Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Career Description: Teach courses pertaining to mathematical concepts, statistics, and actuarial science and to the application of original and standardized mathematical techniques in solving specific problems and situations.

Industry: Education, Training, and Library

Other Job Titles for Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as linear algebra, differential equations, and discrete mathematics.
• Prepare course materials such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Select and obtain materials and supplies such as textbooks.
• Keep abreast of developments in their field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
• Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
• Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
• Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
• Perform administrative duties such as serving as department head.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in books, professional journals, or electronic media.
• Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
• Act as advisers to student organizations.
• Participate in campus and community events.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
• Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
• Operate and maintain audiovisual equipment such as projectors, tape recorders, and videocassette recorders.
• File catalog cards according to system used.
• Prepare volumes for binding.
• Conduct children's programs and other specialized programs such as library tours.
• Compose explanatory summaries of contents of books and other reference materials.
• Repair damaged books.
• Collaborate with archivists to arrange for the safe storage of historical records and documents.
• Design posters and special displays to promote use of library facilities or specific reading programs at libraries.
• Compile bibliographies and prepare abstracts on subjects of interest to particular organizations or groups.
• Involve parent volunteers and older students in children's activities, to facilitate involvement in focused, complex play.
• Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Perform administrative duties such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
• Attend staff meetings, and serve on committees as required.
• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms.
• Sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
• Write instructional articles on designated subjects.

Emerging Tasks

• Keep abreast of developments and technological advances in the mathematical field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Catalogue and sort books and other print and nonprint materials according to procedure, and return them to shelves, files, or other designated storage areas.
• Check for damaged library materials (e.g. books, audiovisual equipment) and provide replacements or make repairs.
• Claim missing issues of periodicals and journals.
• Compile data and create statistical reports on library usage.
• Help patrons find and use library resources, such as reference materials, audiovisual equipment, computers and other electronic resources, and provide technical assistance when needed.
• Maintain and troubleshoot problems with library equipment, including computers, photocopiers, and audiovisual equipment.
• Order all print and nonprint material for library, prepare order slips, check prices, figure costs, and make invoice payments.
• Plan and conduct children's programs, community outreach programs, and other specialized programs (e.g., library tours).
• Represent library or institution on internal and external committees.
• Review and evaluate materials using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audiovisual, and electronic resources.
• Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
• Teach library patrons basic computer skills, such as how to search for information using computerized databases.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• advise governmental or industrial personnel
• advise students
• analyze scientific research data or investigative findings
• collect academic research data
• compile bibliographies of specialized materials
• compile numerical or statistical data
• conduct research on work-related topics
• convert information into instructional program
• create mathematical or statistical diagrams or charts
• design classroom presentations
• develop course or training objectives
• develop instructional materials
• develop mathematical ideas or interpretations
• develop mathematical simulation models
• direct and coordinate scientific research or investigative studies
• encourage group participation
• evaluate student performance
• explain complex mathematical information
• maintain educational records, reports, or files
• make education presentations
• organize educational material or ideas
• perform statistical modeling
• prepare educational reports
• record student progress
• teach college level courses
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve educational data
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use mathematical or statistical methods to identify or analyze problems
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use quantitative research methods
• use teaching techniques
• write research or project grant proposals
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• work with public in selecting books or materials
• work with public in using reference tools or finding materials
• write research or project grant proposals
• use motivational techniques in education
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use teaching techniques
• write research or project grant proposals
• write technical health or medical documents

Overall Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

• Average annual wage (2007) - $58,560.00

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