Post Doctoral Researcher

Post Doctoral Researcher
3288BR
COS School of Physics and Astronomy
College of Science

Professional Area: Professional/Administrative
Employment Category: Fulltime
Staff Job Function: Wage Band:

Department/College Description
CASTLE (Center for Advancing STEM Teaching, Learning and Evaluation) / College of Science

Detailed Job Description
The Center for Advancing STEM Teaching, Learning & Evaluation (CASTLE) at the Rochester Institute of Technology seeks two postdocs in the areas of physics, biology or chemistry education to join our HHMI Inclusive Excellence project. The project focuses on fostering a culture of inclusivity and equity in the natural sciences. Additional complementary teaching and/or research activities may be negotiated, and we anticipate considerable freedom for the post-doc(s) to pursue research questions related to inclusivity and equity.

The program consists of activities in two areas; we envision one post-doc working in each area. Program areas are: 1) faculty development to proactively recruit and mentor targeted students in undergraduate research and 2) creation of new course materials to improve reflective and metacognitive strategies. Additionally, the post-doc(s) will have opportunity to contribute to the project's third area, developing a college-wide welcoming faculty/student and student/student community to foster an inclusive environment.

The research mentoring area focuses on improving faculty ability to identify, recruit and mentor a diverse student population in the research environment. Faculty workshops will be developed to discuss both general mentoring strategies (e.g. setting goals) as well as topics specific to our target populations (e.g. deaf/hard-of-hearing communication strategies or mentoring underrepresented students). This post-doc will work with project PIs to develop and implement workshop materials, design and administer evaluations, and interview faculty and student participants for formative and summative evaluation. Additional research questions may be pursued as appropriate.

The metacognitive materials area will create new classroom materials to promote student metacognition and sense of identity in order to combat negative cultural messages students receive about their place in science. Examples include: 1) short affirmation exercises on individual strengths; 2) graphical representations of knowledge transfer; 3) guided reflections; 4) activities about diverse ways of knowing; and 5) activities introducing Dweck's growth/fixed mindset. In addition to working with faculty to develop materials, the post-doc will develop and facilitate faculty development co-thinking workshops and work with faculty to develop and administer appropriate assessments.

The position is fully funded through HHMI and the CASTLE Center; the joint funding enables some flexibility for non-HHMI related work. Possible activities include joining ongoing discipline-based education research projects within the Science & Mathematics Education Research Collaborative (SMERC) or teaching courses in the appropriate discipline (physics, biology or chemistry) or within the Learning Assistant program. We are also amenable to a non-full time appointment (with benefits) to allow the post-doc time to work on their own personal projects.

If interested, please contact: Scott Franklin (svfsps@rit.edu) or Dina Newman (dlwsbi@rit.edu) with any questions.


Required Minimum Qualifications

- Ph.D. in STEM or STEM education discipline
- Desire to engage fully with the Science and Mathematics Education Research Collaborative journal clubs, research group meetings and other activities
- Demonstrated commitment to equity in both teaching and research foci, and familiarity with contemporary efforts to achieve equity and foster an inclusive environment

Questions may be directed to:
Scott Franklin (svfsps@rit.edu) or Dina Newman (dlwsbi@rit.edu) with any questions.

Preferred Qualifications


Required Application Documents
Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae or Resume

How to Apply
In order to be considered for this position, you must apply for it at: http://careers.rit.edu/staff. Click the link for search openings and in the keyword search field, enter the title of the position or the BR number.

Additional Details
The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT does not discriminate. RIT promotes and values diversity, pluralism and inclusion in the work place. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to your application for employment at RIT, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to Careers@rit.edu.

Rochester Institute of Technology, the 10th largest private university in the U.S., is among the world’s leading technological universities. Its 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries are enrolled in over 200 academic programs, including 7 interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs. A pioneer in experiential education, RIT was the first to offer undergraduate degree programs in biotechnology, information technology, software engineering, and microelectronic engineering. As home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, the university offers unparalleled academic opportunities and services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Founded in 1829, RIT has 115,000 alumni throughout the United States and around the world. RIT has been named by the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the “Great Colleges to Work For.” RIT is a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation site, and is responsive to the needs of dual-career couples through the Upstate NY Higher Education Recruitment Consortium. For more information, visit www.rit.edu/overview/rankings-and-recognition and www.rit.edu.

As a member of the RIT community employees receive a well-balanced benefits package that offers a variety of choices and access to additional employment advantages. These benefits, combined with an employee’s pay, provide a total compensation package that can be tailored to meet your needs. More on RIT’s Benefits, Health & Wellness program can be found at: https://www.rit.edu/fa/humanresources/content/benefits-health-and-wellness

RIT does not discriminate. RIT is an equal opportunity employer that promotes and values diversity, pluralism, and inclusion. For more information or inquiries, please visit RIT/TitleIX or the U.S. Department of Education at ED.Gov





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