Assistant Professor, Biology & Earth Systems Science

The Department of Biology and Earth Systems Sciences (BESS) at Wilkes University invites applications for two tenure-track positions at the Assistant Professor level to begin fall semester 2023.  Both positions involve a mix of teaching, scholarship – including directing undergraduate student research – and service to the university and community including academic advising and committee work.  A Ph.D. is required and postdoctoral experience is preferred.  The successful candidates will demonstrate an authentic interest in teaching undergraduates, and show promise of excellence as an educator and scholar.

Environmental Plant Biologist

The ideal candidate for this position will be a broadly trained environmental biologist with expertise in plants.  Teaching responsibilities will include upper-level courses in plant sciences for our biology curriculum, as well as courses within our environmental science programs.  Courses of interest on the biology side may include plant ecology, systematics, or physiology, as well as ethnobotany, forestry, horticulture, or related areas.  Courses of interest on the environmental science side may include intro to environmental sciences, freshwater ecosystems, oceanography, or environmental data analysis.  The successful candidate will also direct research on topics that would be of interest to, and suitable for, undergraduate biology and/or environmental science majors.

BESS offers a wide range of facilities and support for teaching and research.  Relevant to this position, facilities include a greenhouse, growth chambers, a collections center that includes the Rosenthal Herbarium, and extensive plant physiological and ecological equipment.  Resources to support environmentally-related research include the Center for Geographic Information Science, various labs and spaces (e.g., water and air quality labs, soils lab, sedimentology lab, and microscopy lab), field equipment and supplies, aerial and ground-based spatial and image data acquisition, and a supercomputing cluster.  The university owns a cranberry bog, and a 120-acre ecology preserve that includes forest, stream, pond, and meadow habitats.  Northeast Pennsylvania has varied ecosystem types and no shortage of environmental opportunities.

Neurophysiologist

The successful candidate for this position will be expected to teach upper-level courses in the areas of neurobiology, physiology, and anatomy in support of the Biology and Neuroscience majors, and to participate in delivery of introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology lectures and laboratories.  Research and teaching experience in molecular neurobiology is preferred.  The successful candidate will also be expected to develop a productive neurobiology research laboratory in their area of expertise involving undergraduate students.

To support this position, the BESS Department has a variety of facilities and equipment available for teaching and research.  They include a fully equipped vivarium with a set of 12 metabolic cages, a genomics center with PCR machines and other standard equipment for molecular biology work, and a tissue culture laboratory with a new P2 biological safety cabinet and incubators. The Physiology teaching laboratory is equipped with ADInstruments PowerLabs and LabChart 8 for physiological recording.  BESS also offers an electrophysiological equipment setup for intracellular and extracellular recording, and microscopes for phase contrast, darkfield, and fluorescence microscopy, among many other items.

To apply:

To apply for either position, visit https://wilkesuniversitycareers.applicantpro.com/jobs/.  A complete application will consist of a cover letter, CV, teaching statement, research statement, and the names of three references. Review of applications will begin 28 November 2022, and will continue until the position is filled.

About Wilkes:

Wilkes University is an independent, comprehensive university dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts, sciences, and selected professional programs. The University has approximately 2,200 students at the undergraduate level and over 1,200 full time equivalent students at the graduate and first professional levels.

Wilkes institutional focus is on developing strong mentoring relationships with each of its students and contributing vitally to economic development of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The University is located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a revitalized city that is located on the scenic Susquehanna River and is within two and one-half hours driving distance of New York City and Philadelphia.

Wilkes University is constantly seeking to become a more diverse community and to enhance its capacity to value and capitalize on the cultural richness that diversity brings.  The University strongly encourages applications from persons with diverse backgrounds. Wilkes University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, sex/gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital or family status, military or veteran status, or genetic information.  The BESS Department, as well as other departments at Wilkes, are highly collaborative and student-centered.