PhysPort.org, formerly the PER User's Guide, seeks applicants for a postdoctoral position as part of the DEAR-Faculty project, which is developing a Data Explorer and Assessment Resources for Physics faculty. As a post-doc, you will conduct research and write articles for PhysPort around the topic of assessment in physics departments. Your research may include interviewing physics faculty, analyzing assessment data from diverse institutions, and/or preparing papers for publication. You will work closely with Sam McKagan (PhysPort Director, American Association of Physics Teachers), Ellie Sayre (PhysPort Research Arm, Kansas State University) and a team of researchers at AAPT and Kansas State University. For more information about the project, see PhysPort.org or our project website.
This position is extremely flexible in terms of hours and location, accommodating part-time (50%-100% FTE, depending on your preferences) and distance postdocs. You may choose to live near Sam in Seattle, Washington, and be associated with the Seattle Pacific University PER group, or near Ellie in Manhattan, Kansas, and be associated with the Kansas State University PER group. You may also choose to work remotely.
We are passionate about the professional development of our postdocs. You will receive training on how to write papers for publication and for ordinary physics faculty, how to conduct interview-based research and usability testing, how to teach faculty about using assessment data to improve their teaching, and how to prepare grant proposals.
Minimum qualifications:
- Passion for improving the state of physics education at the university level
- Knowledge of PER, both curricula and current research
- Knowledge of the culture of physics in academic contexts
- Good writing and communication skills and a willingness to improve them
Preferred qualifications:
- PhD/EdD in PER or a related field in hand; ABD only with firm graduation date
- Successful research record and the ability to conduct independent research
- Some knowledge of statistics or programming at a basic level
- Some experience with interviewing
- Knowledge of research-based assessment methods
- Ability to communicate effectively with physics faculty
- Ability to work remotely with a diverse research team
- Available soon
We realize that no one person has all of these preferred qualifications; a successful candidate might have some of them. If you are interested in this position, we encourage you to apply, or at least contact us with questions.
If you have any questions about the project or the position, please contact Sam (smckagan@aapt.org) or Ellie (esayre@ksu.edu).
We prefer someone who is available starting by January, but can hire as early as next week or as late as summer. Applications are accepted until the position is filled; initial interviews are likely to be the first and second week of November.
To apply, please submit the following to Kim Coy, Project Technical Assistant, at kim@phys.ksu.edu:
- Cover letter, including:
- Your preferred FTE fraction (50% - 100%)
- Your preferred work location (Seattle, WA; Manhattan, KS; or elsewhere)
- Your preferred start date
- When you received or expect to receive your PhD or EdD.
- CV, including:
- List of publications
- Education and Research experience
- 1-2 page statement of research experience and interests, including:
- Your experience, knowledge, and interest in PER
- Description of your past research projects
- Your interest in research in general, and in the research involved in this position in particular
- Why you are a good fit for this position
- Contact information for three references
