December 15, 1994
TO: Parasitologists
FROM: John Janovy, Jr.
RE: Jobs
Two jobs are going to open up, and in fact have opened up, at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The first, Director of the University
of Nebraska State Museum, will be advertised in the Chronicle of
Higher Education with a deadline date of March 15; the other,
Associate Director of the Cedar Point Biological Station, is a staff
position and will be advertised locally (Lincoln _Journal_, Omaha
_World-Herald_, Kansas City _Star_, Denver _Post_)although anyone can
apply. The first is a national search for a Dean's level
administrator who reports to the Vice Chancellor for Research; the
second is for what we call a B-line (supervisory) position who reports
to the Director of CPBS (at present, me), and university regulations
do not demand a national search but we are not restricted in the
hiring. I'm sending out this memo because some parasitologist might
be interested, although as you might suspect there are internal
candidates and in the case of the CPBS position, there is some urgency
to filling the position. Here are my general comments about both of
these positions:
(1) Director of the University of Nebraska State Museum.
This individual is responsible for budgeting, finances, public
relations, personnel, etc. etc. of a major university natural history
museum. Morrill Hall is the exhibits facility (3+ floors), Nebraska
Hall (4th-5th floors) houses most of the research collections, and
there are two "outstate" facilities--Ashfall fossil beds and
Trailside. There are 63 people on the personnel roster, ranging from
8 faculty curators to adjunct curators, research associates, and a
variety of other temporary and permanent staff members. The state
appropriated budget is about $1.3 million. The University of Nebraska
has a relatively strong parasitology program, with three faculty
members on city campus and two on east (agriculture) campus, and
another parasitologist as Museum director would be a very welcome
addition. I have no idea what the salary is likely to be. I'm
guessing (pure guess) that the next Director will not likely acquire
vast new reaches of research space, nor vast new sums of remodelling
or start up money, but the situation is far from bleak and the job is
an ideal one for just the right person who's just at the right stage
in his or her career.
(2) Associate Director of the Cedar Point Biological Station.
This person is responsible for all of the business management and
accounting matters for CPBS, a biological field station in western
Nebraska with about 30 buildings, a 13-week summer instructional
program (8 courses), and numerous researchers. Basically the person
would need considerable interpersonal skills, a willingness to spend
whatever time it takes to ensure that the accounting and paperwork are
current and correct, ability to live on site in western Nebraska from
early May to late August (excellent private cabin), and a even, calm,
resourceful personality. This job is quite doable, but it is also a
job that requires multiple skills, patience, and the understanding
that you'll be essentially running a ranch. The new AD needs to be in
Lincoln by Feb 1 (15th at the very latest) in order to learn the
business before the present AD leaves the end of February. Salary
maxes out at around $30,000. Field biology experience, and organismic
biology background are a virtual necessity. For the right person, an
MS degree would likely be adequate qualification. When the ad is
written, I'll send you a copy electronically if you want one.
I'd be very happy to elaborate either by telephone call or e-mail in
response to individual inquiries about either of these positions. It
would be nice to have a parasitologist in either or both of them.
Rich Clopton (SEPTATE at tam2000.tamu.edu), Scott Snyder
(ssnyder at unLinfo.unL.edu), Tim Ruhnke (truhnke at esu.edu), Mike Ferdig
and Mary Ann McDowell at Wisconsin, are all recent or fairly recent
CPBS alums and could also give you some insight into the field station
and its personnel matters.
John Janovy, Jr.
School of Biological Sciences
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68588-0118
jjanovy at unLinfo.unL.edu
(402) 472-2754 or -3779
