is a non-tenure-track nine-month appointment with an initial contract for three years;
reappointments based upon performance reviews.

Minimum Qualifications: Candidates must have a Doctorate in Physics in an experimental area. Prior
teaching and/or undergraduate research mentoring at the college or university level is expected.
Application Process

Interested and qualified candidates must complete our online application at https://jobs.uc.edu
(Search for requisition #37202).  In addition to the online application, candidates must include

(1) a cover letter which briefly describes prior teaching and undergraduate research mentoring
experiences,
(2) a current cv or resume, and
(3) a statement of teaching philosophy regarding use of research-based and active learning approaches.  Applicants should separately arrange to have three letters of reference sent electronically, preferably in PDF format, to physdept@ucmail.uc.edu. Only submissions made through the online application system will be accepted.

Review of applications begins April 25, 2019 and continues until position is filled.  Start date is
August 15, 2019.

TWO NTTs at University of Cincinnati (#37019)

The Department of Physics within the University of Cincinnati’s College of Arts & Sciences seeks
candidates for an Assistant Professor-Educator position to start August 15, 2019.
The primary responsibilities will be teaching the introductory physics lecture courses, some of which may include the lab course or be in an online format and may involve training teaching assistants. This is a non- tenure-track position with continuing reappointments based upon performance reviews.

The Department of Physics seeks dynamic and motivated individuals to join our drive to engage
students and maximize learning in our classrooms.  We particularly seek candidates who have a
strong interest in using research-based and active learning approaches, are willing to evaluate new
models of instruction and embrace online learning, and are able to contribute to the Physics
Education Research activities of the department.  Such activities include development of
assessments, collection and analysis of data on student learning, and presentation of results within
the department and at conferences.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Candidates must have a Doctorate in Physics or a closely related
field, or a Doctorate in Science Education with a Master’s degree in Physics.

Application Process
Interested and qualified applicants must apply using our online application process
at https://jobs.uc.edu (Search for requisition #37019). In addition to the online application, required
parts of the application process include
(1) a cover letter which briefly describes prior teaching experiences,
(2) a current resume or cv, and
(3) a statement of teaching philosophy regarding use of research-based and active learning approaches.

Please use the additional documents feature to attach all of the required documents.  Applicants should separately arrange to have three letters of reference sent electronically, preferably in PDF format, to physdept@ucmail.uc.edu.

Review of applications will begin April 25, 2019 and continue until position is filled.  Start date is
August 15, 2019.

Full-Time Physics Faculty, Tenure Track, Whatcom CC, WA

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/whatcomcc/jobs/2375213/full-time-physics-faculty-tenure-track

Description

Whatcom Community College invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track physics instructor beginning Fall Quarter 2019.  The College is seeking a dynamic individual interested in developing and engaging students through the use and implementation of innovative and inclusive curriculum and teaching methods, including the application of technology, both inside and outside the classroom. The College seeks faculty who have the ability to work effectively and collaboratively with students, colleagues, staff, and others in a campus climate that promotes cultural diversity and global understanding.  College faculty teach an equivalent of 15 credits per quarter and contribute to the College through committee service and program leadership and development.

Being a faculty member at Whatcom offers the opportunity to engage in the advancement of equitable student outcomes and the elimination of equity gaps. Faculty have regular opportunities for on-campus professional development, collaboration with colleagues, and engagement in workshops and learning communities. These opportunities contribute to professional advancement at the College, as well as personal growth. This position supports all four of the College's four core themes – achieving success, building community, advancing equity, and enhancing effectiveness.

