Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Curriculum Fellow
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA
Job posting number: #7219854
Posted: February 21, 2024
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
Job Description
The Harvard Medical School Curriculum Fellows Program (HMS CFP) welcomes applications for a Curriculum Fellow (CF) for the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (BCMP). This postdoctoral program targets early-career scientist-educators, emphasizing curriculum development, teaching, and educational programming in the biological and biomedical sciences.The BCMP Curriculum Fellow collaborates with a diverse cohort of Curriculum Fellows, leveraging individual expertise while closely engaging with Harvard Medical School faculty and administration to craft, implement, and assess evidence-based graduate training. Fellows benefit from mentorship and career guidance, nurturing their growth as educators and facilitating success across various education-focused careers. Further details are available on our website (https://curriculumfellows.hms.harvard.edu/).
The BCMP Curriculum Fellow will be embedded within the BCMP Department to support the department’s goals in graduate education. A major focus will be working closely with faculty on two foundational graduate courses in molecular biology and protein biochemistry targeted to first year graduate students. The CF will be expected to play a large role in the development of curriculum and assessments, course administration, and the training and oversight of graduate teaching fellows. Participation in these courses also provides opportunities for the CF to carry out research on curriculum development and pedagogical innovations, which for prior BCMP CF’s have led to successful publications.
The CF will report directly to and receive mentorship from Joseph Loparo, Professor of BCMP, and Aimee Hollander, the Curriculum Fellows Program Director.
The primary responsibilities of the BCMP Curriculum Fellow are expected to include:
● Administration, planning and the development and assessment of an innovative curriculum for BCMP200, a required core course that enrolls ~80 first year graduate students in the fall semester.
● Administration, planning and the development and assessment of an innovative curriculum for BCMP 250, a spring semester protein biochemistry course that enrolls 30-50 graduate students.
● Collection and analysis of student outcomes data in BCMP200 and BCMP250 to evaluate the effectiveness of the course.
● Provide support to the Molecular Mechanistic Biology graduate concentration by recruiting students, and co-organizing monthly meetings, social events and the concentration’s annual symposium.
● Provide support to other Departmental outreach, training, and educational efforts as required.
Additionally, the BCMP Curriculum Fellow will also have specific responsibilities to the CFP:
● Take required courses including Teaching 100 and Teaching 101
● Participate in weekly CFP group meetings and pedagogical journal clubs.
● Present at university-wide workshops on curricular and pedagogical topics.
● Assist in developing the curriculum for the NIH-mandated Responsible Conduct of Science (RCOS) course.
● Assist with the organization of the Graduate Science Education Series (GSES), https://curriculumfellows.hms.harvard.edu/graduate-science-education-series
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
Candidates are expected to have a PhD or equivalent degree in molecular biology, biochemistry or closely related field by the time of appointment. ability to work as part of a team. Advanced knowledge of structural biology is an advantage but not required. Candidates who are currently finishing their doctoral work but have not yet graduated are encouraged to apply.
Qualified candidates will be evaluated based upon their:
● Demonstrated interest or experience with teaching and/or curriculum development in higher education settings
● Comfort and experience teaching and developing curriculum in an asynchronous online environment
● Strong collaborative ability to work as part of a team
● Organizational and written and oral communication skills
● Ability to support collaborations across departments in a fast-paced academic environment
The ideal start date for this Curriculum Fellow is approximately July 1st, 2024 or sooner. This is a hybrid position and the candidate will be expected to work in person on the HMS campus in Boston, MA 2-3 days per week. The CF appointment is renewable annually for a maximum of three years and is non-tenure-track.
Application Deadline & Instructions:
Applications received by Monday, March 25 will receive a full review. Review of applications will begin on Tuesday, March 26. Applicants who apply after the deadline must email [email protected] to alert the hiring team you've applied.
Harvard Medical School strives to cultivate an environment that promotes inclusiveness and collaboration among students, faculty and staff and to create new avenues for discussion that will advance our shared mission to improve the health of people throughout the world.