"Biology - Assistant Professor - Human Anatomy"

Mission or Goal of Unit:

The mission of the College of Humanities and Sciences is to serve as the intellectual heart and soul of our institution and wider community. The College of Humanities and Sciences:

• Prepares lifelong learners to participate actively as engaged and responsible citizens
• Propels scientific research and scholarship to improve the human condition, cure and treat diseases, and promote healthy environments
• Grounds us in our history, critically examines our present human condition and empowers students to create more equitable local and global communities
• Provides communities with a passionate and creative workforce that serves as a powerful engine for economic development and innovative solutions to problems

As the intellectual lifeblood of VCU and our community, the College of Humanities and Sciences seeks to inspire our students to explore their passions and dreams as individuals and provide the context to understand their place in the world and connections with others—locally, globally and throughout time. Most importantly, our educational and research environment addresses an array of technological, health-related and societal problems, as well as providing profound insights and reflections of what it means to be human and humane.

Chief Purpose of this position:

The Department of Biology seeks applicants for the position of Assistant Professor (9-month non-tenure eligible with renewable annual contract) whose expertise in teaching human anatomy, introductory biology and their area of expertise will contribute to the teaching and service missions of the Department, School, and College. This position will be housed in the School for Life Sciences and Sustainability and report to the school Director. The biology curriculum focuses on active and hands-on experiential learning that aligns with the changing and diverse needs of students.

Position Responsibilities:

This position has both teaching (80%) and service (20%) effort allocations. Primary responsibilities for instruction will support the existing course in Human Anatomy (both lectures and labs, online and in-person modalities), and other courses as needed by the department (e.g., introductory biology courses for majors and non-majors), as well as to develop upper-level courses aligned with the individual’s expertise.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Biology or a related field, with evidence of degree completion
• Experience teaching human anatomy, human biology, vertebrate anatomy, or related lecture and lab courses
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience teaching at the undergraduate level (or equivalent)
• Experience teaching large-enrollment lectures
• Experience teaching online courses effectively
• Experience using Canvas to manage and design courses.
• Demonstrated commitment to teaching excellence using innovative, active and evidence-based pedagogy
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple work priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively as a team member.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a premier urban, public research university in historic Richmond, Virginia, a vibrant, prosperous metropolitan area of approximately 1.18 million people. With over 2,400 full-time faculty members, VCU educates more than 28,000 students on two campuses: the Monroe Park campus and the VCU Health campus. The Department of Biology (https://biology.vcu.edu/), consisting of 47 full-time tenure and non-tenure faculty and staff members, provides an innovative curriculum with hands-on experiential learning opportunities integrated with research areas in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology; Evolution; and Ecological Processes and Applications. Beginning in the Fall of 2025, the Biology program will reside in the new School for Life Sciences and Sustainability, which will bring together more than 60 full-time faculty in the College of Humanities and Sciences (https://chs.vcu.edu/). The Biology Department and other programs in the School for Life Sciences and Sustainability provide a solid foundation to support undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biology, Environmental Studies, Bioinformatics, and Integrative Life Sciences. These programs prepare graduate and undergraduate students for advanced academic study, admission to professional health programs, employment in laboratory and field programs, jobs in private industry, positions with government agencies, and teaching in secondary schools.

Position Type:

Teaching & Research Faculty

Full time equivalent:

100

ORP Eligible:

Yes

Tenture:

Ineligible

Rank:

Assistant Professor

Months:

9

Department:

Department of Biology

Contact Information:

Contact Name: Dr. Cara Cario

Contact Email: chcario@vcu.edu

Contact Phone: 828-1562