Five-Year Astronomy Education Research Coordinator, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Germany

5-year Postdoctoral position in astronomy education research at the Office of Astronomy for Education

Haus der Astronomie / the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy will be hosting the Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE) of the International Astronomical Union. The OAE will support and coordinate astronomy
education by astronomy researchers and educators, aimed at primary or secondary schools, world-wide. The OAE will organize an international network of astronomy education stakeholders, organize groups of
scientists to collaborate on creating certain educational resources, facilitate and undertake systematic evaluation of existing resources, and work towards establishing international standards of quality control and evaluation in astronomy education.

Together with the international communities of astronomy researchers and educators, OAE is tasked with:
• bridging the gap between astronomy education research (AER) and education practice, by making the results of AER accessible to education practitioners
• developing high-quality astronomy education resources
• evaluating both specific resources and methods of teaching astronomy, encouraging and qualifying the wider astronomical community in evaluation techniques
• creating and supporting the creation of concept inventories that allow the evaluation of students learning about astronomy
• identifying best-practice resources and methods for teaching astronomy in general, and for specific aspects of teaching astronomy (e.g. observing with remote telescopes, working with authentic astronomical data, teaching specific sub-topics of astronomy, issues of accessibility and inclusion as well as of diversity).

The holder of this position will serve as the Astronomy Education Research Coordinator of the OAE, and in this position will contribute to those activities, in particular those that directly involve astronomy education or physics education research, and take responsibility for suitable projects and sub-projects.

Applicants should:
• have a PhD in astronomy education research (AER), physics education research (PER), or a PhD in a related subject area and equivalent qualifications in AER/PER
• have practical and, if possible, research experience in evaluating astronomy education resources, activities, and teaching methods • be thoroughly familiar with the accepted academic standards for evaluating education resources, activities, and teaching methods
• have experience in collaborating in an international academic environment; experiences with editing and publishing collaborative works are considered a plus

The position has a preferred starting date of April 1, 2020 and is limited until February, 28, 2025. The remuneration is based on the German collective wage agreement for the public sector (TVöD) depending
on qualification and experience in level E13. Social benefits are granted according to the regulations for public service. Interested candidates should send a curriculum vitae, publication list, a brief statement of research interests, and the contact information for no less than two senior scientists willing to provide a recommendation, no later than February 21, 2020.

The link to the online application portal can be found here:
https://www.mpg.de/14340628/postdochdaoae295

Physics Lecturer, University of Maine

Lecturer in Physics,
University of Maine
Department of Physics and Astronomy

URL with full ad and link to apply:
https://umaine.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=60825&job=lecturer-in-physics

Responsibilities include teaching primarily undergraduate laboratory sections in each of the Fall and Spring semesters, with an emphasis on introductory physics courses, as well as occasionally teaching introductory or advanced physics courses. There is an expectation of developing new laboratory activities and materials, collaborating with colleagues and using the results of physics education research as a guide. Mentoring and supervision of teaching assistants may also be included. Service to the department, college, and university is expected. This is a nine-month, academic-year appointment, with an anticipated start date of August 31, 2020. The successful candidate is encouraged to apply for external summer funding and/or seek opportunities to teach summer courses at UMaine.

About the University:

The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,200 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus and throughout the state. UMaine is the state land and sea grant university and maintains a leadership role as the System’s flagship university.  As a result, it is dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research, and service at the university, state, and national levels.

Further information about UMaine can be found at https://umaine.edu/

The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options. As a former NSF ADVANCE institution, the University of Maine is committed to diversity in our workforce and to dual-career couples.

UMaine is located in beautiful Central Maine. Many employees report that a primary reason for choosing to come to UMaine is quality of life.  Numerous cultural activities, excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, high quality medical care, little traffic, and a reasonable cost of living make the greater Bangor area a wonderful place to live.

Learn more about what the Bangor region has to offer at https://www.visitbangormaine.com/about-the-region/the-region-at-a-glance/

Qualifications:

Required:

* A master’s degree in physics or the equivalent.
* An established strong teaching record in an area of, or closely related to, undergraduate physics.
* Effective written and oral communication skills.
* Demonstrated ability to conduct laboratory instruction safely.
* Demonstrated ability to develop and teach laboratory activities using up-to-date pedagogical techniques.

Preferred:

* Experience in a supervisory or mentoring role.
* Demonstrated commitment to the success of students traditionally underrepresented in the field of physics.
* A record of successful performance in collaborative settings.
* Coursework in physics beyond the master’s level.

Other Information:

Materials must be submitted via "Apply For Position" link at https://umaine.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=60825&job=lecturer-in-physics.

You will need to create a profile and application; upload:

1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position as described above
2.) a resume/curriculum vitae
3.) contact information for three professional references
4.) statement of teaching philosophy and relevant teaching experience


Sponsorship for an H1b visa may not be available for this position.

Search Timeline is as follows:|

Review of applications to begin: February 21, 2020
Screening interviews to begin no earlier than: February 24, 2020
On-site interviews to begin no earlier than: March 5, 2020
Tentative start date: August 31, 2020

For questions about the search, please contact search committee chair Michael C. Wittmann at mwittmann@maine.edu or 207-581-1237.

Appropriate background checks are required.

The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Amie Parker, Interim Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME  04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).

Science Education Research Associate, University of Utah

Research Associate Position in Science Education in the Frey Research Group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Utah.

