Biology: Assistant Professor in Aquatic Ecology - JR10013395

POSITION: The Department of Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin August 23rd, 2027. We seek a broadly trained biologist with expertise in aquatic ecology who is committed to excellence in undergraduate education and developing a vibrant research program in aquatic ecology with undergraduates. The successful candidate will 1) contribute to the ecology and environmental biology curriculum by teaching both introductory and upper-level courses, 2) conduct research in any area of aquatic ecology amenable to collaborations with undergraduates, 3) engage in service to the Department, College, University, and/or community, and 4) contribute to UW-Eau Claire''s commitment to achieving an equitable, diverse, and inclusive climate.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Earned Ph.D. by August 23, 2027, and demonstrated interest in joining a department that values excellence in teaching undergraduates and engaging in collaborative research with undergraduates.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Postdoctoral research experience
• Experience teaching at the undergraduate level utilizing pedagogically supported methods of instruction
• Experience mentoring students in research The 9-month salary for this position is $70,000.

DUTIES: The successful candidate will teach both introductory and upper-level biology courses for majors (such as Biol 180 Environmental Biology and Conservation, Biol 222 Foundations of Biology II, Biol 223 Foundations of Biological Inquiry, and Biol 321 Ecology) as well as offer upper-level coursework related to their expertise (such as Biol 311 Entomology, Biol 345 Invertebrate Zoology, Biol 376 Aquatic Ecology, Biol 379 Biology of Fishes, Biol 383 Biostatistics, etc.). The candidate may also have opportunities to develop additional courses that enhance our curriculum, including courses that support the Marine Science minor. The teaching commitment is 24-credits per academic year. The successful candidate will also be expected to develop an active research program involving undergraduate students, provide academic advising to students (in collaboration with the Advising, Retention, and Career Center), engage in service to the Department, College, University, profession and/or community, and contribute to UW-Eau Claire''s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI).

DEPARTMENT: The Department of Biology currently has 11 faculty, 2-4 instructors, a lab manager, a greenhouse/animal care manager, and approximately 700 students involved in Biology-affiliated majors (Biology, Ecology and Environmental Biology, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, and Microbiology). The Department works closely with the Health Careers Center on campus to support the advancement of pre-professional and professional health science students and programs. Department members are dedicated to teaching and are actively involved in research with undergraduates as evidenced by co-authored presentations and publications. The Department also has a longstanding research initiative privately supported by the Pine Lake Association to facilitate student-faculty collaboration on one of Wisconsin's most pristine and ecologically significant lakes. Members of the Department are also involved in interdisciplinary work through the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, a partnership among the University of Wisconsin System universities that provides training to students, funds collaborative research, and engages public and private partners in freshwater career opportunities. Active partnerships also include those with the Gulf Coast Research Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi and Beaver Creek Reserve. The Department also has a long-standing agreement with the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos to place four student interns each summer.

Departmental facilities include a variety of teaching and research laboratories with standard field and molecular research equipment, as well as shared access to conventional and confocal fluorescence microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, additional analytical instrumentation through the Materials Science and Engineering Center, and the UW-Eau Claire high performance supercomputing cluster. In addition, we have greenhouses, a vivarium, natural history collections, living coral reef tanks, and access to Putnam Park, a Wisconsin State Natural Area, on the campus. In 2027, UW-Eau Claire will open a new ~$340m Science and Health Sciences Building, which will house the department and all teaching and research facilities.

Research is supported by competitive start-up packages as well as both external and internal grants through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP). ORSP internal funds are available to support summer research stipends and travel to professional meetings for both students and faculty mentors. In addition, a substantial ongoing internal grant from the UW-Eau Claire differential tuition program supports our Biology Research Scholars Program, which enables cohorts of students each summer to conduct research with UWEC Biology faculty by providing funding for student stipends, faculty mentor stipends, and supplies/travel. Each member of the department also receives annual allocations of endowed funds for professional development and/or research expenses.

We participate in the TRIO-Funded Ronald McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement and Upward Bound Programs as well as other initiatives to increase equity, diversity, and inclusion.

To learn more about the Department of Biology, visit: http://www.uwec.ly/biology.

UNIVERSITY and EAU CLAIRE COMMUNITY: UW-Eau Claire, a primarily undergraduate institution of approximately 9,000 students and 1,200 faculty and staff, is consistently recognized as a top comprehensive university in the Midwest and is widely known as a leader in faculty-undergraduate research and study abroad. We strive for excellence in liberal education through commitment to teaching and learning and dedication to our core values of diversity, sustainability, leadership, and innovation. UW-Eau Claire is home to the UW System''s only Center of Excellence for Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration, which supports research collaborations between faculty and undergraduates as well as external grant development and hosts an annual Celebration of Excellence in Research and Creative Activity. UW-Eau Claire has recently established the Center for Environmental Research and Scholarship to serve as an interdisciplinary hub and raise the profile of environmental programs on campus. UW-Eau Claire''s campus (often described as "Wisconsin''s most beautiful campus") spans the banks of the Chippewa River in the heart of Eau Claire, western Wisconsin''s largest city. To learn more about UW-Eau Claire, visit https://www.uwec.edu/human-resources/employment-opportunities/.