General: The Department of Biology seeks applicants for a tenure-track position in cell biology. The successful candidate will hold a Ph.D. at the time of appointment. Post-doctoral experience is preferred but is not an absolute requirement. This position is to replace Professor Mary Lee Ledbetter, who plans to retire at the end of the 2009-2010 academic year.
Areas of Research/Teaching Specialization: The Biology Department wishes to hire a person with broad training in cell biology. We are open to a wide range of specialties within that field, and seek an individual who will complement existing areas of faculty expertise.
Undergraduate Research Program: A central requirement is that the applicant's research program must be able to involve undergraduate research students (typically 1 to 3 at a time) during the academic year. Involvement in the College's summer research program for undergraduates is also encouraged. Research facilities are excellent and the Department and College provide support for research that compares favorably with the best undergraduate and many graduate institutions.
BACK TO THE TOP
Teaching Expectations: Holy Cross has a "3/2" teaching load. Each academic year, a faculty member teaches three courses (or labs) in one semester and two in the other. The arrangement of this load can be either 2/3 or 3/2, consistent with faculty and departmental needs. Labs and seminars typically count as full courses towards the yearly total of five. Two sections of the same course count as two courses.
We seek a candidate who will develop or contribute to the following courses:
- A laboratory course in cell biology, typically enrolling sophomores who have completed Introduction to Biology 1 and 2, Organic Chemistry and sometimes Genetics.
- An additional new course for biology majors in an area compatible with current course offerings. Typically this course would be in some area that is presently not represented in our curriculum, and within the applicant's area of interest but broad enough to be appropriate for an undergraduate curriculum. It could be offered either with or without a laboratory.
- A course for non-science majors (see "Biological Principles" courses). These courses typically do not have labs, although that option is possible.
- Participation in the teaching of General Biology 1, a course for junior and senior premedical students who are not biology majors. Depending on the candidate’s background, there could be occasional teaching responsibilities in the Introductory Biology course for departmental majors (Biology 131) or the course for upper division pre-medical students who are not biology majors, or, in one of the biochemistry courses.
Within the context of the 3/2 teaching load, the exact mix of courses and their rotation over several years is up to the new faculty member in consultation with the Department's Chair. The "lineup" may change over time as departmental needs and faculty interests evolve. Participation in extra-departmental teaching (Montserrat, College Honors) is also possible. You can read more about the Biology Department Curriculum here and you can get an additional idea what courses current faculty members teach by going to faculty member's homepages.
BACK TO THE TOP
About the College and the Department: Holy Cross is a highly selective, exclusively undergraduate, Jesuit, liberal arts college (enrollment 2700) that values excellence in both teaching and research. The College is consistently rated among the top national liberal arts colleges by publications such as U.S. News & World Report.
Facilities: The Biology Department is housed in the recently renovated and expanded O'Neil Hall and in adjacent parts of Swords Hall. For more information, please see Departmental Facilities. These facilities are part of a large science complex that also includes the departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics as well as the O'Callahan Science Library. The College has just completed a new Integrated Science Complex, designed to facilitate interactions among these four departments as well as Psychology.
Research at the College: The College and Department strive to provide an environment where committed teacher-scholars can thrive. To help foster both teaching and scholarship, the College maintains a generous leave and sabbatical policy. All junior faculty members receive one semester research leave at full pay in their third year at the College. Sabbaticals are offered every seven years as either a fully paid one-semester leave or a one-year leave at 80% salary. In addition, some College-administered stipends are available for summer work or for occasional research leaves during the academic year.
Undergraduates and Research: The Biology Department typically accepts 70 - 80 incoming first year majors, and graduates 40 to 50 (the difference being students who change to other majors). In excess of 75% of recent graduating biology majors have gone on to professional or graduate school. The Department is especially proud of its undergraduate research program. A significant number of our majors engage in supervised independent research, both within the Department and elsewhere in the College and at surrounding institutions. Many faculty publications are co-authored by undergraduates, and this is the ultimate goal of all the research at the College.
Faculty contracts are 9 months (academic year) with the summer free for research. Faculty members often supervise research students in the summer (who may be supported by either grant or College funds). Summer research is done either at the College or at some remote location when that is appropriate. External funding can provide a summer salary of up to 2/9 of the contract salary.
Present Biology Faculty: The Department presently has 12 tenured or tenure-track members and several visiting professors. In addition, there are three full-time teaching laboratory supervisors, two secretaries, one post-doctoral fellow and two research associates. Specialties of the faculty are diverse and range from biochemistry to ecosystem ecology. (For more information, please see Faculty and Staff.)
Important Note: It is the policy of the College not to split/share positions. This said, there are employment opportunities for scientists in the area and the Office of the Dean coordinates inquiries for employment at the other schools of the Worcester Consortium of Higher Education. In addition, there are occasional opportunities within the Department either as adjunct teaching faculty or as research associates.
BACK TO THE TOP
The Application, should arrive no later than 15 October 2009 and should consist of:
- Curriculum vitae.
- Undergraduate and graduate transcripts. These are used to help us assess an applicant's training. Unofficial copies are acceptable with the application, but the Dean's Office requires official copies before a candidate is interviewed.
- Copies of publications.
- Research and teaching statements.
- Letters from three referees. Please be certain that these are sent by the deadline. E-mail may be used as a placeholder but the Dean's Office requires a signed original letter before a candidate can be interviewed.
It should be mailed to:
Dr. Mary Lee S. Ledbetter
Chair, Cell Biology Search Committee [Ref. WS]
Department of Biology
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA 01610
E-mail: mledbett @holycross.edu
Phone: (508) 793-3418
Paper (non-electronic) applications are strongly preferred and FAX is strongly discouraged.
The committee will move rapidly after the closing date to select possible finalists. In the past, a short list has been submitted to the faculty within one week of the closing date. Please be certain that your application is received no later than October 15 and that all letters of recommendation have been submitted by that time.
The College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all Federal and Massachusetts laws concerning Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in the workplace.
BACK TO THE TOP
For additional information, please contact:
Dr. Mary Lee S. Ledbetter (homepage)
Chair, Cell Biologist Search Committee
E-mail:mledbett@holycross.edu
Phone: (508) 793-3418
Other members of the search committee:
Dr. Ann Sheehy (homepage)
Dr. William Sobczak (homepage)
BACK TO THE TOP |
