Where do I apply for a faculty position?
We want you to join our team! Go to the University of Minnesota HR job portal and search for the following Job ID number.
- Chemistry & Biochemistry: 366013
What documents will I need to apply for a faculty position?
You will upload ONLY four separate documents as PDF documents. Please adhere to the word and page limits.
- An anonymized teaching statement that is understandable to a non-specialist (recommended 1000 words/2 pages max). This statement is decoupled from the JEDI statement and evaluated using the department's screening rubrics (see the screening rubrics for the Chemistry & Biochemistry position).
- A statement that demonstrates a commitment to justice, equity, inclusion, and a diverse student population (1000 words/2 pages max). This statement is decoupled from the teaching statement and evaluated using the department's screening rubrics (see the screening rubrics for the Chemistry & Biochemistry position).
- A normal curriculum vita.
- A list of four professional references with contact information and a brief description of their relationship to you.
The only “cover letter” you will need is to simply state that you are applying for a specific position, so that we can ensure that your application is sorted appropriately. The search committee will not be see the “cover letter”, nor will the search committee view any additional material (e.g., publications, transcripts, teaching evaluations, etc.). Extra application materials will be removed.
What do you mean by an anonymized teaching statement?
We know that people are directly or indirectly influenced by high profile PIs, institutions, and journals. Yet we recognize that gaining access and taking advantage of those opportunities can be limited to those with the connections.
We anticipate that minor tweaking of your existing teaching statement will be needed, and we provide some examples below about what anonymization might look like.
For example, a typical sentence in the research section might be as follows:
“When I was a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Big Shot’s group at FancyPants University, I did this amazing science, which resulted in fifteen Science and Nature papers. …”
For the anonymized document, this statement may be edited as follows:
When I was a postdoctoral fellow, I did this amazing science (“Fluorescence microscopy illuminates the secret of life.”) that demonstrated … . [Please cite only titles of your own articles, NOT authors, journal titles, and other citation details.]
or
When I was a postdoctoral fellow, I did this amazing science1 that demonstrated … . [Please cite only titles of your own articles, NOT authors, journal titles, and other citation details.]
References (*Includes mentored undergraduate or graduate co-author)
1. *Fluorescence depolarization dynamics of ionic strength sensors using time-resolved anisotropy.
Other citations for which you are NOT a co-author would be cited normally.
Basically, you will be eliminating the name dropping in this document. Also, please ensure that you do not include your name anywhere in this document, including headers and footers. If you mention students, please use only their initials (e.g., NG or N for Nissma González).
The anonymized teaching statement will be decoupled and evaluated independently from the JEDI statement using using the department-specific screening rubrics (see the screening rubrics for the Chemistry & Biochemistry position).
What does anonymization mean for the JEDI statement?
We recognize that your lived experiences will inform what you include in this document, and we want you to describe these experiences fully. Feel free to describe that recognition you received or specific committee or community work that you have done. Talk about your experiences. However, please do NOT include your name anywhere in this document, including headers and footers, and please do not include names of institutions (although general locations are fine to include) or mentors. If you mention students, please use initials (e.g., NG or N for Nissma González).
The anonymized JEDI statement will be decoupled and evaluated independently from the combined research and teaching statement using the department-specific screening rubrics (see the screening rubrics for the Chemistry & Biochemistry position).
What about the CV?
Many studies have shown that evaluators have implicit biases based on gender and ethnicities, which can have immediate impact upon whether a candidate is viewed favorably. As a way to mitigate this bias, the CV will be viewed later in process, as described below.
You will submit your normal CV. It will NOT be anonymized! Submit it as is.
ONLY after the anonymized research/teaching and JEDI statements have been independently evaluated by the search committee using department-specific screening rubrics (see the screening rubrics for the Chemistry & Biochemistry position) will the two statements be re-associated with each other and with the CV and reference list. Candidates will be then identified as semi-finalists for initial interviews by phone or Zoom.
What about recommendation letters?
We recognize that recommendation letters can unduly influence search committee based upon the identities of the letter writers as well as the content of the letters, which can also be biased. We are not asking for letters of recommendation. Rather, we ask you to submit a PDF document with a list of four professional references with their contact information. Also, please include a brief description (a sentence is fine) of their relationship to you. The references will be contacted prior to on-campus interviews of the finalists.
What is the process for evaluating applications?
When you submit your application, we will de-identify and decouple the two statements (the teaching statement and the JEDI statement) from each other. The two documents will be evaluated by the search committee using well-defined, department-specific screening rubrics (see the screening rubrics for the Chemistry & Biochemistry position) for each document. The top groups of statements will be identified as the pool from which semi-finalists will be identified for Zoom interviews.
At this point, the teaching and JEDI statements will be re-coupled with the rest of the application (CV and reference list), and the candidate names will be unveiled to the committee. The search committee will interview the semi-finalists over Zoom (questions and rubrics for the initial interview will likely be shared with you prior to these interviews).
Finalists will be invited for on-campus interviews to meet faculty, staff, and students in the Department and from across Swenson College and UMD. References for the potential finalists will be contacted prior to on-campus interviews.
Questions?
Email Associate Dean Erin Sheets with any questions about the general search process.
Email the department search chair with any questions about the Department and its search. You can find the contact information for the department search chair on the main SCSE faculty search page in the job description.