Physics: Assistant or Associate Teaching Professor of Physics (initial review Jan. 5, 2024)
Position overview
Position title: Assistant or Associate Teaching Professor of PhysicsApplication Window
Open date: November 6, 2023
Most recent review date: Friday, Jan 5, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled.
Final date: Sunday, Jun 30, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
The Physics Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for a Teaching Professor, at either the Assistant or Associate level. UCSC is distinguished by our high-impact research and our commitment to diversity, social justice, and educational opportunity. UCSC enrolls over 19,000 students, many from historically underserved communities; 34% are first-generation and 36% are Pell recipients. UCSC is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). The expansion of diversity and inclusion and support of groups traditionally underserved in STEM are high priorities for the department and the campus.
The primary qualifications for this position are:
(i) knowledge of, successful experience with, and future plans for effective instructional practices, and
(ii) knowledge of, experience working to, and future plans for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in teaching, mentoring, and/or service.
Among candidates who excel in these criteria, the following will additionally be strongly considered: evidence or interest in working cooperatively with other faculty in pedagogical and curricular innovation; history of and intent to continue contributing to impactful, peer-reviewed works in either physics pedagogy or physics research; experience with and likelihood of mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate students in research projects and supporting them outside of the classroom; and history of active participation in departmental, divisional, university, or outside service.
The initial teaching focus will be on undergraduate introductory courses for non-physics science majors, but there will be longer-term teaching opportunities across the curriculum. The successful candidate will teach an equivalent of six courses per year (quarter system), which may include some level of introductory lab management.
UCSC is committed to addressing the holistic needs of faculty. We welcome applications from those who have had non-traditional career paths, who have taken time off for personal reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia.
The Division of Physical and Biological Sciences, in which the Physics Department resides, hosts a vibrant teaching and learning community, with frequent opportunities for collaborations across campus. At the campus level, the Teaching and Learning Center provides leadership and community for innovative, inclusive, and equity-minded teaching. The successful candidate will join departmental teams enhancing the undergraduate curriculum, and, as a member of the Academic Senate, will serve as a member of relevant departmental, divisional, and campus committees. See the UCSC Course Catalog for a full list of the department’s course descriptions and the department’s Diversity and Climate pages.
The Assistant Teaching Professor title confers the rights and responsibilities of membership in the UC and UCSC Academic Senates, and it has the formal payroll title “Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment (LPSOE)”. An LPSOE is eligible for promotion to "Security of Employment”, which is analogous to tenure. The Associate Teaching Professor and Teaching Professor titles confer the rights and responsibilities of membership in the UC and UCSC Academic Senates, and they have the formal payroll titles of “Lecturer with Security of Employment (LSOE)” and “Senior Lecturer with Security of Employment (SLSOE)” respectively. LSOE and SLSOE are analogous to tenure.
The chosen candidate will be expected to sign a statement representing that they are not the subject of any ongoing investigation or disciplinary proceeding at their current academic institution or place of employment, nor have they in the past ten years been formally disciplined at any academic institution/place of employment. In the event the candidate cannot make this representation, they will be expected to disclose in writing to the hiring Dean the circumstances surrounding any formal discipline that they have received, as well as any current or ongoing investigation or disciplinary process of which they are the subject. (Note that discipline includes a negotiated settlement agreement to resolve a matter related to substantiated misconduct.)
Physics Department: https://www.physics.ucsc.edu/
Qualifications
- PhD (or equivalent foreign degree) in physics, astronomy & astrophysics, or related field. It is expected that the degree requirements will be completed by June 30, 2024.
- A record of teaching with lead instruction responsibilities for university-level undergraduate courses.
Application Requirements
Applications are accepted via the UCSC Academic Recruit online system; all documents and materials must be submitted as PDFs.
Cover Letter - Letter of application that briefly summarizes your qualifications and interest in the position. A maximum of 2 pages.
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V. Should include a list of published papers and manuscripts accepted for publication, book contributions, posted preprints, proposals submitted and awarded, and other relevant signs of preparation and recognition.
Statement of Teaching Philosophy** - A statement describing teaching experience, philosophy and interests, any experience with pedagogical research, experience mentoring or supervising students and other junior scholars, and relevant professional achievements and activities. Should address experience and/or strategies for reducing equity gaps in introductory courses and any experience working together with other faculty toward these goals. Typically 2-3 pages, with a maximum of 4 pages.
** Initial applicant screens will focus only on these elements: Statement of Teaching Philosophy and Statement addressing contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This committee will be referring to this rubric for our Teaching Statement screening and this rubric for our DEI Statement screening. Competitive candidates are not expected to excel in all elements of the rubrics, particularly those who are more junior; assessments will take into account career stage and consider both achievements and potential contributions.
List of courses taught
Course syllabus (1 required) - 1 is required, a maximum of 5 will be accepted.
