Assistant Professor (Organismal Biology, Conservation, Ecology)Biology & Environment, Geography, and Earth Sciences

Description

Position Details: Gustavus Adolphus College invites applications for a tenure-track position of Assistant Professor with dual appointment in the Departments of Biology & Environment, Geography, and Earth Sciences to begin September 1, 2024. The dual appointment will support the Biology and Environmental Studies majors.

Institution Information: Gustavus Adolphus College is one of the nation’s leading private liberal arts colleges serving 2,000 students, where faculty help equip students to lead purposeful lives and to act on the great challenges of our time. The College aspires to be a community of persons from diverse backgrounds who respect and affirm the dignity of all people. Gustavus is located on a scenic 340-acre hill in St. Peter, Minnesota, and within a short drive to the Minneapolis/Saint Paul and Mankato metro areas. Learn more at https://gustavus.edu/provost/newfaculty/.

Department Information: The Biology and EGE (Environment, Geography and Earth Sciences) Departments offer diverse academic experiences to undergraduate students as part of a strong liberal arts education. The College and both Departments are taking evidence-based actions to enhance diversity and support inclusion in classrooms and among our majors and faculty.

Each year, about 50 Biology and 25 Environmental Studies majors graduate, with interest in the latter growing. Biology majors develop breadth through a required four-course core spanning biochemistry to organismal and systems-level processes. Majors from the Environmental Studies Life Science track take three of these core courses. Both core and elective courses have embedded research opportunities that emphasize quantitative analyses and scientific communication. Our graduates pursue employment, as well as graduate and professional studies in resource management, education, environmental, laboratory or health-related fields.

Departmental faculty are active teacher-scholars who value collaboration within and between disciplines. Newly renovated science facilities include a greenhouse and growth chambers. Resources for field-based teaching and research also exist. Our courses are part of a college-wide liberal arts curriculum that develops an understanding of human cultures and the natural world by inquiry, analysis, and communication while also promoting civic engagement and ethical actions. As such, many of our courses emphasize how science intersects with issues of social, cultural, philosophical and environmental value.

For more information about the department, its faculty, students, and courses, please see departmental websites at https://gustavus.edu/biology/ and https://gustavus.edu/ege/.

Things you will do:

Gustavus faculty teach, advise, conduct research, and serve the college and department.

• Teach 24 contact hours each academic year. One course with a lab is typically 6 contact hours. Primary teaching responsibilities will include: Organismal Biology, Conservation Biology, and electives within Biology and/or EGE, such as ecology, aquatic biology, or other courses in the candidate’s area of interest. These courses are offered through the Biology Department and support the Biology and Environmental Studies programs. Over time, the Biology and EGE Departments will collaborate on scheduling so that teaching in college-wide programs, such as FTS, Challenge Seminar, and other college initiatives will be possible. In their first year, the successful candidate will receive a reduced teaching assignment of 20 contact hours, plus a fully-compensated release.
• Help cultivate a welcoming community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. We strive to foster an environment where people can be themselves, build community, learn, and grow. This new faculty member would advise Biology and Environmental Studies majors, and be members of the Biology and EGE Departments, as well as participate in the life of the college. The successful candidate will join College and Departmental efforts to develop equitable pedagogies and inclusive cultures.
• Advance your scholarship by establishing a research program with undergraduate collaborators in organismal, ecology, or conservation biology. To support faculty scholarship, Gustavus offers resources and opportunities that include options to: collaborate with undergraduate researchers supported by the First Year Research Experience (FYRE) or other internal mechanisms, join a writing retreat, apply for an internal grant, receive travel funds to present at conferences, get help applying for external grants, and make use of new and renovated research facilities.
• Improve your teaching by participating in workshops, applying for an internal teaching development grant, and engaging in conversations about teaching with colleagues across campus.
• Develop professional skills by participating in faculty meetings and committees, attending faculty development programming, and taking advantage of the College’s membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD).

How to apply:

Visit https://gustavus.edu/jobs/ and complete the online application. The documents that must be uploaded include the following:

• Letter of application that addresses the required and preferred position qualifications
• Curriculum vitae
• A statement (up to 2 pages) on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging addressing the following three prompts:
  • Describe your plan(s) and/or ongoing efforts to promote an equitable climate for students from diverse backgrounds in both teaching and research
  • Explain your lived experience and/or what you have learned from your experiences in diversity and inclusion, and how it shapes your behaviors and actions
  • Describe ways you have or will work toward creating equity in departments, the college, or community
• A teaching statement (up to 2 pages) that describes your planned and/or ongoing approach to effectively teaching:
  • Undergraduate students
  • Laboratory, field, and classroom experiences
  • Conservation Biology and/or other courses with an interdisciplinary approach
• A statement of a ~5-year research plan (up to 2 pages) that involves undergraduate collaborators at Gustavus
• Transcripts (scanned copies acceptable)
• The names and contact information for three professional references (at least one must be able to address teaching experience and teaching effectiveness; please indicate the teaching reference in your letter of application). Please do not ask references to submit letters of recommendation; the committee will conduct reference checks by phone.

For full consideration, applications must be received by September 25, 2023. While applications may be accepted after this date, it is not guaranteed that they will be considered. At this time, please only upload the required documents listed above. Incomplete applications will not be considered by the search committee.

Things you’ll like:

Based on AAUP (American Association of University Professors) and CUPA (College and University Professional Association) data, we offer a starting salary that is competitive with our peer institutions as well as comprehensive benefits that prioritize your personal and financial wellbeing.

• Medical insurance, as well as dental, vision, and life insurance
• Workplace accommodations for physical or mental health concerns
• Access to low-cost online health and mental health services
• Onsite health services
• Free parking, use of library, exercise classes, and athletic facilities
• Paid parental leave
• Short-term disability
• Multifaith sabbath
• Contribution to retirement savings plan after one year of employment
• Tuition scholarships for dependents
• Tuition benefits for employees and spouse/domestic partner
• 1-on-1 financial consulting

Gustavus Adolphus College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, or veteran status in its education or employment programs or activities.

Learn more about Gustavus's campus-wide commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging: https://gustavus.edu/deib/.