Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Position Information

Description & Details:

The Department- The Department of Biological Sciences has 18 tenured/tenure-track faculty members and 4 teaching faculty. There are approximately 450 undergraduate and 50 graduate students enrolled in its programs. Undergraduate degrees are offered in biological sciences and biological sciences education. The department offers BA/BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees, and participates in several interdisciplinary graduate programs: Discipline-based Education Research (DBER), Cellular and Molecular Biology, Environment and Conservation Sciences, Genomics and Bioinformatics, and Natural Resource Management. Research in the department is clustered into three main focal areas: developmental and regulatory biology; ecology, evolutionary, and conservation biology; and biology education. See https://www.ndsu.edu/biology/

The University- From the first 30 students in 1890 to about 12,000 enrolled today, NDSU is a student-focused, land-grant, research university. Combined with a strong commitment to student success and the advancement of research in all disciplines, NDSU offers a dynamic environment for students to participate in improving themselves and the world around them. As a land-grant university, NDSU provides cultural and educational outreach to the residents of the state, region and beyond. NDSU is classified as a very high research university by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, placing it in the nation's top private and public universities. NDSU is the first and only institution in North Dakota to receive the prestigious categorization.

The Community- Fargo combines the safety and friendliness of a small town with the cultural offerings of a large city. With a metro-area population of nearly 200,000, Fargo-Moorhead is the largest community between Minneapolis and Seattle. The city consistently appears on national lists of the best places to live and is noted for its safety, health care, recreation, job opportunities and economic development. The community offers museums, movie theaters, shopping, concerts, and sporting events. Bus service both around campus and in the community is free for NDSU students. An international airport and a commercial bus line serve Fargo-Moorhead. Residents enjoy North Dakota's four seasons, which allow for a wide variety of outdoor activities, from ice fishing and cross-country skiing in the winter to golfing, boating and outdoor live music events in the summer. Fargo Moorhead has 175 public parks covering more than 3,000 acres. The parks offer nearly 100 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and running, plus facilities for baseball, softball, swimming, tennis, and hockey.

Position Description- The Department of Biological Sciences at North Dakota State University has a 12-month, multi-faceted postdoctoral fellowship. The post-doc will (1) act as the coordinator of the recently funded NSF CHANGE program (www.ndsu.edu/researchgroups/change), (2) develop an independent research line in Biology Education, and (3) teach undergraduate biology courses in a mentored co-teaching setting. The successful candidate will collaborate with project leadership to create and implement the CHANGE program, which is focused on facilitating research opportunities for recent college graduates underrepresented in the STEM workforce. Specific duties include designing and implementing mentor training workshops, recruiting CHANGE participants, coordinating program evaluation, and leading the day-to-day operations of the program. In addition, the fellow will work with NDSU's Discipline-Based Education Research Community to develop an independent research line focused on undergraduate STEM Education (see www.ndsu.edu/dber for more information). The fellow will also partner with faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences for mentored teaching experiences (approximately 2 per year). The ideal starting date of the position is January 1, 2023, but is negotiable. Salary will begin at $50,000 per year and includes fully funded health insurance and generous retirement contributions. Support is for two years with potential for renewal.

Minimum Qualifications:

Candidates must have: 1) completed a Ph.D. from an accredited institution in a discipline appropriate to the biological sciences; 2) effective oral and written communication skills; 3) interest in research in teaching and learning at the undergraduate level; 4) evidence of peer-reviewed publications; and 5) ability to interact and collaborate effectively with a diversity of colleagues and students.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated ability in any of the following: 1) experience in program management; 2) demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in STEM; 3) collecting and analyzing qualitative data; 4) experience mentoring undergraduate students in independent research; 5) experience applying for grant funding.

Applicant Materials Required:

Applicants must submit a cover letter that addresses the minimum and preferred qualifications (no more than 3 pages); a curriculum vitae; and contact information (including telephone numbers and e-mail addresses) for three professional references. All application materials must be submitted online at: http://www.ndsu.edu/biology/

Review of applications will begin 15 November 2022 and continue until the position is filled.

Questions regarding the search may be sent to Jenni Momsen via

ndsu.biological.sciences@ndsu.edu

See also: www.ndsu.edu/researchgroups/change and www.ndsu.edu/dber

Benefits:

NDSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes single or family health insurance coverage with premiums paid for by the university - with an effective date for new employees the first of the month following date of hire. Other benefits include, wellness benefits, basic life insurance, retirement plan, tuition waiver, annual leave, EAP, sick leave and holiday pay. Optional benefits include supplemental life, dental, vision, long-term care insurance, flexible spending account, and supplemental retirement plans.

About Us:

North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student focused, land-grant, research university. Our main campus is located in Fargo, ND with Extension Service and Research Experiment Station locations across the state.

NDSU is the best college in ND, according to Money Magazine (September 2018). NDSU was named a 2019 Best Value College by Forbes. Fargo made Livability.com's top 10 list of cities to find a job and ranked at #11 for best places to live overall.

No Smoking Notice :

As an employer, the State of North Dakota prohibits smoking in all places of state employment in accordance with N.D.C.C. § 23-12-10.

EO/AA Statement:

North Dakota State University is an Equal Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, participation in lawful off-campus activity, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, spousal relationship to current employee, or veteran status, as applicable.

Veteran's Preference Notice:

This position is subject to North Dakota Veteran's Preference requirements.

Reasonable Accommodation Information

North Dakota State University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, please contact Human Resources at 701-231-8961 or ndsu.hr@ndsu.edu .

Land Acknowledgement

We collectively acknowledge that NDSU, a land grant institution, on the traditional lands of the Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda) and Anishinaabe Peoples in addition to many diverse Indigenous Peoples still connected to these lands. We honor with gratitude Mother Earth and the Indigenous Peoples who have walked with her throughout generations. We will continue to learn how to live in unity with Mother Earth and build strong, mutually beneficial, trusting relationships with Indigenous Peoples of our region. (see www.ndsu.edu/inclusioncouncil/native_american_initiatives/ ).