Course syllabi (up to 4 optional) - Preferably from at least two different courses (if available). A maximum of 4 optional syllabi will be accepted. If submitting multiple optional documents, please combine into one PDF before submitting.
(Optional)Selected assignments (1 of 2 required) - (formative and/or summative), preferably from two different courses (if available). 2 are required, a maximum of 5 will be accepted.
Selected assignments (2 of 2 required) - (formative and/or summative), preferably from two different courses (if available).
Selected assignments (up to 3 optional) - (formative and/or summative), preferably from two different courses (if available). A maximum of 3 optional selected assignments will be accepted. If submitting multiple optional documents, please combine into one PDF before submitting.
(Optional)Selected exams and/or other assessments (1 of 2 required) - Preferably from two different courses (if available). 2 are required, a maximum of 5 will be accepted.
Selected exams and/or other assessments (2 of 2 required) - Preferably from two different courses (if available).
Selected exams and/or other assessments (up to 3 optional) - A maximum of 3 optional selected exams and/or other assessments will be accepted. If submitting multiple optional documents, please combine into one PDF before submitting.
(Optional)Supplemental instructional materials - A maximum of 8 pages will be accepted.
(Optional)Course evaluations (1 set required) - Course evaluations, preferably from at least three different courses (if available). Course evaluations will be considered holistically, with an equity lens and awareness of prevalent biases. Evaluations from 1 course offering are required, a maximum of 5 will be accepted.
Course evaluations (up to 4 sets optional) - Course evaluations, preferably from at least three different courses (if available). Course evaluations will be considered holistically, with an equity lens and awareness of prevalent biases. A maximum of 4 optional course evaluation sets will be accepted. If submitting multiple optional documents, please combine into one PDF before submitting.
(Optional)Peer observation reports - A maximum of 3 will be accepted. If submitting multiple, please combine into one PDF before submitting.
(Optional)Teaching awards and any other evidence of effectiveness - A maximum of 8 pages will be accepted. If submitting multiple documents, please combine into one PDF before submitting.
(Optional)Professional development and scholarship - This includes participation in opportunities for improvement of pedagogy, course design or redesign, samples of publications in teaching and/or disciplinary physics journals. A maximum of 15 pages, including any attached publications or other documents, will be accepted. Please combine into one PDF before submitting.
(Optional)Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)** - Statement addressing your understanding of the barriers facing traditionally underrepresented groups and your past and planned contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion through teaching and other activities. Specifics about the candidate’s knowledge, experience, actions, results, and plans are much more helpful than general statements. Candidates are urged to review UCSC’s guidelines on the elements of good contributions to diversity statement here before preparing their application. Typically 2-3 pages, with a maximum of 3 pages.
** Initial applicant screens will focus only on these elements: Statement of Teaching Philosophy and Statement addressing contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This committee will be referring to this rubric for our Teaching Statement screening and this rubric for our DEI Statement screening. Competitive candidates are not expected to excel in all elements of the rubrics, particularly those who are more junior; assessments will take into account career stage and consider both achievements and potential contributions.
Statement of Other Professional Achievement and Activity - A statement that summarizes any other professional activities relevant to the advertised position. Service activities at the departmental and campus level that are not included in the DEI statement, and service to professional societies, journals, nonprofits, community groups, etc., can be included here. A maximum of 4 pages.
(Optional)
- 3-5 required (contact information only)
Applicants must provide the names and contact information of their references. A minimum of three are required and a maximum of three will be reviewed, but applicants are encouraged to include 1-2 additional references to be contacted if timely letters are not received from the three primary references. The hiring unit will request confidential letters* from the references of only those applicants who are under serious consideration. Please note that your references, or dossier service, will submit their confidential letters directly to the UC Recruit System.
*All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. For any reference letter provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service, career center), direct the author to UCSC’s confidentiality statement at http://apo.ucsc.edu/confstm.htm.
Help contact: depais@ucsc.edu
About UC Santa Cruz
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees. Inquiries regarding the University’s equal employment opportunity policies may be directed to the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 or by phone at (831) 459-2686.
Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UCSC positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check (see https://www.uscis.gov/e-verify). The university sponsors employment-based visas for nonresidents who are offered academic appointments at UC Santa Cruz (see https://apo.ucsc.edu/policy/capm/102.530.html).
UCSC is a smoke & tobacco-free campus.
If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact Disability Management Services at roberts@ucsc.edu (831) 459-4602.
UCSC is committed to addressing the spousal and partner employment needs of our candidates and employees. As part of this commitment, our institution is a member of the Northern California Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (NorCal HERC). Visit the NorCal HERC website at https://www.hercjobs.org/regions/higher-ed-careers-northern-california/ to search for open positions within a commutable distance of our institution.
The University of California offers a competitive benefits package and a number of programs to support employee work/life balance. For information about employee benefits please visit https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html
As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
VISIT UC Santa Cruz: https://www.ucsc.edu