Job description

Salary: $68,000.00 – $70,000.00 Annually

Location: Aurora, IL

Job Type: Full-Time Faculty

Job Number: 202500219

College/School: College of Health and Sciences – School of Natural Sciences, Technology, and Math

Department:
Biology

Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.

AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.

We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found here.

Position Purpose:

The Biology Lecturer will teach upper- and lower-level undergraduate biology lecture and laboratory courses with a strong commitment to student learning, academic excellence, and student success. The successful candidate will contribute to Aurora University’s strategic commitment to expanding flexible, high-quality educational opportunities through innovative face-to-face, hybrid, and online learning experiences, as appropriate, that support diverse learners and evolving workforce needs. Responsibilities include supporting student-centered teaching practices, mentoring students, assisting the laboratory manager with biology-related preparation and oversight, and contributing to departmental initiatives focused on curricular innovation, retention, and academic engagement. Availability to teach late afternoon and evening courses is essential.

Core Competencies:

1. Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with prospective, former, and current students, clients, suppliers, and the community we serve.
2. Upholds the Mission Statement: At Aurora University, our singular goal is to empower students to achieve lasting personal and professional success. We do this by being an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and purposeful lives.
3. Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of university business.
4. Supports learning through performance of essential job functions and participation in university committees, activities, and events as appropriate.
5. Demonstrates adaptability, innovation, and a commitment to continuous learning through the effective use of instructional technologies and teaching practices that support student engagement across multiple learning modalities.

Essential Job Functions:

• Teach undergraduate biology lecture and laboratory courses in face-to-face, hybrid, and online modalities as assigned.
• Assist the laboratory manager with biology-related preparation, organization, and oversight.
• Utilize instructional technologies and learning management systems to support effective teaching and learning experiences.
• Participate in departmental and institutional efforts related to curriculum development, assessment, retention, recruitment, and continuous improvement.
• Engage in professional development related to area of expertise and emerging instructional technologies and innovative teaching practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Essential Job Requirements:

• Applicants must hold a master’s or doctoral degree in biology or tested experience.
• Preferred candidates will have teaching experience in General Biology, Microbiology, Genetics, or other biology-related courses, including experience or demonstrated interest in hybrid and online instruction, instructional technology, and student-centered pedagogy.
• Applicants should demonstrate excellence in undergraduate teaching, a commitment to mentoring students, and the ability to support diverse learners across instructional modalities. The successful candidate is expected to contribute to departmental service activities, including curriculum development, student retention initiatives, recruitment efforts, and collaborative departmental engagement.
• Availability to teach late afternoon and evening courses is expected.

Skills:

• Solid understanding of Microsoft and Apple operating systems.
• Experience using instructional technologies and learning management systems preferred.
• Excellent written, oral, and presentation communication skills.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing collaboratively within a team environment.
• Ability to accept divergent viewpoints while maintaining constructive working relationships with colleagues and students.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work with a computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to attend off-campus meetings and university events.
• Office and laboratory setting including standing, walking, and sitting.

Work Hours:

• Expected equivalent of 40 hours per week; days and hours may vary based on instructional and departmental needs. Flexible or hybrid work arrangements may be considered in alignment with instructional responsibilities, student engagement expectations, and university policies supporting effective teaching and learning across modalities.

Special Requirements:

• A valid driver’s license and driving record that meets institutional requirements is required.
• Requires travel between campus locations or attendance at off-site meetings and events.

The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.

Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.

How to apply

Apply now

Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to becoming a model university of the twenty-first century. Toward this effort we are determined to have a faculty, staff, and student body reflecting the cultural demographics of the Greater Chicagoland Area. Hence, we especially encourage persons of color to apply.