Job Responsibilities

The physics department prepares students for the physical sciences transfer or workforce. The successful applicant is expected:

• to teach all levels of physics, physical science and astronomy courses offered at Whatcom, which may include evening courses;
• to update, revise and maintain curriculum to the highest standards in the field; 
• to collaborate with college faculty and administrators in contributing to the future vision and scope of physics and other STEM program at the college;
• to remain current in the field and adapt courses to meet changing job skills, research developments, and qualification requirements;
• to successfully foster and support an inclusive educational and employment environment.
• to develop and maintain contacts and knowledge of companies and organizations in the community;
• to identify and contribute to activities that promote student development such as student clubs and/or other student volunteer activities; and
• to perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Salary and Appointment

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Master's degree in physics or related field, with a strong undergraduate physics background.  Creative combinations or professional pathways to physics teaching are welcome.
• Evidence of experience teaching, tutoring, or supporting student learning with an equity-minded focus, responsiveness, and sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, including those with physical or learning disabilities as it relates to differences in learning styles.
• Evidence of strong interest in undergraduate science curriculum that involves student-centered inquiry and development of conceptual understanding for both science majors and general studies students.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• The ability to lead efforts to increase student success in the sciences, closing achievement gaps between demographic groups, remediation needs, cultural, economic, physical and health challenges, and students with general science anxiety including teaching a productive academic mindset that shows students they are capable of learning with practice and effort
• Experience instructing and assisting in the growth and success of a diverse population of students through careful preparation of course materials, incorporating pedagogies that support effective teaching methodologies for all students and informed critical feedback on assignments and discussions with the intent to remodel, or create new laboratory and curricular materials.
• Experience with culturally relevant course content, culturally responsive pedagogical techniques, and effective practices for engaging students who are diverse and/or are students who are historically underserved. The ideal candidate should have experience in this area with African American, Latinx, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and other disproportionately impacted students.
• Experience working with grants, contracts, or other alternative project funding opportunities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and communication abilities with students and colleagues.
• Knowledge and understanding of Universal Design for Learning and accessibility; and experience using a learning management system, preferably Canvas.
• Bilingual      

 The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Cultural competence and a commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Content knowledge in the program or discipline.
• A commitment to student centered, activity based and inclusive pedagogy.
• A commitment to WCC's vision as "an innovative college, engaged with our diverse and changing communities".

Salary and Appointment: 

• Current Master's degree salary begins at $52,371 (additional degrees and experience increase rate); 174 day annual contract.

 Benefits Package:

• The position comes with a full benefits package, including health, dental, life, long-term disability insurance and a retirement plan. 

Additionally, as a Washington State, public higher education institution, WCC offers the following:

• Whatcom Community College is a qualified employer for the PSLF program. If you work for the College full time, have had Direct Loans and are on an eligible repayment plan, you are eligible to apply.
• Full-time employees are eligible to apply and participate in the Whatcom Community College Employee Tuition Program, which provides a tuition waiver for available and eligible WCC courses.

 Start Date:

• Fall Quarter, 2019.

Application Due Date:

• For guaranteed consideration, application packets should be received by Friday, April 19th, 2019 at 4:59 pm. Position open until filled.

Special Instructions to Applicant

A completed application consists of an online application and:

• Letter of application detailing relevant experience and how the applicant is prepared to meet the duties of the position.
• Diversity statement that responds to the following question (1 page max).

*Whatcom Community College has a strategic plan core theme to advance equity. Describe ways in which you have actively engaged and demonstrated a commitment to promoting the success of diverse students or employees.

• Current resume.
• Unofficial Transcripts for all earned degrees; official transcripts required prior to the official start date.
• List of five recent professional references with contact information.

Engineering Education Postdoc, Cornell

Applications are invited for a post‐doctoral researcher in engineering education in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University. The successfulcandidate will take a leading role in the redesign and evaluation of two required junior‐level mechanical engineering classes, supported by a Cornell University Active Learning Initiativegrant.

Job description:

The successful candidate will take a leading role in the redesign and evaluation of two required mechanical engineering courses, most likely in the solid mechanics area. The postdoc willwork with a group of faculty and postdocs, including the course instructors, to develop and document course materials emphasizing active and inductive learning and real‐lifeapplications. Additional duties include developing and implementing metrics for the learning objectives of each class, and using those metrics to determine the efficacy of the courseinterventions.

