Job Title: Research Methods I Instructor
Classification: Faculty, Summer Session I
Duration: Five weeks (June 7 - July 9, 2027) (minimum 3-week in-person); one-session appointment
Applications: Review begins immediately; open until filled
Location: Great Lakes Campus, Mancelona, Michigan USA
About Au Sable
At Au Sable, we believe Christians should be leading the way in solving the earth’s toughest environmental challenges. Through hands-on learning in the outdoors, engaging professors who integrate faith into their instruction, and a supportive community of friends, we inspire and educate students to serve, protect and restore God’s earth. Our small, university-level courses emphasize scientific rigor, professional preparation, and Christian stewardship through field-based and online instruction.
Research Methods I Faculty Position
We seek applicants to teach BIOL/ENVST 391: Research Methods I - Experimental Design during Summer Session I (June 7 - July 9, 2027). This 2-credit, 40-contact-hour course develops undergraduate competency in research design, statistical reasoning, field data collection, and the preparation of defensible scientific investigations. Students develop a research proposal and initiate an approved project, working either within an ongoing research effort or on an individually developed research question. The position supports the research-training sequence used by students participating in Au Sable’s summer research programs.
The instructor will guide a small cohort in framing testable questions, selecting appropriate study designs and quantitative approaches, keeping reliable research records, and communicating proposed methods. Close coordination with Institute research mentors and the instructor of Research Methods II is essential: students’ projects, materials, progress, and assessment evidence must transfer coherently into Summer Session II. The appointment is for instruction in Research Methods I and does not, by itself, assign responsibility for serving as students’ primary research mentor.
The faculty member will teach on a schedule coordinated with Institute research activities; contribute to weekly campus-wide Integration Days; incorporate Christian principles of creation care and responsible scientific practice; and participate in the Au Sable learning community, including occasional Sunday evening vespers. The selected instructor will work from the existing course framework, preserve approved learning outcomes and essential assignments, and implement the Institute’s signature-assignment and faculty-reflection assessment processes.
Course Description (2026–2027 Academic Catalog): Biol/EnvSt 391 Research Methods I. 2 cr; 40 contact hrs. Experimental Design - A course designed to prepare natural science majors to conduct scientific field research at levels appropriate for senior capstone or competitive off-campus programs. This course introduces students to experimental design and statistical analysis relevant to scientific research. Students develop a research proposal and begin an approved investigation, either as part of an ongoing collaborative research project or through an individually developed research question. Course schedule A or B. Field, Applied, Interdisciplinary.
Setting
Au Sable’s Great Lakes Campus is located in the north woods of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula near Mancelona, approximately 40 miles east of Traverse City. The campus and surrounding forests, lakes, streams, and wetlands provide settings for undergraduate ecological investigation. Faculty work alongside Institute research mentors and other summer instructors.
Faculty Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
· Master’s degree or PhD (ABD considered) in ecology, environmental science, biology, natural resources, quantitative ecology, or a closely related research discipline.
· Documented expertise in experimental or observational study design, quantitative analysis, and scientific field research.
· Experience teaching, mentoring, or supervising undergraduate research, including evaluating written scientific work.
· Ability to integrate Christian stewardship and sound research ethics into instruction and to collaborate with other research instructors and mentors.
Preferred Qualifications
· Experience with ecological statistics and reproducible data analysis (e.g. R), including choosing analyses suited to research questions and data.
· Experience guiding student research proposals, field notebooks, and student-generated datasets or projects.
· Experience with course-based undergraduate research, research-methods pedagogy, or multi-session research programs.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Au Sable Institute is committed to combating racism, sexism, and other systems of oppression. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, persons with disabilities, and all individuals who will contribute to the excellence of the Institute. Au Sable Institute does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures.
Salary and Benefits
Stipend is $2,700 for the 2-credit course (prorated from $5,400 for a 4-credit course). Housing is provided for the faculty member and immediate family. The faculty member is expected to be in residence at Au Sable for 3 out of the 5-week session, and has the flexibility to work remotely during the remaining 2 weeks (scheduled in consultation with the Director of College Programs). Partial reimbursement of mileage or airfare for travel to and from the Great Lakes campus is available.
Application Process
Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the position is filled. Interested applicants should email heath.garris@ausable.org a current CV and brief letter describing relevant graduate training or professional expertise, teaching experience, and approach to the course outcomes and Christian integration described above. The Institute may also invite faculty to apply following a preliminary review of their academic and professional qualifications. Finalists may be asked for references, transcripts, or teaching materials as needed; materials already substantiated through documented prior experience or other reliable evidence need not be requested again. All candidates will receive a documented course-specific qualifications review before appointment.
Questions regarding the position or requests for assistance from persons with disabilities may be directed to:
Dr. Heath Garris
Au Sable Institute
7526 Sunset Trail NE
Mancelona, MI 49659 USA
Phone: 864-630-8884
Email: heath.garris@ausable.org