Assistant Professor of Biology

This full-time faculty position is on-campus and in-person.

TCU seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Biology. A PhD degree in the area of Biology and two-years of post-graduate research experience (e.g., post-doctoral training, government, or industrial research) are expected. The successful candidate will be expected to engage in teaching, research, and service as follows: 1) contribute to existing courses and develop upper-level undergraduate/graduate courses in their area of expertise; 2) maintain an active research program that involves undergraduate and graduate students (MS and PhD) and has the potential for extramural funding; 3) serve on departmental committees and advise undergraduate Biology majors.

A. START DATE: August 2023.

B. RESEARCH
The successful candidate’s research will strengthen existing areas of ecological, evolutionary and/or environmental research in the Department, including but not limited to invasion biology, ecotoxicology, microbial ecology, urban ecology, and/or restoration ecology. The research statement should indicate how the candidate’s research would complement the current lines of research within the Department. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an active research program that results in publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific meetings. The successful candidate must be able to develop undergraduate and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) research opportunities in their lab. Attempts to seek extramural funding of research projects are expected. A start-up package will be offered to allow the successful applicant to engage in productive research.

C. TEACHING
The successful candidate will contribute to existing courses and develop additional undergraduate and graduate level courses in their area of expertise. The cover letter should indicate how the candidate plans to contribute to current courses offered in the Department, as well as new courses they propose within their areas of expertise. The successful candidate’s teaching schedule is subject to Departmental needs. The Department of Biology’s philosophy is to phase in new faculty teaching loads over a period of 2 years. This approach gives new faculty time to establish their research lab while developing rigorous and stimulating courses.

Specific application directions, a more complete job description, and information about the Department and TCU can be found below. For further inquiries please contact the chair of the search committee Dr. Dean Williams (dean.williams@tcu.edu).

D. SERVICE AND STUDENT ADVISING
The candidate will be expected to advise undergraduate Biology majors. The candidate will have the opportunity to participate in service activities at the Department, College, or University levels depending upon their interests and the needs of these units.

Department Details
The TCU Department of Biology offers a rigorous, secular, science-based curriculum grounded in evolutionary theory to undergraduate and graduate students across all areas of biology. We are committed to the teacher-scholar model. Teaching is central to our department’s mission; we hire faculty who are passionate about teaching and highly trained in their area of teaching specialty.

Research plays a major role in the professional life of our tenure-track faculty. Our research programs support our teaching mission and allow us to expose students to the process of science when they conduct research in our labs. Faculty have access to a variety of research-related equipment (https://cse.tcu.edu/biology/student-experience/facilities.php). TCU’s library, including on-line resources and personnel, is considered a strength by the Biology faculty.

Our department’s curriculum and all faculty-related policies have been developed with consultation of the full faculty. We work together as a team, with the utmost respect and appreciation for all types and ways of contributing to our students and their success. Collegiality and teamwork are a hallmark of our department.
See https://cse.tcu.edu/biology/index.php for more information about the department.

School/College Description
The TCU College of Science & Engineering (CSE) encompasses 10 departments (Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Geological Sciences, Mathematics, Nutritional Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, and Psychology) as well as the Ranch Management Program, which offers a one-year certificate program. The College is also home to the Pre-Health Professions Institute, the Karyn Purvis Institute for Child Development, the Institute of Behavioral Research, the Institute for Ranch Management and the Monnig Meteorite Gallery. The College is the second largest at TCU in terms of both undergraduate enrollment and number of majors. The College contains a disproportional percentage of high achieving students, as evidenced by the fact that almost one-half the students in the Honors College have majors in the College of Science & Engineering. Research opportunities abound for undergraduates, with over 40 percent of majors engaging in a substantive experience during which they work one-on-one with their faculty mentor. The College also has five doctoral programs and 16 master’s programs as well as two graduate certificate programs. The College faculty are true teacher/scholars, meaning that instruction and research are viewed as complementary and not competing activities.

University & Fort Worth Description
ABOUT TCU

Founded in 1873, Texas Christian University sits on 302 acres nestled in a primarily residential part of Fort Worth, just minutes away from downtown. The University includes seven schools and colleges, in addition to the John V. Roach Honors College and the Burnett School of Medicine.

Currently, TCU enrolls more than 10,200 undergraduates and 1,700 graduate students. Twenty-eight percent of students self-identify as a member of a minority group, five percent are international students, and forty-five percent are from out-of-state. Our students are supported by more than 2,200 faculty and staff. The University has more than 700 full-time faculty members and is a top 100 National University as classified by US News and World Report and has a Carnegie Classification of R2: Doctoral Universities – High Research Activity.

At TCU, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are an educational imperative directly tied to the University mission, vision, and strategic plan. Fulfilling TCU’s mission to develop ethical leaders and critical thinkers in a global community depends on the University’s ability to attract and retain students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds. A diverse and inclusive campus leads to innovation, broadened perspective, and understanding—values that are foundational aspects of higher education. For the fourth consecutive year, TCU has earned the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, which highlights ongoing commitment to build a comprehensive DEI strategy that aligns with core values and creates a campus culture where everyone is respected and included.

Required Application Materials & Application Instructions
Applicants should submit:
1) a cover letter indicating their qualifications for this position
2) a CV
3) a statement of research experience and future plans, which should include research funding plans
4) a statement of teaching philosophy
5) a statement that addresses how the applicant will promote equity, diversity, and inclusion
6) the contact details (i.e., name, affiliation, e-mail address, and phone number) for three academic references (we will contact the references for letters).

Applicant evaluations will begin October 24, 2022 for an August 2023 start date.

TCU uses an online application protocol administered by Human Resources. All application materials must be submitted electronically at: https://jobs.tcu.edu/en-us/listing/.

AA/EEO Statement
As an AA/EEO employer, TCU recruits, hires, and promotes qualified persons in all job classifications without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.