Assistant Clinical Professor – Technology & Applied Science

Position Summary / Purpose of Position:

The First-Year Innovation & Research Experience (FIRE) is a major initiative at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD).  FIRE provides first-year UMD students an inclusive faculty-mentored research experience that drives accelerated professional development and equality of opportunity.

The Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President is seeking full-time 12-month Assistant Clinical Professors to lead newly developed FIRE research streams. 

We specifically seek individuals who would design and launch new FIRE research streams in our Technology & Applied Science cluster (Computer Science, Engineering, Information & Data Science, Geographical Information Systems, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, and all related technolocal and highly computational disciplines).

FIRE Assistant Clinical Professors design and implement the group research agenda and are responsible for all research-related curriculum, instruction, and broad student mentorship.  The position empowers early-career faculty members to grow as research leaders, educators, mentors, and higher education professionals.

FIRE Assistant Clinical Professors work in collaboration with department-based UMD faculty members to design and implement the research agenda of a new FIRE research stream.  As the lead instructor of research-related FIRE courses, the FIRE Assistant Clinical Professors are tasked with providing an excellent educational experience through the development of a research-centered curriculum that allows for iteration: students engage in work that includes periods of uncertainty, setbacks, and unexpected outcomes and have the opportunity to repeat unsuccessful methodological attempts.  As the professional that works with FIRE-participating students, FIRE Assistant Clinical Professors provide personal, academic, research, and professional mentorship.

Expectations of Position:

• Ability to lead a team of undergraduate peer mentors through clear communication and management.
• Ability to develop instructional curriculum and protocols for research-based inquiry and discipline understanding.
• Ability to effectively teach undergraduate students in lecture and research-based environments.
• Ability to mentor students from research, academic and personal perspectives.
• Ability to assess student learning through the development of formative and summative assessments appropriate for inquiry-based instruction.
• Ability to manage research operations including student progress, equipment, consumables, and oversight of the fiscal budget.
• Ability to effectively communicate with stream faculty members, undergraduate peer mentors, students, and institutional colleagues.
• Ability to problem-solve, prioritize, and manage multiple projects and timelines. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively.
• Flexibility to grow, adapt and change as FIRE develops at UMD.

Multiple FIRE Assistant Clinical Professors positions will be supported with possible start dates in December 2022 and January 2023. 

Initial appointments will run through December 2023 with strong potential for annual renewals beginning in January 2024 per positive performance reviews. 

The position reports to the Director of Discovery-Based Learning in the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost.

More information about the FIRE program: https://fire.umd.edu/

More information about the FIRE research streams: https://www.fire.umd.edu/clusters

More information about the FIRE student experience: https://fire.umd.edu/about

More information about this position: https://fire.umd.edu/hiring

More information about current FIRE faculty: https://www.fire.umd.edu/contact-us

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. (title: Assistant Clinical Professor) or Master’s (title: Lecturer) degree.
• Active research interests and goals.