Opportunities for teaching may also be available. This position is part of a Cornell‐wide initiative to shift the undergraduate curriculum toward active learning approaches; the wide range of participating departments is summarized here: http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/02/activelearning‐initiative‐funds‐nine‐projects The postdocs will have the opportunity to engage with the Center for Teaching Innovation and participate in weekly seminars with other Active Learning Initiative postdocs to receive training and support in designing and implementing research‐based teaching strategies. We expect the course redesign project to lead to archival publications in the Engineering Education literature.

Logistics:

Employer: Cornell University Location: Ithaca, NY

Start date: June 1, 2019

Length of appointment: 2 years

Time commitment: full time, but will consider part‐time appointments.

Required qualifications:

• Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, engineering education research, or a closely related field.

Preferred qualifications include some combination of the following:

• Experience with relevant literature and education research methods
• Strong background in solid mechanics
• Ability to work collaboratively with multiple faculty members and postdocs, adapting to diverse views and approaches
• Ability to work independently
• Project leadership, time management, communication, and writing skills
• Experience with curriculum development, teaching assistant training, or faculty development
• Enthusiasm for learning new things (Because this project will involve integrating and applying many different research areas, an ability to grow is even more valuable than extensive experience in any one of the above areas.)

To apply:

Submit a CV, cover letter, a brief teaching and research statement emphasizing relevant background and/or interest in engineering education research, and the names and email contacts of three professional references to Prof. Elizabeth Fisher at emf4@cornell.edu.  Evaluation of applications will start on March 15, 2019.

Please also contact Prof. Fisher with any questions.

Diversity and inclusion are a part of Cornell University's heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities.

PER Postdoc, Cornell

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral researcher in the Physics Department at Cornell University. The successful candidate will participate in the redesign and evaluation of the introductory physics labs supported by a Cornell University Active Learning Initiative grant held by the physics department.

Job description:
The successful candidate will take a leading role in the implementation and evaluation of the new physics labs for two introductory calculus-based course sequences (engineering and honors, 6 courses total). Four courses have already been implemented, so the focus in the third year will be on the final implementations and long-term sustainability (TA training, documentation, etc.). They will also work with Dr. Holmes and student researchers to assess the program through analysis of surveys and other assessments, interviews, focus groups, and in-lab observations.

Discipline-based education research is growing at Cornell, with faculty and collaborators in physics,
biology, and other STEM fields, as well as a number of new teaching postdocs, graduate and
undergraduate students. The successful candidate will have an opportunity to mentor and work with
many individuals, including collaborating with other teaching postdocs with Active Learning Initiative programs across campus.

Logistics:
Employer: Cornell University
Location: Ithaca, NY – possibility for remote work that would involve extensive visits to Ithaca
Start date: Spring 2019.
Time commitment: Prefer full-time, but will be flexible for the right candidate.
Length of appointment: One year.
Preferred qualifications include any of the following:
• Ph.D. in physics education research, physics or astronomy, or closely related field
• Experience with relevant literature and education research methods: expertise in qualitative or
quantitative research methods would be relevant
• Ability and desire to work collaboratively, mentor graduate and undergraduate students, and to
also work independently
• Project leadership, time management, communication, and writing skills
• Experience with curriculum development, teaching assistant training, or faculty development
• Enthusiasm to learn new methods, bodies of literature, etc.

To apply:
Submit a CV, cover letter, and a brief teaching/research statement including relevant background and
experiences in lab development, TA training, or PER generally, as well as the names and email or phone
contacts of three professional references to Dr. Natasha Holmes at ngholmes@cornell.edu.
Please also contact Dr. Holmes with any questions.
Diversity and inclusion are a part of Cornell University's heritage. We are a recognized employer and
educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities.

