What are the responsibilities and job description for the Teaching & Research Postdoctoral Associate in Chemistry position at Elizabethtown College?
Description
Elizabethtown College Professor of Chemistry, James A. MacKay, invites applicants for a Teaching and Research Postdoctoral Associate.
The position, which advances an NSF sponsored collaborative project titled “Nucleobase-Modified PNA for Sequence Selective Triple-Helical Recognition of Non-Coding RNA,” has been developed specifically for those interested in preparing for a career as a research-active faculty member at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI). The grant is in collaboration with Professor Eriks Rozners at Binghamton University. This is a one year grant funded position with the option to renew for a second year and is pursuant to federal government actions. Please note, due to this position being grant funded and short length of term, visa sponsorship will not be available for international applicants.
Part of the School of Sciences and Health at Elizabethtown College, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry consists of five full-time faculty members who value collaboration, diversity of backgrounds and ideas, equity, interdisciplinary thinking, and student-focused teaching. Following a teacher-scholar model, faculty members in the department engage undergraduates in meaningful research and scientific advancement. Examples of recent outcomes from this model include the recent successful hire of a previous postdoctoral associate at a PUI, publications in peer-reviewed journals with undergraduate and postdoctoral co-authors, presentations at national and international meetings, four Goldwater Scholarship awards, novel curricular developments, and multiple placements of students into top graduate programs or industrial positions.
The successful applicant will be dedicated to research in the MacKay and Rozners labs on sequence-specific recognition of double-stranded RNA using triplex-forming peptide nucleic acids (PNAs). They will be responsible for design and synthesis of new PNA monomers for incorporation into PNA to modulate the structure and function of complex non-coding regulatory RNAs. Research will involve organic synthesis and heterocyclic chemistry, and the postdoctoral associate will mentor undergraduate student research projects and help with the maintenance of group instrumentation. Further, the experience will be enriched though collaboration with Binghamton University graduate students and postdoctoral research assistants. Expected outcomes include presentation of research at national meetings and publication of results in scientific journals.
The Postdoctoral Associate will be responsible for teaching two or three introductory undergraduate lecture and/or laboratory courses per academic year. They will participate in mentoring activities offered by the College, the PI, and the research collaborator, to support teaching, research, and preparation for a faculty role at a PUI.
Requirements
A Ph.D. in chemistry, chemical biology, or related field is required. Given the nature of the teaching and research requirements, a strong background in organic chemistry is essential. ABD candidates will be reviewed with the expectation that a defense date would be set before the agreed upon start date.
For full consideration, please provide cover letter, CV, statement of teaching philosophy, research statement and contact information for (3) individuals who will be contacted by Elizabethtown College to provide letters of recommendation on your behalf. Review of applicants is ongoing and will continue until the position is filled.
While the start date is negotiable, given the nature of courses that must be taught, the candidate must be relocated to Pennsylvania by August 1st for a fall semester start. Please note in the cover letter your expected availability.
Preferred Qualifications
The successful applicant should have many of the following desired qualifications and interests: Specific expertise in synthetic chemistry, heterocycle synthesis and/or computational modeling of nucleic acids is highly desirable. As this position is aimed at providing an early-career, developmental experience, the preferred candidate’s Ph.D. should have been earned during the last five years. Additionally, preferred candidates will have a track record of demonstrated success in high-quality teaching of undergraduate students from culturally diverse backgrounds and varying levels of preparedness in general, organic, bioorganic, and/or biophysical chemistry.
Elizabethtown College Professor of Chemistry, James A. MacKay, invites applicants for a Teaching and Research Postdoctoral Associate.
The position, which advances an NSF sponsored collaborative project titled “Nucleobase-Modified PNA for Sequence Selective Triple-Helical Recognition of Non-Coding RNA,” has been developed specifically for those interested in preparing for a career as a research-active faculty member at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI). The grant is in collaboration with Professor Eriks Rozners at Binghamton University. This is a one year grant funded position with the option to renew for a second year and is pursuant to federal government actions. Please note, due to this position being grant funded and short length of term, visa sponsorship will not be available for international applicants.
Part of the School of Sciences and Health at Elizabethtown College, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry consists of five full-time faculty members who value collaboration, diversity of backgrounds and ideas, equity, interdisciplinary thinking, and student-focused teaching. Following a teacher-scholar model, faculty members in the department engage undergraduates in meaningful research and scientific advancement. Examples of recent outcomes from this model include the recent successful hire of a previous postdoctoral associate at a PUI, publications in peer-reviewed journals with undergraduate and postdoctoral co-authors, presentations at national and international meetings, four Goldwater Scholarship awards, novel curricular developments, and multiple placements of students into top graduate programs or industrial positions.
The successful applicant will be dedicated to research in the MacKay and Rozners labs on sequence-specific recognition of double-stranded RNA using triplex-forming peptide nucleic acids (PNAs). They will be responsible for design and synthesis of new PNA monomers for incorporation into PNA to modulate the structure and function of complex non-coding regulatory RNAs. Research will involve organic synthesis and heterocyclic chemistry, and the postdoctoral associate will mentor undergraduate student research projects and help with the maintenance of group instrumentation. Further, the experience will be enriched though collaboration with Binghamton University graduate students and postdoctoral research assistants. Expected outcomes include presentation of research at national meetings and publication of results in scientific journals.
The Postdoctoral Associate will be responsible for teaching two or three introductory undergraduate lecture and/or laboratory courses per academic year. They will participate in mentoring activities offered by the College, the PI, and the research collaborator, to support teaching, research, and preparation for a faculty role at a PUI.
Requirements
A Ph.D. in chemistry, chemical biology, or related field is required. Given the nature of the teaching and research requirements, a strong background in organic chemistry is essential. ABD candidates will be reviewed with the expectation that a defense date would be set before the agreed upon start date.
- Candidates must articulate a desire to be a research-active teacher-scholar at a PUI.
- Candidates must bring experience, aptitude, and enthusiasm for research and have a solid record of publication.
- Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team and experience mentoring early career research (typically for undergraduates) is also essential.
For full consideration, please provide cover letter, CV, statement of teaching philosophy, research statement and contact information for (3) individuals who will be contacted by Elizabethtown College to provide letters of recommendation on your behalf. Review of applicants is ongoing and will continue until the position is filled.
While the start date is negotiable, given the nature of courses that must be taught, the candidate must be relocated to Pennsylvania by August 1st for a fall semester start. Please note in the cover letter your expected availability.
Preferred Qualifications
The successful applicant should have many of the following desired qualifications and interests: Specific expertise in synthetic chemistry, heterocycle synthesis and/or computational modeling of nucleic acids is highly desirable. As this position is aimed at providing an early-career, developmental experience, the preferred candidate’s Ph.D. should have been earned during the last five years. Additionally, preferred candidates will have a track record of demonstrated success in high-quality teaching of undergraduate students from culturally diverse backgrounds and varying levels of preparedness in general, organic, bioorganic, and/or biophysical chemistry.