Department of Human Resources
OPSEU Job Description
Job Title:
Job Number:
NOC:
Band:
Department:
Supervisor Title:
Senior Demonstrator
SS-027
4012
10
Physics and Astronomy
Chair, Physics and Astronomy
Last Reviewed:
Janaury 2, 2001
Job Purpose
Reporting to the Chair, Physics & Astronomy, the Senior Demonstrator assists in the delivery of
academic services by instructing in laboratories, preparing teaching manuals, assignments, and
handouts, supervising and coordinating Teaching Assistants, marking undergraduate
assignments, tutoring undergraduate students individually and provides technical support for
teaching facilities.
Key Activities
1. In co-operation with faculty and under general direction of the Chair, organizes,
researches, designs, prepares, demonstrates, teaches and supervises undergraduate
students at all levels in laboratory and computer courses.
2. Designs and prepares lab manuals, handouts and assignments and organizes laboratory
instruction, objectives of the lab components of courses and background information
for Demonstrators and Teaching Assistants.
3. Evaluates students on the basis of written work, lab reports, tests, essays, exams and
oral presentations; invigilates tests and exams.
4. Assists undergraduates with course-related material, assignments and computer-related
problems and advises students on curriculum, course choices and timetable scheduling.
5. Proactively organizes, makes decisions on eligibility, maintains records, and in cooperation with the Chair, presents policy to the department regarding registration
qualifications and procedures for undergraduates in the department.
6. Acts as a computer resource person; working with Information Technology, is aware of
computer resources available for students, specifically focusing on how computers can
be used in teaching and how to implement this technology in classroom situations.
7. Assists senior undergraduate and graduate students in design, construction and
installation of equipment as needed in laboratory and computational research for
theses; instructs/assists faculty and graduate students in logistics of research projects
and in the use of various laboratory and analytical equipment.
Job Number: SS-027
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Last updated: July 2010
8. Responsible for maintaining inventory and booking loans for department equipment,
teaching reference material and supplies.
9. Responsible for maintaining the laboratory teaching budgets, as well as the budgets for
special projects; investigates, repairs and if needed, purchases department equipment
and supplies.
10. Liaises with technicians and demonstrators of other departments regarding joint
projects, joint courses and sharable equipment.
11. Liaises with Physical Resources and the Science Facilities Management Team regarding
physical plant requirements/changes/repairs.
12. Oversees implementation of Health and Safety regulations in laboratory courses with
respect to WHMIS, CNSC, and Hazardous waste.
13. Participates in any internal or external committees as mutually agreed upon with the
Chair.
14. Works with Chair to recruit, coordinate and lead science tours and maintain on-going
contact with high schools.
15. Prepares reports and proposals for fundraising campaigns, program projects, Academic
Innovation Fund, and joint departmental projects.
16. Liaises with the Registrar's Office regarding registration of students and participates as
science representative on early registration policies and procedures for the university.
Analytical Reasoning
Highly complex analysis, understanding and application of physics concepts and material from
physics courses at all undergraduate levels.
Academic leadership in physics laboratories at all levels.
Applications of teaching pedagogy and determination of the best approach for effective
communication of difficult concepts to a wide variety of students.
Relevant work example: leads a set of physics labs; organizes students into groups; effective
instruction of difficult theoretical and experimental concepts to a wide range of students;
determines the optimal way to update the laboratories and researches the tools and technology
required to initiate such improvements.
Decision Making
Leads a set of laboratories and tutorials and determines the best laboratory equipment,
teaching resources, pace and order of delivery, marking scheme, and assignment of marks to a
wide range of students. Determines when students have valid mitigating circumstances for work
not submitted.
Relevant work example: runs a tutorial session in which a bi-weekly test needs to be conducted,
assignments are marked in-class, and solutions shown to the students on a board in real-time.
Impact
This person has enormous impact on the majority of laboratory and tutorial marks for all Physics
students. This person plays an essential role in laboratory and tutorial development and the
updating of such course deliveries in conjunction with changes in technology. This person is a
‘point person’ for students who have questions about laboratories and tutorials.
Job Number: SS-027
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Last updated: July 2010
Relevant work example: develops and leads all first year labs and tutorials, either directly, or
through the managing of TAs; sets marking schemes and assigns marks; responds to students’
concerns or questions about the course.
Education
MSc in Physics.
Experience Required
1. Two to four years related laboratory and teaching experience required.
2. Strong presentation skills; experience facilitating labs and managing both large and small
groups.
3. Advanced level of computer skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint; advanced level
of knowledge and experience with hardware/software programs and resolving technical
problems.
4. Strong organizational, interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills
required.
5. Excellent analytical, research and planning skills.
6. Excellent judgment and decision making skills.
7. Excellent customer service skills required; demonstrated skills in, and commitment to,
customer service and continuous improvement.
Responsibility for the Work of Others
Direct Responsibility
 Teaching Assistants
Indirect Responsibility
 Demonstrator/Technicians and regular fulltime
Communication
Internal:
 Students: teaching, assignment and report critique
 Technicians: equipment repair and replacement
 Finance Department: Purchasing
 Technicians from other departments to discuss sharing of equipment
 Staff and Faculty: answer queries
 Faculty: department business
 Teaching Assistants: explanation of assignments
 Computer Technicians: Hardware/software problems
 Office of the Dean: Marking contracts
 Physical Resources – repairs, new projects.
Job Number: SS-027
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External:
 Suppliers: gather information and order equipment
 Technical Staff from other Universities
 Trent Community: act as a resource
 High School teachers: act as a resource
 Science Fair Board: act as a resource
 Primary School teachers: project assistance, lectures, demonstrations.
 Parents and prospective students: act as a resource in recruitment efforts
Motor/ Sensory Skills
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Fine Motor Skills - manipulating equipment and measuring devices, keyboarding and
data entry
Dexterity - precision in manipulating equipment and measuring devices
Gross Motor Skills - Moving heavy equipment
Hearing - responding to student and faculty queries
Sight - reading reports, precision in manipulating equipment and measuring devices
Touch - precision in manipulating equipment and measuring devices
Effort
Mental:
 Sustained concentration - marking assignments, reading new material, analyzing
problems, debugging software and working with equipment
Physical:
 Standing, Walking - administering labs
 Lifting - Moving equipment and rearranging labs/classrooms
Working Conditions
Physical:
 Injury - Operation of dangerous equipment
 Monotony - data entry
 Injury - Exposure to dangerous materials
 Poor lighting and noise conditions
Psychological:
 Complaints - Complaints from faculty and students
 Conflicting work - labs, manuals, assignments, priorities and deadlines
 Handling of student appeals - Angry students upset with grades
 Interruptions - Interruptions from students
 Lack of control over pace of work - academic term “end rush
 Multiple competing demands - instructing in several courses.
Job Number: SS-027
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Last updated: July 2010
Job Description Approved by Human Resources (as per Article 17.1):
Name (print):
Signature:
Date:
Signatures - indicating that the job description has been read and understood:
Incumbent
Name (print):
Signature:
Date:
Immediate Supervisor:
Name (print):
Signature:
Date:
Department Head/ Dean:
Name (print):
Signature:
Date:
Job Number: SS-027
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Last updated: July 2010