Director, Biological Sciences Program

Working/Functional Title

Director, Biological Sciences Program

Position Summary

The College of Natural Science at Michigan State University is pleased to invite applications for the Biological Sciences (BioSci) Program Director position. The director role will comprise 60% of the appointment, with the remaining 40% allocated among teaching, service, and/or research. The specific distribution of responsibilities will be negotiated based on the selected candidate’s interests, qualifications, and appointment type. The position is an annual year appointment (12 month) with an expected start date of January 1, 2027. Applications are welcome from tenure-stream faculty, fixed-term faculty and academic staff, and continuing system academic specialists with a current appointment at MSU. This is an open rank posting, and the selected individual will be appointed at their current rank at MSU.

The BioSci Program brings together a highly collaborative and dedicated team of educators with appointments in the program and across other departments in the college, along with support staff to deliver introductory lecture and laboratory courses in the biological sciences to ~6,000 students from across the university each year. The two-semester sequence of lecture and laboratory courses serve as foundational courses for degree programs in the biological sciences and biology-adjacent fields. The program also offers Honors versions of the lecture and laboratory courses.

The curriculum is an intentionally scaffolded sequence of courses that fosters student success through inclusive, supportive, and collaborative learning experiences while building the foundational biological knowledge and scientific practices essential for advanced study and careers in the life sciences. BioSci faculty use learner-centered, active-learning approaches that engage students in the core principles of biology, including evolution, structure and function, matter and energy transformation, and information flow. Students apply these principles to develop mechanistic, systems-based models of biological processes spanning scales from molecules to ecosystems. Students who complete the BioSci curriculum learn to think like scientists: asking questions, formulating and testing models, constructing explanations supported by evidence, analyzing and interpreting data, and communicating their findings.

The BioSci Director provides organizational and strategic leadership to advance the program's mission and goals. The Director will be expected to fulfill the following responsibilities.

• Lead the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of curricula in collaboration with curriculum coordinators to promote teaching excellence in BioSci.
• Support, mentor, and foster an inclusive environment for members of the BioSci community, including instructional faculty, support staff, undergraduate learning assistants, and graduate teaching assistants.
• Promote a culture of asking questions about student learning and thoughtful reflection on curriculum and teaching practices.
• Coordinate with and develop community, among units across the college who provide instructional contributions to the BioSci program.
• Supervise faculty and support staff, including setting short- and long-term goals, ensuring completion of assigned responsibilities, providing regular performance feedback, conducting performance evaluations, and leading promotion processes.
• Implement administrative, personnel, and human resources decisions in a fair, transparent, and timely manner.
• Manage program resources, budgets, and facilities effectively and responsibly and communicate needs to Dean’s Office.
• Oversee academic planning and operations, including monitoring course enrollment trends and demand, determining section needs, coordinating program assessment, and leading BioSci’s participation in MSU's Academic Program Review process.
• Respond to student concerns and resolve student/instructor disputes as unit administrator

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -Biology or related field

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D. in a biology-related field
• 5 years of college-level teaching experience in the biological sciences
• Demonstrated substantive experience with collaborative curriculum development including use of curriculum mapping and alignment, Backward Design, and Three-dimensional Learning (3DL).

Desired Qualifications

• Engagement in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) or discipline-based education research (DBER)
• Experience teaching and successfully managing high-enrollment courses in the biological sciences
• Experience with personnel supervision and professional development, budget management, and academic administration
• Promotion to associate professor, professor, award of continuing status, or promotion to senior specialist

The successful candidate will have demonstrated:  

• Knowledge of curriculum development, assessment, and evidence-based teaching practices in higher education;

• Knowledge of undergraduate life science curriculum;   
• Skills in personnel management, supervision, and performance evaluation;
• Ability to lead diverse teams, cultivate an inclusive and collaborative culture, and build strong partnerships that advance a shared vision and sense of community;
• Ability to use data to inform decision-making, strategic planning, and continuous program improvement;
• Knowledge of emerging artificial intelligence technologies and their implications for teaching, learning, assessment, and academic administration in higher education;
• Skills in budget planning, resource management, and fiscal oversight;
• Ability to address difficult situations with empathy and professionalism, resolve conflicts effectively, and promote a culture of trust, respect, and accountability; and
• Ability to adapt to evolving institutional priorities, educational practices, and societal needs while advancing program goals and student success.

Required Application Materials

Review of applications will begin September 18. Complete applications received by September 18 will be given priority consideration, but the position will remain open until filled.

• Letter of application (no more than 5 pages) that describes your interest in the position. Please also address the following guiding questions in your letter. 
  • How have your education and teaching experiences prepared you to lead the BioSci program? 
  • What experience do you have with collaborative curriculum development and how has that experience prepared you to lead the BioSci program?
  • How would you approach supporting, mentoring, and fostering an inclusive environment for the BioSci team?
  • What additional experiences or strengths do you bring to the position that align with the desired qualifications above?
• CV
• Names and contact information of 3 references who will be contacted if invited for a final interview. 

Special Instructions

Questions about the position or application process may directed to Cori Fata-Hartley (fatahart@msu.edu), search co-chair.

Website

biosci.natsci.msu.edu

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.