The Senior Laboratory Educator will collaborate with faculty in developing and implementing laboratory components of Chemistry courses. They will also have primary responsibility for teaching laboratory sections in general chemistry and/or organic chemistry and coordinating laboratory preparation in the introductory laboratories each semester. The Senior Laboratory Educator will work in collaboration with the Laboratory and Instrument Coordinator, the Laboratory Educator, and will serve the students and the department by providing consistent and dedicated staffing for the teaching labs, which are integral to the curricular goals of the department.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

During the academic year the Senior Laboratory Educator will:

• Teaches up to two lab sections per semester. The labs range from three-four hours each. The contact time in the labs will be balanced against other responsibilities. Lab instruction may be online, face-to-face and hybrid instruction;
• Grades student assignments and maintain grade book;
• Stays abreast of current issues and developments in laboratory chemical education;
• Tests, preps, and coordinates (set-up and breakdown) all introductory teaching laboratories (~11 sections of general chemistry/ 24 students per laboratory) weekly. May assist with coordination of the advanced teaching laboratories, as needed;
• Acquires all materials, supplies, and equipment necessary for running all sections of the labs, including making sure that all supplies and equipment are working or up to date weekly;
• Maintains, organizes, restocks and cleans the general chemistry teaching laboratory spaces daily;
• Meets regularly (weekly) with the laboratory teaching faculty to coordinate course activities and send weekly lab notes (there maybe updates) to guide faculty teaching the general chemistry laboratories;
• Works with faculty/staff to create new laboratories or courses (curricular development);
• Identifies and orders materials needed for teaching in person labs using via appropriate systems;
• Tracks lab expenditures and provide regular budget reports and projections to the Department Chair;
• Serves as a primary or secondary contact for issues of lab safety, maintenance contracts, and deliveries (in coordination with laboratory/instrument coordinator);
• Prepares and tests labs each semester to ensure proper they meet the standards for new and/or updated experiments;
• Serves as the primary contact between STS regarding computer use and requirements for teaching laboratories;
• Assists faculty in registering students and getting them assigned to correct lab sections;
• Supervises student workers (TAs) who assist with the labs;
• Participates in departmental faculty/staff meetings, attend seminars, and engage in professional development;
• Attend professional development workshops that help with curricular needs of the department;
• Assesses and makes recommendations regarding the technology needs of the department related to the laboratory experience and to improve efficient and effective technology integration into the laboratory experience.

During the summer the Senior Laboratory Educator will:

• Develops and tests new lab activities in collaboration with faculty;
• Inventory, repairs, and upgrades laboratory equipment and computers in preparation for the coming academic year (in coordination with laboratory/instrument coordinator);
• Restocks supplies and chemicals and dispose of outdated materials;
• Assists faculty with our summer high school CHEM*RXNS program (ACS Project SEED);
• Teaches up to one laboratory course in general or organic chemistry, if the course is offered.

DIMENSIONS

This position has the indirect accountability of the Operating Budget of $50,000 and the Payroll Budget of $10,000.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

A doctorate degree in a related field and three years of experience required.  A Ph.D. in Chemistry or related field with prior teaching experience is preferred.

Incumbent must have excellent interpersonal, organizational skills; and the ability to handle situations with diplomacy. The candidate/incumbent must have knowledge of chemical solutions preparation, storage and chemical waste management. Additionally, must be able to work under time constraints and work with a diverse population. Experience teaching laboratories, supervising students, teaching assistants and working with clickers and iPads in education are a plus.

Good oral and written communication skills are required when interacting with faculty and work-study students.

The duties of this position require excellent writing skills with the ability to prepare lab materials, business correspondence, and reports. The incumbent must have the ability to effectively present information in groups and one-on-one. Also, the incumbent must be able to respond to questions and complaints from students, parents, faculty, and staff. This position requires the ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, and the ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.

The work of this position requires intermediate skills using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point). Incumbent may be required to process basic letters, memos, e-mails, and formal business correspondence; handle such things as mail merges, flyers, spreadsheets containing formulas, creating forms, creating brochures, tables, and newsletters. In addition, the individual should have knowledge of chemical drawing software.