Assistant Professor- Program Chair for Biotechnology

Description

Who We Are: 

Are you ready to work at a dynamic institution that believes in higher education with lower obstacles? Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology (now known as Franklin Cummings Tech) is a nationally accredited non-profit, technical college serving Eastern Massachusetts and beyond. The college was seeded in 1791 with funds from the estate of Benjamin Franklin given to the City of Boston to proliferate access to education and level the playing field for aspiring talent with meager financial means. 

Today, Franklin Cummings Tech continues to build on that legacy by offering post-secondary education in high-demand technical and skilled trade fields that lead to excellent careers. Our majors intentionally focus on select industries connected to sustainability and the clean energy transition including electric vehicle technology, smart manufacturing, practical electricity, power engineering, heat pumps/HVAC, biotechnology, automation, construction management, and more. 

With a mission to deliver transformative technical and trade education that leads to economic advancement, we offer a unique mix of certificate and degree-granting programs that appeal to enterprising students and respond to employer’s demand for a well-prepared workforce. Intentional partnerships with the industries we serve coupled with high graduation and job placement rates, recently attracted the largest philanthropic gift in the history of the college from the Cummings Foundation.  

Last year, Franklin Cummings Tech educated more than 1,000 learners across three student types: 1) certificate and degree seekers, 2) continuing education clients, and 3) high schoolers pursuing early college. As further evidence that our mission holds resonance, this year the college tracked a 25% year-over-year jump in fall new student enrollment and applications soared.

We seek team members who are optimistic, entrepreneurial, data-informed, and excited about the prospect of continuing to strategically increase student success outcomes and total enrollment from 1,000 learners today to at least 1,500 learners by 2030. Join us in this mission-driven work!

Position Summary: We are seeking an entrepreneurial, collaborative, and outcomes-focused leader for the Biotechnology associate’s degree program who will also teach courses within it. The Program Chair will communicate a clear and compelling vision for the program to industry partners, funders, and prospective students. Partnering with faculty and colleagues across departments, the Chair ensures that all aspects of the program are designed and executed to promote economic advancement for students. A cover letter is required to be considered for this position.

Job Responsibilities:

• Plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise all Biotechnology program activities in alignment with institutional mission, values, and goals. 
• Facilitate the creation and revision of new courses and updated curriculum.
• Ensure the department remains up to date with current industry standards and practices. 
• Conduct effective outcomes assessments (such as Annual Program Reviews) and implement changes when needed.
• Participate in monthly department chair meetings and hold department-level faculty meetings and coordinate closely with the success coach and co-op liaison assigned to the Biotechnology program.
• Perform other duties as specified in the Employee Handbook. 

• Hire, onboard, and supervise all department faculty. 
• Provide feedback and coaching to department faculty, ensuring academic excellence, student engagement, and student success. 
• Promote college-wide initiatives and ensure that the Biotechnology program is actively involved in contributions to the college, including committee work, meetings, and events.
• Conduct annual performance review of department faculty based on classroom visits, faculty self-evaluation, student evaluations, contributions to department and college, and professional development.

• Teach courses within the program or as needed, across the curriculum. Program Chairs typically teach 1-2 courses per term.
• Fulfill all faculty responsibilities, as outlined in the Faculty Addendum to the Employee Handbook.

• Maintain a departmental budget with fiscal responsibility.
• Lead departmental budget development and implementation. 

• Facilitate the development of industry and community partnerships to build educational and financial resources. 
• Facilitate the department’s integration and involvement with the overall college community, including staff, faculty, and students. 

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited college.
• Minimum 2 years of teaching experience.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expertise in biotechnology, including all elements of the academic program and knowledge of industry requirements for entry-level roles.
• Substantial administrative, managerial, instructional, and student-centered skills paired with leadership ability. 
• Ability to mentor faculty to ensure academic excellence and student engagement.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills. 
• A collaborative and inclusive style with a commitment to ensuring economic opportunity for all. 

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field from an accredited university. 
• Two (2) or more years of industry experience. 
• Experience developing college-level curriculum. 
• Experience teaching online, including knowledge of proven approaches to synchronous and asynchronous online instruction. 

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position directly supervises 1 full-time faculty role and up to 3 adjunct instructors per semester. Responsibilities include hiring, training, scheduling, performance evaluation, and disciplinary actions.

Physical Requirements

Ability to undertake typical chemistry, biology, and biotechnology laboratory work:

• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods 
• Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds occasionally
• Ability for fine manipulation and grasping (e.g., pipetting, working under a hood with small instruments) for extended periods with repetition
• Ability to bend, stoop, squat, and twist 
• Correctible vision
• Ability to don PPE safely and appropriately
• Ability to operate standard office equipment

Reasonable accommodation(s) may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Work Environment

• This role will be exposed to typical conditions in a college-level chemistry, biology, or biotechnology lab.
• Must be able to respond to operational needs outside of normal working hours, if required.

Employee Expectations

All employees are expected to support the college’s student-centered mission, contribute to institutional growth and innovation, and collaborate across departments to improve student recruitment, retention, graduation, and career placement outcomes. 

Our college is an in-person institution. Campus presence is the default expectation for all employees. In-person presence remains the expectation and the standard for all staff. Flex arrangements are a discretionary privilege, not a right, and may be modified or discontinued if it is determined that flex arrangements are diminishing service quality, team cohesion, or responsiveness to students, external partners, and colleagues. The student experience and fidelity of institutional operations take priority over individual schedule preferences.

The salary for this position is $78,000-$93,000 (depends on experience). This position is exempt. 

Please note: Franklin Cummings Tech is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States on an ongoing basis without sponsorship to be considered for this position at Franklin Cummings Tech.

Franklin Cummings Tech is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.