Date: |
May, 2016 |
Reports to (Job Title): |
Undergraduate Laboratory Coordinator (laboratory courses); Associate Chair (lecture courses)
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Jobs Reporting (Job Titles): |
None |
Department: |
Chemistry |
Location: |
STC/QNC |
Grade: |
USG 11
35 hr/wk
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Primary Purpose
The Chemistry Instructor has sole responsibility for organizing and running laboratory-only courses and is responsible for lecturing one or more Chemistry lecture courses. Due to the hazardous nature of chemistry laboratories the Chemistry Instructor must be present during all laboratory periods and thus is responsible for the safety of the students and Teaching Assistants.
Key Accountabilities:
1. |
- In charge of organizing and creating assignments, laboratory manuals, marking schemes, midterms and finals for the laboratory and lecture courses and creating and testing of new laboratory experiments or modification to existing experiments.
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2. |
- Responsible for the content of the assigned laboratory and lecture courses in consultation with the Associate Chair of the Chemistry Department and in accordance to the guidelines defined by the Chemistry Department
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3. |
- In charge of the care and maintenance of safe laboratory environments, specifically, (i) by ensuring that both the Teaching Assistants and the students in the laboratory sections understand all safety aspects associated both with the chemicals that may be employed in the experiments and with the equipment in use in the laboratories, (ii) by the posting of relevant safety notices in the laboratories, and (iii) by the maintenance of the physical facilities, including permanent fixed equipment, scientific and teaching equipment, and apparatus, inventory control and ordering of replacements when required
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4. |
- Coaches and trains Teaching Assistants to provide them with direction, instruction and explanation regarding laboratory concepts, objectives, equipment, supervision of undergraduate students and grading of laboratory reports
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5. |
- In charge of creating, and management of web sites for all courses to which he/she is assigned, including all updating of information regarding TAs, quizzes, exams, tutorial content, and posting of grades
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6. |
- In charge of routine day-to-day operation of the laboratories during all three academic terms, including supply of materials and chemicals, safety precautions and housekeeping; this may include the testing of solutions and preparations to ensure that they function correctly in the specific experiments for which they are intended.
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Position Requirements
Education:
Ph.D. degree or minimally a M.Sc. degree
Experience:
The Instructor must have a Ph.D. in Chemistry or a M.Sc. degree in Chemistry, with a minimum of three years’ work experience in Chemistry or Chem Education.
Technical:
MS Word |
Excel |
PowerPoint |
Other |
Required
Knowledgeable
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Required
Knowledgeable
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Required
Knowledgeable
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Very Knowledgeable of software necessary to run laboratory equipment |
Nature and Scope
Interpersonal Skills:
Internal: Providing input into decisions regarding curriculum and course content. Collaborate with Chemistry Graduate Officer by aiding in the selection of TAs and recruitment of undergraduate Teaching Assistants.
External: Advisement and counseling to undergraduate students on subjects, such as course selection, scholarship information, research opportunities on campus, co-op opportunities, post-undergraduate education, and any personal issues that a student may disclose
Level of Responsibility:
No Direct supervision of other staff: The job has specialized work with minimal supervision and provides guidance to others.
Decision-Making Authority:
Evaluation of student performance through lab reports, quizzes, tests, assignments, and examinations in laboratory and lecture courses. Enforcement of laboratory rules and protocols and academic regulations, such as those imposed by UW Policy 71. Assigning Teaching Assistants to specific laboratory sections, their training and the direction of their weekly activities, their performance evaluations both midterm and at the end of each term, and via solicitation of feedback on problems encountered and potential problems that may occur in individual experiments. The Instructor is required to make decisions concerning laboratory experiments, chemicals and equipment. All problems are to be handled with minimal supervision and referred to the supervisor when there is possible danger to students and/or TAs or does not comply with the guidelines defined by the Chemistry Department.
Physical and Sensory Demands:
Requires exertion of physical effort resulting in moderate fatigue, strain due to lifting, carrying and/or handling of objects. Requires sensory effort resulting in slight fatigue due to concentrated and attentive use of one or more senses in writing and creating course content
Working Environment:
- Unavoidable exposure to dangerous situations and hazardous substances and environments. Unavoidable exposure to dangerous or unpleasant environmental elements such as chemicals. Disruption in lifestyle due to unusual hours:Due to the hazardous nature of chemistry laboratories the Instructor must be present during all laboratory periods. Space, scheduling and other factors may necessitate that Instructors work special schedules including for example, work in the evenings. The Instructor is expected to accomplish her/his duties by arranging hours of work to allow her/him to be present during scheduled laboratory hours. In particular, Instructors are responsible for closing each laboratory session. This may mean that the Instructor will have to work more than 7 hours on a given day; should this be necessary the Instructor may reduce the hours worked on another day during the week or may recoup the overtime during a term with a lighter course load.
- Other: Accountable for the inventory and ordering of all chemicals needed for the laboratories she/he is in charge of.
- Other: In charge of choosing appropriate reagents and chemicals for experiments that can be handled safely by students and Teaching Assistants.