回复：If I were you I\'d do these -lhurbert-

I forgot to answer "recommendation" piece... here you go-

Normally, in US, references can be any ones, preferrablly those having higher ranking academically, technologically or authoritatively. Keep in mind, references in hiring manager's decision making take a so little stake, he/she weighs you more if you can do the jobs. You said your department chair and a senior faculty are nice to you, you should use them for sure.

In case the interviewers really ask you to get a recommendation letter from your professor, at the moment, you can say "sure" and play it lightly. Later you can just give the letters from the chair and the sr faculty.  If he/she asks about it, you can say "My professor is taking vacation now, I couldn't get hold of him...". The chances of him/her insisting the recommendation letter from the professor are very slim.

If he/she indeed insists it again, you know you are running into a stubborn employer, you can imagine you won't have happy time in the future, just turn around, forget it and move on...
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