External Lecturer – Medical Biotechnology and Drug Development – DIS Copenhagen

DIS is currently hiring 1 external faculty to teach or co-teach the core course Medical Biotechnology and Drug Development to highly motivated undergraduate students from North American universities who are spending a semester studying in Copenhagen. The teaching position is for the fall semester, which will begin in August. The course meets at DIS Copenhagen Mondays and Thursdays, 8:30 – 09:50 and it includes two academic tours.

Course description

This course gives you an overview of the drug discovery and development processes where disease-targeted research leads to clinical treatments. Recent advances within medical biotechnologies and the latest treatment approaches are introduced, including stem cell technology, immunotherapies, and modern vaccines where the current “fast track” development of new SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, the virus causing COVID-19, will be considered. You will visit European pharmaceutical and biotechnology communities, university/hospital labs and start-up companies and get an insight into the business aspects of drug development and the many job niches of the field. 

Read more about the course and current syllabus here. 

Why teach at DIS? 

• Work in an international, informal and enthusiastic environment with an emphasis on cross-cultural understanding, teamwork, innovation, and adaptability
• Develop interactive and experiential teaching skills and teaching experience in English
• Impact American students/upcoming professionals by sharing Scandinavian heritage and best practices
• Expand professional networks in Scandinavia and in the U.S.

Tasks

• Prepare and facilitate teaching and experiential learning activities 
• Evaluate, grade, and provide feedback on students’ work throughout the semester
• Total course load is 20 lectures (80 minutes each) and 2 field studies per semester
• As part of the course, the students have two academic weeks that which focus on their course alone:
  • One core course week, where they travel for 3 days in Western Denmark (short study tour), and have the remaining 2 days in Copenhagen with some activities related to the course (including one of the field studies)
  • One long study tour (6 days long, in another European country)
  • Both tours are together with their teacher and a DIS tour leader

Relevant skills and knowledge

The ideal candidate has experience on some of the course topics and is well-versed in the field both academically and practically. In addition, you have: 

• Relevant educational background (cand.scient, humanbiolog, cand.med, etc.)
• Practical experience from research, biotech/pharma, etc
• Experience with teaching is an advantage but not a requirement
• Excellent academic English
• Willingness to engage academically and socially with the students
• Openness to pedagogical support from DIS 
• Ability to translate DIS’ interactive, hands on teaching philosophy into practice 

As there are two other sections of this course, there is considerable material that will be made available for whomever teaches this section. 

As this is a part-time teaching position, faculty are able to continue other work while teaching. 

Start Date

Training, onboarding, and course preparation will begin upon hiring. Teaching begins Thursday August 22 2024.

Teaching at DIS

Teaching at DIS requires creativity and flexibility. Faculty prioritize bringing course material to life through interactive and experiential learning, and are communicative and engaged with their students. In addition, teaching at DIS involves leading student Field Studies in the Stockholm region, student assessment, grading, and feedback.

Students are typically in their third year of university. Courses are all taught in English.

Pedagogical support, training, and mentorship is available at DIS through the Learning Lab and experienced faculty; faculty are encouraged to collaborate with academic support staff in various professional development opportunities. 

DIS Work Values & Styles

• Cross-cultural learning
• Independence and initiative
• Communication
• Creativity in the classroom
• Professional development and relationship-building 
• Friendly work environment
• High-quality support & resources for faculty 
• Collaborative co-working spaces and environment

Application Process
Using the link below, please submit your CV and application letter in English as soon as possible and no later than April 29th 2024. For further information, please contact Susana Dietrich at sd@dis.dk or +45 3067 1042.