UCLA Division of Life Sciences - Assistant Teaching Professor for the Mathematical Biology Curriculum

Position description

As an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution and building on a decade of hiring faculty who are committed to supporting the success of the diverse undergraduate student population at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the Division of Life Sciences, Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology Department, and the Life Science Education Department invites applicants for an Assistant Teaching Professor. An Assistant Teaching Professor is a full-time faculty position with potential for promotion to Associate Teaching Professor, which is equivalent to tenure, and is a full member of the Academic Senate. The Division of Life Sciences is deeply committed to building a community of scholars in education and is currently conducting three separate searches for Assistant Teaching Professors.

Teaching Professors' expertise and responsibilities center on undergraduate education, and the scholarly analysis and improvement of pedagogy. The successful candidate will employ and conduct research on inclusive, evidence-based, innovative teaching practices, and will effectively educate and support diverse student populations. They will also engage with graduate students and faculty on pedagogical innovation. The candidate for this position should have expertise in Mathematical Biology, Mathematics, or Mathematics Education.

Over the past 10 years, UCLA has developed a revolutionary approach to teaching mathematics to life science students. This two-quarter course is called Mathematics for Life Scientists (LIFESCI 30) and is based on the text Modeling Life [ https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319597300 ] . LIFESCI 30, which heavily incorporates active and inclusive teaching practices, has been shown to improve student interest and self-efficacy in Mathematics, performance in future STEM classes, and retention in STEM. The candidate's primary teaching responsibility will be teaching this class and will also include opportunities to develop an upper-division course applying Mathematics in Biology.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are central to the mission of excellence in the Life Science Division at UCLA, and we are committed to creating and fostering an environment in which all of our researchers, students, staff, and faculty experience a sense of belonging and thrive. We strongly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and other individuals who are underrepresented in the field, across color, creed, race, ethnic and national origin, physical ability, gender and sexual identity, or any other legally protected basis. UCLA offers a diverse campus community and is a leader in advancing strategies to diversify its faculty. This includes recent initiatives such as the Mentor Professor Initiative, Rising to the Challenge, Hispanic-Serving Institution initiative, and Native American/Pacific Islander Bruins Rising. UCLA has programs to assist in partner employment, childcare, schooling, and other family concerns. For additional information, visit the UCLA Academic Personnel Office website [ https://apo.ucla.edu/faculty-career-development/work-life-balance ] . The Integrative Biology and Physiology (IBP) and LS Core Education Departments are committed to addressing the family needs of employees, including dual career couples and single parents. We also welcome applications from candidates who have followed non-traditional career paths.

Qualified applicants must have the following to be considered for the position: a Ph.D. in a Mathematical or Life Science discipline, with a background in mathematics, math education, mathematical modeling, or dynamical systems, experience in teaching undergraduates, foundational knowledge of evidenced-based teaching practices and pedagogical innovation, and the ability to teach mathematical modeling and linear algebra in the Mathematics for Life Science Curriculum. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and based on University of California pay scales. The posted UC salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and/or step at appointment. The salary range for this position is $74,600-$97,200. "Off-scale salaries" and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions. See campus compensation page for additional information.

Review of applications will begin September 26, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. To ensure consideration, applications must be submitted by October 31, 2024.

To Apply: Candidates should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae (including a list of publications, courses taught, and professional development activities), and statements focused on each of the following three topics: teaching, research, and contributions to diversity. The research statement should focus on their vision for scholarly activity in education and how they can leverage their previous experience to advance discipline-based educational research. Each of the three statements can be up to two pages in length and should summarize the candidate's prior accomplishments and future plans. In addition, candidates may submit up to three unpublished items documenting their accomplishments in teaching (e.g., instructional materials developed by the candidate, summaries of student evaluations, links to on-line instructional videos, etc.). Candidates should also provide contact information for three referees who can speak to the candidate's qualifications for the position. All materials should be submitted to this website, [ https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF09867 ] .
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, bullying and other demeaning behavior, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment as well as a commitment to addressing all forms of academic misconduct, UCLA conducts targeted employment reference checks for finalists whom departments or other hiring units would like to extend formal offers of appointment into Academic Senate faculty positions. The targeted employment reference checks involve contacting the finalists' current and prior places of employment to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University's Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UCLA requires all applicants for Academic Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled "Authorization to Release Information" into Recruit as part of their application. If the applicant does not include the signed authorization to release information with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete. As with any incomplete application, the application will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists (i.e., those to whom the department or other hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer) considered for Academic Senate faculty positions will be subject to targeted employment reference checks.

Department: https://www.ibp.ucla.edu/

Qualifications

Basic qualifications
The minimum qualifications required to be considered an applicant for the position. These qualifications must be met at the time of application.
• PhD in a Mathematical or Life Science Discipline
• Experience in teaching undergraduates

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Most recent Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications, courses taught, and professional development activities).
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research - The research statement should focus on their vision for scholarly activity in education and how they can leverage their previous experience to advance discipline-based educational research. Statement can be up to two pages in length and should summarize the candidate's prior accomplishments and future plans.
• Statement of Teaching - Statement can be up to two pages in length and should summarize the candidate's prior accomplishments and future plans.
• Statement on Contributions to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - An EDI Statement describes a faculty candidate's past, present, and future (planned) contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion. To learn more about how UCLA thinks about contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion, please review our EDI Statement FAQ document, and Sample EDI Statements .
  
  Statement can be up to two pages in length and should summarize the candidate's prior accomplishments and future plans.
• Reference check authorization release form - Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
• Misc / Additional (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

Include contact information for three recommenders. Letters of recommendation will be requested at a later date from applicants who progress to a later stage of review.
Apply link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF09867

Help contact: ssanchez@lifesci.ucla.edu

About UCLA

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

For the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy, please visit https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-035.pdf .

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination .

Job location

Los Angeles, CA