Job Description

Job Summary/Basic Function
The Colleges of Science (COS) and the Botany and Plant Ecology Department at Weber State University invite applications for a full-time Plant Biology Teaching Post-Doctoral Fellow. This is part of the WSU PROGRESS Program, which seeks to bring together recent doctoral graduates from across a variety of scientific fields who are interested in both teaching and research in service of undergraduate education.

Fellow will primarily be engaged in 1) developing and teaching one class per year in the Botany and Plant Ecology Department and 2) developing an independent research program which includes mentoring undergraduate students. Fellow will receive ample mentorship and professional development opportunities, including conference travel, grant-writing workshops, and symposium organization.

One broad goal for Post-Doctoral Fellows is for each to develop into a teacher-scholar who is well positioned to start as a successful faculty member at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI) or research-intensive university or in industry. Given that Weber State University is a PUI, candidates should convey in their application materials an enthusiasm for undergraduate teaching, a commitment to comprehensive teaching practices in the classroom and laboratory, and an interest in establishing a productive research program that includes students.

The appointment is for up to two years and renews after the first year based on funding availability and scholar performance. This position provides a starting salary of $70,000 per year, up to $15,000 in research funds, and benefits including health insurance, access to the WSU fitness center, and competitive benefits. This position is funded by NSF Award #2329490. This is a contracted position and differs from regular employees in that it does NOT provide retirement benefits.

The College of Science is housed in the Tracy Hall Science Center, a state-of-the-art facility that opened in Fall 2016 and includes two research towers, with 20 research labs, 25 teaching labs, and four floors of 14 classrooms and 235 other rooms, including faculty offices, student collaboration and study spaces, and conference rooms. Fellows are provided with office spaces and the materials and supplies needed to effectively conduct scholarship. More information about select instrumentation can be found at https://www.weber.edu/cos/instrumentation.html. The COS includes seven departments and the interdisciplinary Environmental Science program. Across campus, there is an emphasis on undergraduate research, sustainability, community-engaged learning, and the College of Science is a leader in these areas.

Weber State University is a primarily undergraduate institution located at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in Ogden, Utah. For more than five decades, the institution has successfully maintained a dual mission by offering a wide range of baccalaureate programs while also meeting regional community college needs. Weber State University has gained national recognition for its commitment to sustainability and has a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2050.

Weber State University is an equal-opportunity employer providing opportunities without regard to ethnicity, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or other irrelevant criteria. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified and interested candidates.
Required Qualifications
Required:
A Ph.D. in biology (or closely-related field) within the last 2 years and by January 1, 2025
Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
Must not hold, or have held, a tenure-track position

Preferred Qualifications
Preferred:
Ability to teach courses to undergraduate students
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Experience or interest in teaching science
Evidence of successful undergraduate mentorship
Experience or interest in using innovative, high-impact teaching strategies
Commitment to access and student success in STEM and higher education