A research associate position is available in the Frey STEM Education Research group at the University of Utah in the Department of Chemistry. This position is a full-time, 12-month position, with the potential to extend 4 years, assuming excellent annual performance-based reviews. The research associate will work on several projects in the area of inclusive teaching-and-learning materials development and evaluation of student learning in STEM.

A key responsibility will be to join a team of researchers, practitioners, and faculty developers engaged in a multi-institutional NSF-funded grant with the goal of developing online and in-person programming that will improve current and future STEM faculty awareness of, confidence in, and ability to create inclusive learning environments. The team itself practices inclusive group processes and strives to be a social justice organization.

The primary responsibility of the research associate under this NSF grant is to conduct quantitative and qualitative research on the outcomes of participants engaged in the online and the in-person programming. This will entail extensive literature review, development and validation of instruments, and the implementation of instruments and subsequent data analysis. It will also entail developing protocols for and conducting focus groups, followed by thematic qualitative analysis. This work will be performed under the mentorship and supervision of a sub-group of expert education researchers that are part of the grant team.

A second major component of this position is to work as part of the Frey research group to design and implement evaluation studies on student learning in collaboration with STEM faculty and the Center for Science and Math Excellence (CSME) at the University of Utah. In addition, the research associate will be responsible for extracting, managing, and analyzing complex data sets from education research projects conducted in the Frey group, and will help graduate and undergraduate students learn and use the skills required for this type of qualitative and quantitative research in STEM education.

Required Qualifications

The successful applicant will have a PhD in a science field (biology, chemistry, physics, or psychology are preferred) and demonstrated experience in conducting DBER research. In addition, knowledge of and experience in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical. To be considered, applicants must be strongly committed to undergraduate STEM education and improving inclusion and equity in the STEM classroom. Applicants also must have the skills for and interest in working collaboratively with a wide range of people in higher education.

List of required qualifications:

·      PhD in a science field (biology, chemistry, physics, or psychology preferred)

·      Experience in chemistry/physics/biology education research or research on student learning

·      Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to coordinate and manage multiple simultaneous projects.

·      The ability to apply appropriate statistical techniques to a range of experimental, quasi-experimental and correlational research designs. Experience with applying general linear models, factor-analysis techniques, uni-variate and multi-variate techniques, and multi-level models to complex data sets is necessary.

·      A record of accomplishment in coordination and quality-control of large data sets and analyses of research data, with demonstrable knowledge of evaluative research methods, and strong command of statistical analysis and statistical software, such as R or SPSS.

·      The knowledge of the assumptions underlying the above techniques and the ability to correctly choose and apply the different techniques on social-science data.

·      Excellent data-management and organizational skills, including attention to detail and sensitivity to data quality.

·      Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to interact with research personnel at various levels (faculty, staff, and undergraduate and graduate students).

·      The ability to work both independently and collaboratively with the multi-institutional NSF-grant team, the Frey research group, CSME, and with faculty and staff from other academic departments and centers.

Application Information

Applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, including the names and email addresses of 3 or more references, and a statement of career goals. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. The salary is negotiable depending on relevant experience and qualifications. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. University of Utah is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer.

Email application material to Regina Frey (Ron and Eileen Ragsdale Endowed Chair in Chemical Education and professor of chemistry, University of Utah) at gina.frey@utah.edu

PER/Diversity Postdoc, University of Utah

University of Utah

Department of Physics & Astronomy

Postdoctoral Research Associate in
Physics Education Research- Diversity and Inclusion/Graduate Education

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Utah seeks to hire a post-doctoral research associate in the field of physics education research (PER) specialized in diversity and inclusion research at the graduate level. The successful candidate will work as part of a team leading research on graduate education in physics and astronomy. This will include conducting a climate survey, interviews, policy analysis, and further ethnographic work at the University of Utah. This position is a one-year contract with an additional one-year renewal depending on performance. Further renewals will be dependent on performance and funding. The position is open until filled with a negotiable starting date.

Post-Doctoral Salary: $50,000 +benefits (including healthcare and retirement)

Required Skills:

-Can independently lead research

-Strong interpersonal skills

-Strong writing skills as demonstrated by peer reviewed publications or drafts

-Desire to learn grant writing, presentation design/style

-Strong research ethics and dedication to high quality work and analysis

-Attention to detail

-Autonomous, goal driven, and meets deadlines

-Survey design and statistical analysis or strong desire to learn

Preferred Skills (required for Research Associate):

            -Qualitative interviewing and coding skills

            -Successful grant writing

            -Experience presenting at national conferences and universities

            -Peer-reviewed publications

            -Teaching or interest in large introductory physics courses

If you are interested in applying, send your letter of interest specifying your relevant skills, vita, list of publications and arrange to have two letters of recommendation sent to the email address listed here. For information about the research group (PERU), please go to www.PERUtah.com or contact PER@Physics.Utah.edu. Applications and letters of recommendation should be submitted via email to: Ramon.S.Barthelemy@Utah.edu

The University of Utah is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, national origin, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, status as a person with a disability, genetic information, or Protected Veteran status. Individuals from historically underrepresented groups, such as minorities, women, qualified persons with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities. To inquire about the University’s nondiscrimination or affirmative action policies or to request disability accommodation, please contact: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 201 S. Presidents Circle, Rm 135, (801) 581-8365.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students from diverse backgrounds, and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education for historically underrepresented students.