Teaching Support Manager

Department PSD Astronomy & Astrophysics: Administration and Staff About the Department The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics offers undergraduate (B.A., B.S.) and graduate (Ph.D.) degrees in Astrophysics, with a program for non-STEM undergraduates leading to a Minor in Astronomy and Astrophysics. The department has 32 teaching faculty, in addition to emeriti and research faculty. Job Summary The Teaching Support Manager has primary responsibility for undergraduate labs in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, including training and supervising teaching assistants, implementing improvements to labs, providing pedagogical support to teaching assistants and faculty, maintaining laboratory equipment and facilities, determining needed instrumentation and instructional materials, and procuring equipment and supplies. The ideal candidate is a creative, resourceful, and proactive professional who is knowledgeable about STEM education research and practice. Responsibilities Designs, constructs, and maintains labs each quarter, including preparing lab manuals, developing new labs, and revising existing labs. In collaboration with faculty instructors, develops and supports lecture demonstrations. Defines resource and operational objectives for the teaching laboratories and lecture demonstration facilities. Trains and manages graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants to support lab courses in the undergraduate programs, including scheduling lab sections and training. Train graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants in lab safety protocols. Updates Canvas course sites with lab assignments and grading tools. Maintains an online repository of developed lab projects with notes on implementation. Provides pedagogical support of a wide variety, including collaborating with faculty on course redesign and conceptualization of new labs. Maintains laboratory equipment, including ensuring the proper functioning and maintenance of a radio telescope, an optical telescope, a heliostat, and a CMB detector. Maintains and updates computer hardware and software regularly to meet current needs. Manages teaching laboratory/facility budget; determines needed instrumentation and instructional materials and oversees maintenance and ordering of equipment and supplies. Stays up to date with relevant astronomy and physics education research. Participates in departmental/divisional committees tasked with curricular matters. Prepares and tests lecture demonstrations to ensure consistency with course content. Works with faculty or staff to determine the suitability of demonstrations for specific lectures. Informs faculty of new demonstration developments and materials. Acts as a resource for and instructs faculty on the proper usage of technical scientific apparatus. Uses best practices and laboratory knowledge to promote safety in handling hazardous equipment and materials. Performs other related work as needed. Minimum Qualifications Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline. Certifications: --- Preferred Qualifications Education: Master?s Degree or higher in physics or a related discipline. Experience: Prior work experience in a laboratory based in an academic setting, with direct experience in developing and teaching labs. Experience supervising undergraduate and/or graduate students. Knowledge of and experience with research-based STEM teaching practices. Proficient in Python or another programming language. Background in experimental science. Experience with astronomical observations and instruments. Preferred Competencies High level of technical skill and physics knowledge. Strong programming background. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to work with minimal supervision is essential. Organized and detail-oriented. Working Conditions Laboratory, office, and classroom environments. Able to lift up to 30 pounds. Able to push carts with up to 50 pounds of material. Able to climb stairs, ladders, and stepladders. Able to sit for up to 2 hours. Able to use computers extensively for up to 2 hours. Able to stand for up to 2 hours. Application Documents: Resume (required) Cover Letter (preferred) References (preferred) Teaching philosophy statement (preferred) When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application. Job Family Academic Affairs Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 37.5 Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required No Pay Rate Type Salary FLSA Status Exempt Pay Range $70,000.00 - $85,000.00 The included pay rate or range represents the University?s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. Benefits Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook. 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