Assistant Laboratory Director

Department

PSD Chemistry: Teaching Leadership

About the Department

One of the first departments founded at the University of Chicago is the Department of Chemistry. Since its inception, the Department of Chemistry has embodied the University's central mission of excellence in both research and teaching. The University of Chicago has been the recipient of more than 73 Nobel Prize recipients, 15 of which came from the Department of Chemistry. Our current faculty has considerable strength in inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, as well as in interdisciplinary research that delves into biology, physics, and materials science.
The Department is a community of over 500, including faculty, students, postdoctoral scholars and staff. Our academic support group operates the graduate and undergraduate educational programs for the department, including 60 undergraduate Chemistry majors and nearly 300 graduate students. Close student-faculty interactions have been a hallmark of our Department for over a century. These have fostered a unique intellectual environment that both ensures superb graduate education and continues to produce important and exciting scientific discoveries.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Instructional Faculty, the Assistant Laboratory Director directly supports General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and other laboratory offerings from the Department of Chemistry’s undergraduate curriculum. In support of and, in collaboration with faculty instructors, this individual is accountable managing undergraduate laboratory sections and is responsible for ensuring the safe, effective, and efficient operation of teaching laboratories. This role may be responsible for supervising laboratory staff.

Responsibilities

• Designs, constructs, and maintains labs each quarter, including preparing lab manuals, developing new labs, and revising existing labs.
• In collaboration with faculty instructors, develops and supports lecture demonstrations.
• Defines resource and operational objectives for the teaching laboratories and lecture demonstration facilities.
• Trains and manages graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants as well as laboratory managers and technicians to support lab courses in the undergraduate programs.
• Trains graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants as well as laboratory managers and technicians in lab safety protocols.
• Develops lab curriculum for general and organic chemistry.
• Helps in the development and execution of laboratory components of other undergraduate classes, including advanced laboratory courses and physical science courses.
• Oversees lab sections, including potential evening laboratories, and prepares and compiles lab materials.
• Assists the general chemistry and organic chemistry lab directors in executing the lab components of the undergraduate courses.
• Assists with the pedagogical development within the Chemistry department.
• Provides administrative support for general and organic chemistry courses.
• Oversees the preparation of chemical solutions and other materials needed for experiments in the teaching laboratories. Prepares the laboratories for class each day and oversees proper setup.
• Oversees and generates assignments for Laboratory Manager direct reports.
• Prepares and tests lecture demonstrations to ensure consistency with course content. Works with faculty or staff to determine the suitability of demonstrations for specific lectures. Informs faculty of new demonstration developments and materials.
• Acts as a resource for and instructs faculty on the proper usage of technical scientific apparatus. Uses best practices and laboratory knowledge to promote safety in handling hazardous equipment and materials.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:        

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry or a related field.

Experience:       

• Research laboratory experience.
• Relevant experience handling and managing chemicals.
• Background managing chemical inventory and purchasing.
• Background managing laboratory technicians.

Preferred Competencies

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including the ability to communicate effectively to resolve problems.
• Work proactively to anticipate future needs.
• Gather feedback and adjust as needed.
• Stay organized and manage and prioritize work.

Working Conditions

• Wet and dry laboratory environments.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)
• References Contact Information (3)(preferred)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.
When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Academic Affairs

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$75,000.00 - $90,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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