Postdoctoral Teaching & Learning Fellow
The University of British Columbia, Vancouver invites applications for a Postdoctoral Teaching & Learning Fellow, associated with the Master of Data Science (MDS) program. This program is a collaborative effort of the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Statistics, within the Faculty of Science. The Fellow will be based in the Department of Statistics but work closely with colleagues from both departments.
The MDS program focusses on the innovative and responsible use of Data Science tools across a broad spectrum of data types and domain areas. It is a 10-month, full-time program, delivered in course modules of two-week and four-week durations. The last two months are devoted to a capstone project. The first cohort of students began their studies in September 2016.
The Fellow will:
- Take a lead role in planning and delivering the capstone course.
- Mentor students in their capstone projects.
- Liaise with capstone project partners.
- Identify and develop instructional materials, including appropriate datasets, in collaboration with participating faculty.
- Be the primary instructor for a subset of the modules and provide instructional support to other faculty instructors for others.
- Supervise teaching assistants.
- Foster a positive learning environment for MDS students and be a continuous presence with the student cohort.
- Work with MDS Directors and faculty to expand the MDS curriculum and keep it current.
- Liaise with other UBC units engaged in Data Science teaching and learning initiatives.
We aim to recruit a junior scholar who is committed to both the practice and the teaching of Data Science and who is drawn to an academic environment. The position is subject to final budgetary approval. The Fellow will be appointed for up to one year with an anticipated start date of January 1st, 2017. The Fellow will primarily report to the MDS Academic Program Director. We anticipate being able to offer a competitive salary compared to norms for postdoctoral fellowships.
Applicants should hold a PhD in an area relevant to Data Science and have some background in Statistics. They should have experience in at least one of these areas and enthusiasm for all: practical data management and analysis; teaching at the postgraduate level; curriculum development; R/Python/SQL; version control and other practices related to collaborative and reproducible scientific work. Inquiries about qualifications can be directed to jenny@stat.ubc.ca.
UBC hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We especially welcome applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Applicants should compile a single PDF file with the following elements: cover letter, curriculum vitae, contact information for three references, and any other pertinent information (e.g., evidence of teaching effectiveness or links to relevant data scientific work). The cover letter should specifically address how this position relates to the applicant’s experience and career aspirations. The file should be sent to Smith@science.ubc.ca. Applications will be reviewed as they arrive; those received by November 15th 2016 will receive full consideration.