Part-time (or short term) PER postdoc position at the University of Colorado

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Physics Education in the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU). The postdoc will work on a project titled “Quantum Education and Workforce Development.”  This project aims to answer the question: what skills, knowledge, and competencies do academic/government researchers and industrial partners want for quantum careers at the BS/MS/PhD level? This project will use interviews with academic and government lab researchers and quantum industries to answer this question.

The results from this study will be published for wide dissemination, as well as will inform a multi-college Quantum Education Task-force at the University of Colorado, which will create an implementation and assessment plan to make the new quantum workforce and education programs a reality.

The project is run jointly by Heather Lewandowski at the University of Colorado and Ben Zwickl at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The successful candidate may work remotely on the project or be located at CU. The total time for the project is the equivalent of eight months at full time work. This can be spread out over up to a year.

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in physics, physics education research, or closely related field. Prior experience with quantum physics research or physics education research is preferred but not required.

To apply for the position please send the following materials to lewandoh@colorado.edu.

1. Cover letter that addresses the required and preferred qualifications described above, describes the applicant’s interest in joining the project, states the desired location and duration of work, and answers the following questions:

1.A) How do your previous experiences prepare you to work cooperatively and productively with colleagues and supervisors?

1.B) In this postdoctoral research position, you will gain significant skills in physics education research. How do you envision those skills will be useful to you later in your career?

1.C) If you prefer to work remotely rather than at CU, please describe any experiences which demonstrate effective collaboration and productivity in a remote working context.

2. CV with references listed.

The University of Colorado is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a diverse workforce. We encourage applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans. Alternative formats of this ad can be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities by contacting the ADA Coordinator at hr-ada@colorado.edu.

PER Research Associate, MIT [UPDATE: position filled]

Research Associate MIT: Physics Education Research

RELATE.MIT.edu group, Dave Pritchard
The REsearch on Learning Assessing and Tutoring Effectively group is studying and improving learning in demonstrable ways. Central to this is assessment: help create/improve our (not yet) complete set of research-based week by week topical quizzes and an assessment of reasoning skills for mechanics. Our goal is to provide students and teachers formative/summative assessments with resolution down to the sub-topic level, as well as evaluations of higher level skills.  This involves identifying and improving existing problems as well as authoring new ones, while always analyzing their performance and (hopefully) demonstrating their superiority over traditional hand-graded problems. The major responsibility of the research associate will be to collect and augment assessments, and ideas from the research literature, write new questions, and help understand the data.  We are also analyzing a large (17k) data set on the FCI emphasizing the diagnosis of specific student shortcomings on the pretest by mining information from the incorrect responses – ultimately to guide instruction.
This postdoc will include curating resources, performing experimental/control group experiments to research which instructional resources teach which topics & learning objectives best, and especially the characteristics of expertise.  RELATE has expertise in educational data mining, psychometrics including multi-dimensional item response theory, and experience in designing online experiments. (see http://RELATE.mit.edu)  Our postdocs generally participate in the physics department’s teaching and online education.

Requisite Knowledge and Skills:

Knowledge of Physics (esp. mechanics and E&M) and education research literature
Programming ability with Python and Statistics/data analysis skills, r
Teaching experience in introductory physics
Writing novel and clear questions and research articles

A Ph.D or Ed.D in physics or science education research, statistics and data mining, or cognitive science etc. is desired, but a physics BS with following teaching experience is OK.  Applicant must be comfortable working both alone and with others.  All former RELATE alumni have obtained positions in academia or education companies. Inquiries and applications (CV, cover letter, and list of at least three references) should be sent to relateMIT@gmail.com (please include “postdoc application” in subject line). Review of applications will begin immediately; starting date June to late Fall 2019.

MIT is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. For more information check http://web.mit.edu/physics/about/employment.html and http://relate.mit.edu/jobs.html .
Prof. David E. Pritchard  dpritch@mit.edu
Room 26-241 Dept. of Physics, MIT
77 Massachusetts Ave. , Cambridge, MA 02139.