Job Title
Discipline-Based Education Research (STEM), Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department
College of Basic and Applied Sciences
University Expectation
MTSU seeks candidates committed to innovative teaching and meaningful service. We also seek to attract culturally and academically diverse faculty who value working with diverse students.
Salary
The salary is $70,000 per year and includes a complete benefits package.
Job Summary/Basic Function
With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) invites applications for a cohort of up to four full-time Postdoctoral Research Fellows. We seek individuals with a terminal degree in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) fields who are interested in participating in an intensive two-year post-doctoral training program that will prepare them to conduct rigorous Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) and become boundary spanners in their respective fields. The program will provide scholars with extensive collaborative and individualized mentoring and professional development activities to prepare them for achieving their career goals related to DBER. Fellows will have opportunities to collaborate with faculty conducting DBER scholarship within MTSU’s Interdisciplinary Mathematics and Sciences Education Ph.D. Program and the Tennessee STEM Education Center, as well as with faculty in the College of Education. Successful candidates should desire to work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and cross-departmental team environment of professional staff, students, faculty, and administrators. Potential applicants who have completed a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline within five (5) years before the expected start date are encouraged to apply.
PROPS for DBER Program Description
The scholars will be supported by funding from the NSF STEM Education Organizational Postdoctoral Research Fellowship program (https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2329405&HistoricalAwards=false) titled Preparation and Refinement of Postdocs in STEM for Disciplinary-Based Education Research (PROPS for DBER, DGE-2329405). This program prepares graduates with doctoral degrees in a STEM field to conduct rigorous discipline-based education research (DBER). With strong domain knowledge in a STEM field and training in education research methods, the Fellows will be well-positioned for future careers in STEM departments to conduct research supporting effective teaching and learning.
PROPS for DBER Research Theme
Fellows will collaborate on interdisciplinary STEM education and individual DBER research projects to support their growth as scholars. The research theme for these projects will be around STEM faculty teaching professional development. This includes projects related to STEM graduate student teaching professional development (PI Gardner, www.gardnerresearchteam.com), increasing STEM instructor practices for creating inclusive classroom environments (PI Barnes, www.lizbarnes6.wixsite.com/spslab) effective teaching professional development for STEM faculty in evidence-based instruction, (PI Bleiler-Baxter, mtsu.edu/faculty/sarah-k-bleiler-baxter & PI Kaplan, mtsu.edu/faculty/jennifer-j-kaplan), STEM teacher leader identity development (PI Rushton, mtsu.edu/chemistry/faculty.php?faculty=grushton).
Required Education
A terminal degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) or a closely related field by the appointment date is required.
Other Desirables
Those with the following experience will receive special consideration.
- Mentoring and supervising junior researchers (i.e., graduate or undergraduate research assistants).
- Working collaboratively with various academic stakeholders.
- Oral and written communication of academic research.
- Conducting research in an academic setting.
Documents Needed to Apply
To successfully apply, applicants must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and research statement (as appropriate to the discipline) during the online application process.
Special Instruction to Applicants
For more information about serving as a faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University, please visit our faculty recruitment webpage at https://mtsu.edu/facultyrecruitment/.
If you need help applying, please contact Mitzi Dunkley, Faculty Recruitment Specialist, at (615) 898-5128. If you have position-specific questions, please Grant Gardner at Grant.Gardner@mtsu.edu.
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MTSU offers a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to the following:
- Sick Leave
- Vacation Leave for Administrative/Classified Staff/12-month Faculty
- 13 paid University holidays
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- Retirement plans
- Optional 401K and 403B Deferred Compensation Plans
- Educational benefits for the employee and their spouse and dependents
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MTSU is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that values diversity in all its forms. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.
Proof of U.S. citizenship or eligibility for U.S. employment is required before employment (Immigration Control Act of 1986). Clery Act crime statistics for MTSU are available at https://www.mtsu.edu/police/docs/2023AnnualSecurityReport.pdf or by contacting MTSU Public Safety at (615) 898-2424.
MTSU is a Tobacco & Drug-Free campus.
This position requires a criminal background check. Therefore, you must provide information about your criminal history to be considered.
For individuals requiring reasonable accommodation to apply: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with MTSU, please call 615-898-2929 or email emp@mtsu.edu.
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Application Review Date: 11/21/2023
