Physics/Biology/Neuroscience Tenure Track
The Physics and Biology Departments at St. Olaf College invite applications for a jointly-appointed tenure track position (0.5 FTE in each department) at the assistant or associate professor level beginning September 2013.
Qualifications. Candidates must
- hold a Ph. D. in Physics, Biology, or a related interdisciplinary field by September 1, 2013.
- show potential for excellence in teaching in a liberal arts setting and for developing an experimental research program amenable to participation by undergraduate students.
- have expertise at the interface between physics and molecular/cellular Biology and the ability to teach broadly in both programs and in the College’s interdisciplinary Neuroscience Concentration.
Additional desirable qualifications include postdoctoral academic or industrial research experience and/or previous teaching experience.
Responsibilities. The successful candidate will have responsibilities in three main areas.
- Teaching. In a given year, teach courses selected from Physics, Biology, and the College’s interdisciplinary Neuroscience Concentration. Courses in Physics will include regular participation in a two-semester introductory physics sequence that primarily serves Chemistry and Biology majors and other courses chosen broadly from the physics curriculum. Courses in Biology would be selected from cell, developmental or molecular biology, and genetics. Teaching in Neuroscience will include the Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience course.
- Scholarship. Develop an experimental research program with the potential to attract external funding and amenable to participation by undergraduate students, including summer research opportunities that draw interest from both Biology and Physics majors.
- Service. Initially, participate in the functioning of the Physics and Biology departments and advise students. Over time, develop an active role in the broader academic life of the college.
Application Procedure. All application materials must be submitted online at https://jobs.stolaf.edu. A complete application consists of:
- a cover letter introducing yourself and describing your interest in and qualifications for the position.
- a current curriculum vitae.
- a statement on teaching which includes your teaching interests, ideas about pedagogical approaches, and experience you may have had (about 2 pages).
- a 3-5 page statement describing the research you propose to carry out as a new St. Olaf faculty member. You should assume the possibility of startup funds sufficient to enable the development of a project with the potential to attract external funding.
- unofficial graduate and undergraduate transcripts.
- letters from three professional references who can speak to your abilities in teaching and scholarship (candidates submit names and contact information to our online application system, and the references will receive emails with instructions for uploading the letters).
Evaluation of applications will begin on October 1, 2012. Our intention is to conduct finalist interviews in mid-to-late November and to fill the position by early December. Candidates who are invited to campus for an interview will also be asked to submit a written 1-2 page reflection on the College’s mission statement, which can be found online at http://www.stolaf.edu/mission.html.
The Physics and Biology Departments are in the Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics (FNSM), which also includes the departments of Chemistry, Psychology, and MSCS (Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science). The FNSM is housed in the recently-constructed Regents Hall complex, a LEED Platinum building designed to promote interdisciplinary teaching and research. Both departments are dynamic, thriving programs. The physics faculty numbers 6 FTE and has recently graduated between 15 and 30 majors per year; biology has a faculty of 14 FTE and graduates about 100 majors per year. The FNSM has an active undergraduate research program and many of our majors continue their education in graduate or professional schools. For more detailed information about our programs see
http://stolaf.edu/depts/physics/
http://stolaf.edu/depts/biology/
http://stolaf.edu/depts/neuroscience/
About St. Olaf College
St. Olaf, located in Northfield, Minnesota, is a residential and coeducational college founded by Norwegian immigrants in 1874. It has a student body of approximately 3,000 and a faculty of about 300. Northfield has a population of 20,000 and is located 35 miles south of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, which have all of the cultural and recreational attractions of a major urban area. Northfield is perhaps unique among cities its size in being home to two well-known liberal arts colleges – St. Olaf and Carleton.
A liberal arts college affiliated with the Lutheran Church (ELCA), St. Olaf College is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks diversity in its students, faculty, and staff. The college is especially interested in candidates who will contribute to the diversity of our community through their work and service.
To provide a safe and secure educational environment, St. Olaf College verifies the accuracy of all credentials presented by applicants and conducts a criminal background check on every new hire.
