Lecturer: School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering
Position Summary
The College of Engineering at the University of Georgia invites applicants for one 9-month, non-tenure track Lecturer position, to begin January 2022. The College seeks highly qualified applicants with a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and the ability to teach at all levels. In this role, the selected candidate will work under the direct supervision of Dr. James Warnock, Founding Chair of the School of Chemical, Material, and Biomedical Engineering (CMBE). This invitation is for the candidate to join a multidisciplinary team of researchers and professors. The position will be based on UGA’s main campus in Athens.
The lecturer will be responsible for teaching required core courses in the biological engineering and biochemical engineering undergraduate programs, including the upper-level biochemical engineering lab courses. The laboratory courses are designed to expose students to the most modern experimental equipment that provides hands-on experiences for the theories they have learned in their core courses.
The biochemical engineering program has seen significant growth in recent years. As of fall 2020, there were 182 students enrolled in the program, which is a 21.5% increase since fall 2016. This growth has necessitated the recruitment of new lecturers so we can maintain high levels of quality instruction. In response to the enrollment growth, the school has doubled the number of biochemical engineering lab sections and introduced a biomedical engineering lab course. We are also seeing an increase in graduate student enrollment. The Master of Biomanufacturing and Bioprocessing (MBB) program recently moved to CMB and the curriculum was updated to include biochemical engineering graduate lab courses. This has also increased the need for instructional lab support to maintain the equipment and ensure a safe learning environment.
Additionally, laboratory courses are essential for enabling students to develop an ability to design and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions, which is one of the stated student outcomes for the program’s accreditation.
The biochemical engineering and biological engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. According to the ABET criteria, “The program must demonstrate that the faculty members are of sufficient number and they have the competencies to cover all of the curricular areas of the program.”
Minimum Qualifications
Ph.D. in chemical engineering, biochemical engineering, biomolecular engineering or a related field.
Relevant/Preferred Qualifications
- Candidates should have 3-5 years of relevant industry experience and/or experience teaching core courses in an undergraduate degree program.
- A background in teaching lecture-based courses and laboratory courses in unit operations, fermentation, synthetic biology, mass transport or bioprocess engineering is preferred.
- Other areas of biochemical engineering relevant to the mission of the school will also be considered.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies
Competitive applicants will be able to demonstrate:
- Commitment to a diverse, equitable and inclusive working environment
- An ability to work as part of a team and create a collaborative and inclusive environment
- An ability to communicate effectively in written and oral formats
- Knowledge of modern pedagogical practices
- An ability to design and conduct biochemical and biomedical engineering experiments using living organisms such as bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells.
- Promise of excellence in classroom instruction and will demonstrate knowledge of modern pedagogical practices.
- Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through research, teaching, and/or service endeavors.
About the University of Georgia
The University of Georgia, a land-grant and sea-grant university with statewide commitments and responsibilities, is the state’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 16 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA was founded in 1785 by the Georgia General Assembly as the first state-chartered University in the country. UGA employs approximately 1,800 full-time instructional faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 39,000 students including over 30,000 undergraduates and over 9,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 18 schools and colleges, as well as a medical partnership with Augusta University housed on the UGA Health Sciences Campus in Athens.
About the UGA College of Engineering
The College of Engineering at the University of Georgia is one of the fastest growing programs at UGA and one of the fastest growing public colleges of engineering in the nation. Since our founding in 2012, enrollment in the College of Engineering has grown to over 2,400 students. Students and faculty alike are attracted to our setting in a comprehensive, land-grant, research institution that’s consistently ranked among the 20 best public universities in the nation. The rapidly expanding UGA engineering program focuses on opportunities for learning, discovery and innovation at the confluence of disciplines.
About the School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering
The School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Georgia is uniquely poised to tackle some of the world’s grand challenges—from combating infectious disease and developing advanced therapeutics to advancing biodegradable plastics and reducing global plastic pollution. The vision of the School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering is to attain an international reputation as a thought leader in the industrialization of biology and biological systems; faculty will have acclaimed expertise in bio-based manufacturing, renewable energy and chemicals, sustainable new materials and next-gen advanced therapeutics and medical devices; students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels will receive a demanding, high quality education that emphasizes experiential learning and inter-disciplinarity.
Application Procedure
Applicants are asked to submit the following information along with their application:
- A detailed curriculum vita.
- A cover letter (not to exceed one page) addressing the candidate’s experience relative to the responsibilities of the position.
- The names, titles, and contact information for three professional references.
- A teaching statement not to exceed 2 pages.
Applications received by November 1, 2021, are assured of full consideration, however position will remain open until filled.
Questions related to the position may be directed to Dr. James Warnock at James.Warnock@uga.edu
The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).