Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty

REQUIREMENTS

The department seeks candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence in both undergraduate teaching and research in biochemistry. Successful candidates will establish an active research program that engages undergraduate students and is competitive for external funding. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in biochemistry or a closely related discipline by the start of the appointment. Postdoctoral research and previous teaching experience are preferred.

Rank is open and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The university seeks applicants with vibrant Christian faith who are dedicated to integration of that faith with their field of study. The university will prioritize candidates with broad interdisciplinary interests, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ability to integrate questions of meaning, significance, and ethics into all course content, and deep commitment to engaging students beyond the classroom.

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses in biochemistry, including Calvin's core biochemistry sequence: BCHM 321 - Principles of Biochemistry BCHM 322 - Metabolism and Metabolic Disease. Depending on expertise and interests, the successful candidate may also contribute to innovative upper-level electives such as: BCHM 323 - Venom, BCHM 324 - Proteins Gone Awry. Additional opportunities exist to teach general chemistry, courses for non-science majors, and advanced courses (Forensics, Evolving Complexity, Molecules in the Spotlight, Chemistry & Sustainability, etc.).

Visit our course website for a current list of classes offered. Faculty members typically teach 24 semester hours per academic year (2 lecture and 2 labs per semester). In addition to excellent teaching, faculty are expected to maintain an active scholarly agenda, mentor undergraduate researchers, pursue external funding, and contribute through departmental, university, professional, and community service. As members of Calvin University’s academic community, faculty are expected to embrace the university's educational mission as a Christian liberal arts institution in the Reformed tradition, affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.

Candidates will be asked to affirm their commitment to this mission (see Educating for Shalom and Faculty Expectations). Calvin provides numerous faculty development opportunities to foster growth in these commitments.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry provides excellent facilities for faculty‑student collaborative research. Available instrumentation includes:
Microscopy: spinning disk confocal, fluorescence, and atomic force microscopy (AFM), Gel documentation system, Spectroscopy: UV‑Vis, FTIR, fluorescence, atomic emission, variable‑temperature circular dichroism (CD), plate readers, Structural analysis: 500MHz gradient‑shimmed multinuclear NMR, 80MHz benchtop NMR, Chromatography and mass spectrometry: LC‑MS, GC‑MS, HPLC, ion chromatography, Thermal Analysis: microcalorimetry (ITC/DSC) and standard DSC, Protein purification: AKTA Start system, French pressure cell, floor centrifuges and shakers, Supercomputer with CPU and GPU nodes.

Calvin University supports faculty scholarship through internal grants, course releases, sabbaticals, summer research stipends, travel funding, undergraduate research opportunities, and a variety of interdisciplinary Centers and Institutes that foster collaboration across the university.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry consists of 10 full‑time faculty members who are committed to excellence in undergraduate teaching, collaborative research, and student mentoring. The department is ACS accredited and offers undergraduate degrees in chemistry and biochemistry. Faculty and students pursue a wide range of research programs supported by external funding from organizations including the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Research Corporation, and the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF).

Faculty work closely with undergraduate researchers in a…