The Department of Fish and Wildlife invites applicants for a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term Instructor/Curator position. Reappointment at the discretion of the Department Head.
This position is essential to maintaining the nationally and internationally recognized operation of Oregon State University’s collections of Fishes, Birds, Mammals and Aquatic Invertebrates, which are held within the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. The Oregon State Ichthyology Collection (OSIC) is the largest of these, holding approximately 225,000 specimens of preserved fishes, as well associated skeletal and genetic material. The OSIC is actively growing, recently renovated, and heavily utilized for research on the diversity of marine and freshwater fishes in the Pacific Northwest, as well as other regions of the world. The approximately 10,000 specimens in the Mammalogy Collection, the 9000 specimens in the Ornithology Collection and 5000 specimens in the Aquatic Invertebrate Collection represent important regional resources that support study and identification of Oregon’s biodiversity. All four collections support extensive educational and outreach programs.
The Instructor/Curator will teach three to four Ecampus or summer session courses per year on topics related to zoology, taxonomy, systematics, ecology, evolution, natural history, conservation and curation; manage and curate OSU’s collections of fishes, mammals, birds and aquatic Invertebrates, train and direct undergraduate collections assistants, produce scholarly work related to research, curation or outreach using natural history collections, and provide service to the department, university and profession.
The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife is an academic unit that reports to the College of Agricultural Sciences. The Department is composed of approximately 400 staff – including faculty, research assistants, support staff, graduate students, temporary staff and undergraduate students.
Approximately $8 million of externally funded research grants/contracts are received each year. Major cooperator and funding sources include most state and federal resources agencies. Cooperation is formalized through the department’s participation in the Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.
The mission of the Department is to discover, integrate and disseminate knowledge about wildlife and fisheries resources, as well as ecosystems and human communities with which they interrelate. It accomplishes this through an interconnected program of 1) undergraduate and graduate education; 2) scholarly research; and 3) extended education.
Our Extended Education program (E-Campus) has approximately 45 courses, with approximately 2,200 students each year. Many of these courses are offered four times per academic year.
Position Duties:
45% Teaching
• Teach and revise three to four Ecampus or summer session courses per year. Such classes might include established offerings in Systematics of Fishes, Systematics of Birds and Systematics of Mammals that use material from Oregon State University’s natural history collections, or other courses in zoology, taxonomy, systematics, ecology, evolution, natural history, conservation and curation. The list of classes taught will depend in part on the specific expertise of the successful candidate, and may include development of one new course on a topic of mutual interest to the department and candidate.
40% Collections Management and Curation
• Accession, identify and catalogue specimens into collections of fishes, birds, mammals and aquatic invertebrates.
• Document and ship loans of specimens from OSU’s collections of fishes, birds, mammals and aquatic invertebrates to other researchers in accordance with national and international regulations.
• Process paperwork and curate specimens associated with loan returns.
• Maintain and augment electronic specimen databases.
• Ensure that the collections adhere to state and federal chemical, fire and earthquake safety standards.
• Ensure compliance with OSU safety certifications.
• Write and update standard operating procedures.
• Maintain and organize records of permits, loans and other collections-related documents.
• Maintain and order chemical and physical supplies needed for collections management.
• Digitize specimen data and images.
• Respond to information requests from scientists and members of the public.
• Develop Animal and Care and Use plans related to specimen collection for the departmental collections.
• Contribute writing to grant proposals related to curation of and research using the collections.
• Prepare annual reports for permitting and granting agencies.
• Train, mentor and direct undergraduate assistants working on specimen accession, identification, cataloging, curation, shipment, and databasing, educational outreach events, and the upkeep and maintenance of the collections’ physical space.
5% Scholarship
• Produce scholarly work related to research, curation or outreach using natural history collections. Examples could include the description of new species, preparation of faunal checklists, distribution maps or taxonomic identification keys, articles on curatorial best practices, or the design and dissemination of educational outreach curricula based on natural history specimens.
10% Service
• Serve the department, university and profession by participating on committees, mentoring undergraduates, offering training or outreach workshops, taking a leadership role in relevant professional societies, or in other ways.
Minimum/Required Qualifications
- Masters degree in vertebrate zoology, ichthyology, mammalogy, ornithology, museum studies, or a related field.
- Interest in and enthusiasm for online college-level teaching.
- Prior experience working with specimens and data from natural history collections.
- Ability to handle specimens in formalin, ethanol, isopropanol and other common preservatives.
- Commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.
Preferred (Special) Qualifications
- Ph.D. in vertebrate zoology, ichthyology, mammalogy, ornithology, museum studies, or a related field.
- Prior experience with curation and management of natural history collections, such as experience working with and managing relational databases, digitizing and imaging specimens from natural history collections, and familiarity with federal, state and international regulations surrounding the collection and transport of natural history specimens.
- Taxonomic knowledge of fishes, birds and/or mammals.
- Demonstrated success teaching undergraduates.
- Experience in online instruction.
- A record of scholarship related to specimens and/or data from natural history collections.
- Record of/commitment to working with members of underrepresented or under served groups.
- Life experience, education, or training that broadens capacity to equalize student success or impact under served audiences.
- Demonstrated success applying for external funding.
For Details and to Apply, go to https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/postings/24008
posting number: P00199UF
Closing Date: 05/08/2016