Assistant Professor of Biology

Position

The Department of Biology at Occidental College invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Global Change Biology at the Assistant Professor level to expand its undergraduate teaching and research offerings in how living systems are responding to human-mediated environmental change. The research area is broadly defined as any aspect of how biological systems are affected by current environmental change in aquatic, marine, or terrestrial habitats at any level of organization from molecules to biomes. We are particularly interested in candidates who integrate field, lab, or theoretical methods or who combine empirical studies with computational approaches to answer large-scale questions in ecology, evolutionary biology, or integrative fields.

Occidental Biology faculty are teacher-scholars who combine research with a commitment to educating and mentoring undergraduates. They contribute to the curricula of their departments, advise students, carry out research, and provide departmental, college, and external service. The successful candidate will teach courses at the introductory or intermediate level, as well as design courses at the upper-level in the area of specialty. They will also be responsible for producing research products commensurate with the requirements for tenure, developing a research program that engages undergraduate students, and participating in the departmental and broader college community. As Global Change Biology is an interdisciplinary field, the position will involve collaborating productively with campus colleagues in other departments.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in a biological field

   

  Evidence of impactful scholarly research and publications in the field of global change biology, broadly defined to include how living systems are responding to human-mediated environmental change

   

  Potential to create a research program including undergraduates, with potential to attract extramural funding

   

  Commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring

   

  Commitment to engaging with broader societal impacts of the scholarly research, e.g., through scientific outreach, local partnering, or community engagement

   

  Commitment to working effectively with students from historically marginalized communities

   

  Ability to present scientific ideas clearly, in both verbal and written formats, at an appropriate level for the audience

   

  Demonstrated potential for effective integration of technology into instruction

   

  Commitment to collaborating effectively with colleagues across specialties, departments, or disciplines

   

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to leverage College resources (e.g., natural history collections, genomics center, or high-performance computer cluster) or nearby natural resources in the Southern California area for research and/or broader impacts

   

  Prior experience teaching undergraduates

   

  Prior experience collaborating with colleagues across specialties, departments, or disciplines

   

Application Submission Materials

You must submit a complete application package electronically to be considered. To apply, please send the following required materials to biosearch22@oxy.edu:

• Cover Letter of ~2 pages in which you summarize your record and respond to the qualifications

   

  Curriculum Vitae

   

  Research Statement of ~3 pages including how you will incorporate undergraduate students into your research program

   

  Teaching Statement of ~3 pages, including Teaching Philosophy and Prior Experience

   

  Commitment to Inclusive Excellence Statement of ~1-2 pages

   

  • This statement provides your unique perspective on your past and present contributions to and future aspirations for promoting justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity in your professional career. This should include your demonstrated commitment to, past evidence of, and future plans for creating equitable opportunities for learning and mentoring especially for students from historically marginalized groups. The purpose of this statement is to help the College identify how we can help candidates achieve success in these areas.

     

  List of 3 references with relevant contact information

   

  • If you advance to the finalist phase, you will be asked to have each of your three references submit a letter of recommendation. Do not submit these letters with your initial application.

     

Upon receipt of a complete application package, you will receive a preliminary questionnaire. You must complete this questionnaire to move forward in the search process.

Please direct all questions about the position to: Patty Micciche at micciche@oxy.edu

Application Deadline

To be assured full consideration, your application materials must be received by September 26, 2022.

The Department and College

Our new colleague will join a department of 12 tenured or tenure-track faculty, 3 full-time non-tenure-track professors, and 4-5 part-time non-tenure-track professors serving a diverse campus community of 2,000 undergraduate students with inclusive pedagogy. Biology is a popular major on campus with 40-50 seniors graduating in a given year as well as 15-25 seniors in the jointly-administered Biochemistry department. Campus resources include a Genomics Center with equipment for next-generation DNA sequencing, a high-performance computer cluster, a greenhouse, plant and animal growth chambers, and several internationally-recognized natural history collections like the Moore Laboratory of Zoology bird & mammal collection, the Vantuna Research Group’s marine field program including fish collection and multi-decade database of shifting marine ecosystems off the Southern California coast, the Cosman Shell Collection, and a small herbarium collection.

Occidental College is a nationally ranked small liberal arts college, located in the culturally-rich Los Angeles neighborhoods of Eagle Rock and Highland Park, near Caltech, the Jet Propulsion Lab, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. The neighborhoods surrounding the College are home to a wealth of urban amenities and cultural attractions. The College's location allows access to nearby marine and terrestrial research facilities. Occidental is recognized for its diverse student body and its outstanding undergraduate research program. 

Additional Information

Occidental is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding or related medical condition, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic characteristic or information, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. Occidental is strongly committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum, and to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and just environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. Candidates who can contribute to this goal through their teaching, research, advising, and other activities are encouraged to identify their strengths and experiences in this area. Individuals advancing the College’s strategic equity and justice goals and those from groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding are particularly encouraged to apply.

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Moving expense reimbursement (up to $5000, taxable according to current IRS regulations), start-up funds, and a one-course reduction of teaching load in the first year are provided. A comprehensive benefits package is available that includes: excellent health, dental, life, and retirement benefits; tuition benefits for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and dependents; additional extras including use of gym facilities and the College Library. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https://www.oxy.edu/offices-services/human-resources/benefits-information.  

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. 

Occidental College is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with qualifying disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the application or employment process, please contact Human Resources (hr@oxy.edu).