Biology Instructor

Institution description

State Fair Community College is an accessible, learning-centered institution, enriching its students and community by providing skills, knowledge and perspectives essential for a changing world.

Position

State Fair Community College has an opening for a full-time Biology Instructor located at our Lake of the Ozarks Campus in Osage Beach, Missouri. Responsibilities include teaching college-level classes in biology, specifically human biology, human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology, and applicable labs. While this instructor will teach general education science courses for all students taking classes at the LOZ campus, many of the students are expected to be candidates for, or currently enrolled in, our health sciences programs.

Responsibilities also include curriculum development, student advisement, institutional service, community service and other tasks associated with full-time faculty. Evening classes are possible and distance instruction (on-line and web-conferencing) will be required for this position. While this position will be based out of the Lake of the Ozarks Campus, it is possible that the faculty member could be asked to travel and teach from one of the other State Fair Community College Campus locations, if the need arises.

This position is open to all individuals who meet the degree qualifications outlined below. The committee will give special consideration to individuals who have experience teaching a variety of college-level biology courses. Most importantly, we are looking for someone who demonstrates both enthusiasm for the subject and a passion for teaching.

Duties

The instructor will be responsible for the instruction and evaluation of student performance while maintaining the standards and integrity of both the science curricula and the institution. The instructor must be committed to retaining students and helping them achieve their academic goals through a sense of student-centeredness. The instructor will uphold the philosophy that students learn from frequent and timely feedback in a positive environment.

The ability to effectively communicate course content to today's college students through a variety of multi-media and other instructional strategies is highly desired. Furthermore, the instructor must be willing to continually improve instruction through professional development. The instructor must show a willingness to assume instructional-related responsibilities and leadership roles beyond the classroom such as mentoring adjuncts, serving as lead instructor, and serving on committees designed for problem solving and decision making on the division and institutional levels.

The instructor is expected to teach courses in a variety of delivery methods including four-week, eight-week, twelve-week and sixteen-week formats including on-ground, hybrid and online settings. The individual will be asked to teach an evening class(es) or, possibly, a dual credit class. Knowledge and experience with learning management systems is essential and maintaining a classroom presence utilizing this technology is expected for all sections, whether online or on ground.

In addition to the credit-hour expectations, SFCC faculty maintain a minimum of five student hours per week and are available during the college's operating hours, Monday through Friday.

As a full-time faculty member at an extended campus, this instructor will need to be able to work autonomously at their location but also work synonymously as a member of the science department team, which is dispersed among several different campus locations. However, as the only full-time science instructor at the Lake of the Ozarks campus, this candidate may be asked to take on unique leadership roles outside of their own classroom to better support and mentor part-time instructors who teach at LOZ, who may teach for departments other than science.

While this position is fully supported by faculty, staff, and administrators from Sedalia campus and LOZ campus, they are also undeniably separated by distance from other full-time faculty. Candidates should be prepared for this unique role.

The preceding duties have been provided as examples of the essential types of work performed by positions within this job classification. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind work assignments as needed. Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Qualifications

Candidate must have completed a Master's degree in biology, or a closely related field, with a minimum of 18 graduate hours in biology. At least three years of teaching experience with a demonstrated record of teaching excellence is preferred.

Preference is given to those with previous community college teaching experience, particularly those with experience teaching human anatomy and human physiology. Candidates should possess strong laboratory preparation skills, including the ability to set up and manage their own labs, appropriately handle…