Possible 3 year Funded Postdoc - University of Massachusetts
Hi Fish Researchers Current and Future,
I’d like to spread the word as widely as possible that the Department of Biology at UMass Amherst is about to advertise for a “Visiting Assistant Professor” position that could be a great deal for someone seeking a postdoctoral position. The successful applicant will work in a PIs lab (mine if we are successful) and help teach courses with the PI. In my case the postdoc would teach an advanced lab course in Neurobiology and Physiology, a work load compatible with a typical research postdoc. If all goes well, we’d likely write for a postdoctoral fellowship in the second or third year to extend the postdoc. A bonus, the real teaching experience could really help with a future job search.
This is a great deal for both the postdoc and the lab, so please forward this information to anyone you think might be interested and have them contact me!
The way this works:
1) Interested applicants would first contact me to see if it is a good research fit
2) If so, they would apply to the UMass position online
3) If they make the cut, they would be interviewed for the position by our teaching committee
4) The successful applicant would ideally start in the Fall and first teach my course with me in the Spring, then offer their own sections of the same course (with my help)
The ad will look something like:
The Biology Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (www.bio.umass.edu/biology/) invites applications for one full-time non-tenure track position (renewable up to three years) starting fall semester 2018. The Visiting Assistant Professor will be provided with research support and mentoring through placement in an active research lab. Candidates should have completed the Ph.D. by the beginning of the appointment. Exceptional promise in research and a commitment to outstanding teaching at all levels of the curriculum are expected. Applicants must review the list of potential sponsoring laboratories/mentors ( https://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/vap-mentors). In addition to their research role, the VAP will have a mentored teaching load of two-courses per year. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in biology or a related discipline. In their materials, the candidate should describe how their program of research is a strong fit with one of the research laboratories available for sponsoring the candidate, and show evidence of teaching excellence and the ability to work with diverse populations/students.
Application Instructions:
Potential applicants should contact their chosen mentor ( https://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/vap-mentors), who will decide whether a full application will be invited. Upon invitation, the formal application should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement describing their program of research and its intersection with the proposed host lab, a statement describing their teaching philosophy, experience, and interests, as well as the names of at least three references.