Curriculum Fellow in Neurobiology

The Harvard Medical School Curriculum Fellows Program (HMS CFP) welcomes applications for a Curriculum Fellow (CF) in Neurobiology. The CFP is a postdoctoral service and training program intended for early-career scientist-educators, focused on curriculum development, teaching, and educational programming in the biological and biomedical sciences.

Curriculum Fellows are part of a larger cohort and work closely with members of the Harvard faculty and administration to develop, deploy, and evaluate evidence-based graduate training. Fellows also receive mentorship and career advising to support their development as educators and help them succeed in a variety of education-focused careers. CFs are typically appointed as Research Fellow and are expected to advance to Lecturer during their appointment. CFs are also encouraged to pursue additional activities that align with their professional goals, such as publishing research, participating in academic conferences, or teaching at local universities. More details can be found on our website (https://curriculumfellows.hms.harvard.edu/).

The CF in Neurobiology will develop and support courses and programming that will enhance the education of the next generation of neuroscientists through an interdisciplinary curriculum spanning biophysics, cellular and molecular biology, and systems/computational neuroscience. As a member of the Department of Neurobiology, the CF will play a key role in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience (PiN) and in the affiliated PiNBAC program, which prepares post-baccalaureate students for further graduate education in neuroscience. The ideal start date for the Curriculum Fellow in Neuroscience is on or before July 1, 2023 at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. The CF appointment is renewable annually for a maximum of three years and is non-tenure-track.

The Neurobiology Curriculum Fellow will work independently and in collaboration with PiN faculty to:

• Strengthen the PiN curriculum by working with course and program directors to define and implement broad curricular goals and learning objectives and to implement pedagogical practices in the classroom that lead to improved educational outcomes.
• Assist the Course Directors of Neurobiology 215, the primary neuroscience survey course, with course organization and management. The CF will help to plan the syllabus, develop learning resources such as student handouts and exams, oversee the recruitment and training of graduate teaching fellows for the course, and help faculty to employ effective teaching practices that also create an inclusive and equitable learning environment for incoming graduate students from all backgrounds.
• Work with PiN leadership and faculty to develop new course electives on advanced topics in neuroscience that employ effective teaching practices and meet the current needs of the students.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to teach quantitative skills to PiN and PiNBAC students by integrating activities into current courses, helping to establish new courses and workshops, and supporting the PiN Certificate in Computational Neuroscience.
• Partner with PiNBAC leadership to expand and implement a new curriculum aimed towards preparing talented post-baccalaureate students for PhD programs.
• Lecture in courses and/or lead recitation sessions related to PiN or PiNBAC.
• Collaborate with PiN administration to organize orientation and other events for PiN faculty and students.
• Contribute to Departmental and PiN efforts to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) in neuroscience. Create and share additional education resources of general use to departmental graduate students and postdoctoral trainees.

The Neurobiology Curriculum Fellow will also have specific responsibilities to the CFP:

• Participate in weekly CFP group meetings and pedagogical journal clubs.
• Present at university-wide workshops on curricular and pedagogical topics.
• Developing the curriculum for the NIH-mandated Responsible Conduct of Science (RCOS) course.
• Assist with the organization of the Graduate Science Education Series (GSES), https://curriculumfellows.hms.harvard.edu/graduate-science-education-series

Qualifications, job skills, and competencies:

• A Ph.D. in Neurobiology or a related field by the time of appointment.
• Prior experience or demonstrated interest in teaching.
• Outstanding commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB).
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Outstanding writing, organizational, and event planning skills.
• Demonstrated capacity for independence, perseverance, innovation, and teamwork.
• Training in quantitative approaches and/or computational neuroscience is relevant but not required.

To apply:

Only complete applications submitted by the relevant deadline will receive a full review. The deadline to apply is February 17, 2023.

To apply, CLICK HERE, or copy the application URL into your browser: https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/12041. Below are the required application materials needed to apply:

• A cover letter that addresses your interest in and qualifications for the position.
• A curriculum vitae.
• A teaching statement following our Teaching Statement Guidelines, https://curriculumfellows.hms.harvard.edu/teaching-statement-guidelines. The teaching statement is an opportunity to describe your philosophy of teaching in the context of your own experiences. A discussion of diversity, equity and inclusion is an important component of the teaching statement.
• The names and contact information of three professional references.

If you have any questions specific to the program or fellowship, please email: cfp@hms.harvard.edu.

We are committed to cultivating an inclusive workplace culture (https://hr.fas.harvard.edu/inclusive-culture) of faculty, staff, and students with diverse backgrounds, styles, abilities, and motivations. We appreciate and leverage the capabilities, insights, and ideas of all individuals.

Harvard Medical School Mission and Community Values: https://hms.harvard.edu/about-hms/campus-culture/mission-community-values-diversity-statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.