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Instructional Lab Academic Coordinator - Physics

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Position description

The Department of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, invites applications for the position of Academic Coordinator (AC) for the Spring and Summer 2021 quarters, with the possibility of renewal to work on courses in general Physics or Astronomy during the full 2021-2022 academic year, depending on performance and budget constraints. Applications will be kept active for consideration until the position is filled. The position requires the physical presence of the applicant in the Santa Barbara area.

Main duties will include the development, administration, coordination of courses in general physics both in-person and remote instruction. In addition to these basic responsibilities, this appointment entails quick and flexible responses to educational obstacles in a fast-paced environment.

Course Administration
The AC performs administrative functions for the UCSB Physics Department, serving as a key contact for Instructors of Record as well as undergraduate students, TAs, UCSB faculty, staff, and the off-campus community. The AC oversees the coordination and implementation of all instructional activities, and is responsible for budgetary planning and roster organization for a wide range of courses with anywhere from 20 to 400 students. Some of the course administration responsibilities of the AC include, but are not limited to:

  • Budget and equipment management
  • Managing the TA roster and Gauchospace (Moodle) Webpage for each course
  • Oversight of TAs including training and instruction quality
  • Facilitating communication between TAs, staff, faculty
  • Direct involvement with day-to-day course execution, such as dropping in and
  • Assisting with curriculum completion and questions beyond the scope of TA expertise

Furthermore, the AC serves as a mediator between students and faculty in lower division courses, providing helpful and timely feedback regarding administrative details, material and room availability, and additional technical support.

Instructional Lab Group
The AC is a core member of the UCSB Physics Department’s Instructional Lab Group (ILG). The ILG is in charge of development, maintenance and administration of all undergraduate instructional laboratories and the associated coursework. AC responsibilities within the ILG include, but are not limited to, working both independently and also with other faculty & staff to:

  • Author new and exciting in-person and remotely accessible laboratory experiences
  • Update current material to reflect changing standards in physics education
  • Equipment maintenance and distribution for remote courses
  • Content creation, such as instructional videos, online lab manuals and similar media
  • Prototype and test new experiments for a wide variety of physics subdisciplines
  • Application of web development skills to build simulations, web microcontrollers, and applets for students.

At minimum, candidates should possess a M.A in Physics or related field. Preferred applicants will also have:

  • PhD in Physics or related field
  • 1-2 Years experience with at least one of the following: Web development and design (Javascript, HTML5)
  • STEM Teaching at the undergraduate level or higher
  • Laboratory work involving electronics, optics, or nuclear physics
  • 1-2 years of experience working within an academic institution
  • 1-2 years of experience in a position that required administrative and organizational activities
  • 1-2 years of experience working with undergraduate students in an educational context
  • Experience coordinating academic courses
  • Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills
  • Significant editing, writing, and proofreading skills and experience
  • Simulation experience, specifically with Javascript and Python
  • Ability to prioritize, conduct, and manage multiple projects
  • Ability to oversee and mentor student assistants
  • Experience in financial management
  • Demonstrated ability to write reports and communications to high-level grant-dispensing institutions
  • Familiarity with experimental physics and its core principles
  • Strong mathematics skills at the graduate level

Salary is based on UC salary scales and depends on qualifications.

Complete applications received on or before February 26th, 2020 will receive full review. To ensure full consideration, please submit a cover letter, contact information for two references, and a current curriculum vitae (CV) at https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF01954.

The department is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community. For information on our department, please visit our website: http://www.physics.ucsb.edu.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

Reference requirements
  • 2-4 required (contact information only)

Job location

Santa Barbara, CA