Clinical Faculty- Greenhouse Management and Teaching

University of Illinois Chicago•Chicago, IL

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Illinois Chicago’s Department of Biological Sciences is hiring an Assistant or Associate Rank Clinical Faculty member to serve as Greenhouse Manager for the Plant Research Laboratory (PRL). This renewable, non-tenure-track, full-time position combines operational oversight of a shared research and teaching facility with undergraduate instruction and student engagement. The position supports the department’s and university’s teaching, research, and service missions. The flexible start date is preferably by May 2027. The PRL is an urban research and education facility with 3,600 square feet of glasshouses on a one-acre outdoor area with experimental gardens. It supports research in plant ecology, evolution, and physiology; undergraduate courses; and outreach activities, including urban ecological monitoring, conservation projects, and school gardens in the Chicago region. The position is intended to be eligible for benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, a retirement plan, paid time off, and tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Requirements

Ph.D. in plant biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated experience with greenhouse operations, plant care, or controlled-environment systems.
Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience teaching at the undergraduate level.
Demonstrated ability to integrate research facilities into curriculum and student projects.
Practical knowledge of horticultural, mechanical, or environmental control systems.

Responsibilities

Oversee day-to-day greenhouse operations, including plant collections, environmental control systems, scheduling, safety, compliance, and coordination of users.
Maintain the greenhouse and selected outdoor spaces as functional environments for research and teaching.
Supervise staff and student workers in collaboration with departmental administration.
Teach at least one course per semester based on the PRL grounds and greenhouses, focusing on botany, plant evolution, urban ecology, and/or related areas.
Support laboratory modules and experiential components of existing BIOS courses.
Maintain living collections and instructional materials supporting instruction on biodiversity and natural history.
Facilitate faculty- and student-led research projects using greenhouse resources.
Advise on experimental setup, plant care, and basic methodological considerations.
Support undergraduate research and independent study (BIOS 199/399).
Manage and contribute to the PRL’s role as a shared campus and community-facing resource connecting plant biology research and teaching with broader campus and external partnerships.
Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.