Instructional Assistant Professor and/or Assistant Professor of the Practice (2 Positions available)

Texas A&M University, Department of Entomology

College Station, Texas

19/03/2024

Open until filled

https://entomology.tamu.edu

These are non-tenured Academic Professional Track (APT) faculty positions with job expectations in Teaching and Service with approximately a 90% and 10% distribution of effort, respectively; however, the appointment may change in accordance with departmental needs. Initial appointments for starting Assistant APT faculty are for 1-3 years, with the possibility of a 5-year extension based on performance and departmental needs. These appointments can be renewed. On an annual basis, the APT faculty positions are for 9 months, with potential teaching and service activities that can provide partial summer salary support. The positions will be based in College Station, TX. The Bachelor of Science in Forensic and Investigative Sciences (BS-FIVS) degree program, which has a Forensic Education Program Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) accredited science track, has experienced dramatic increases in the incoming freshman class for the past three years. Changes to the curriculum, course offerings, and programmatic support have resulted in substantial improvements in student retention within the program. The net result is that the number of students in the program has more than doubled over that timeframe and will now require the majority of FIVS courses to be offered in both the fall and spring semesters, instead of the current single annual offering. Coupled with the loss of tenure-track faculty historically teaching courses for this major, the Department of Entomology needs to substantially increase its instructional capacity in the forensic and investigative sciences to meet this demand. Due to the diversity of courses and topics that are offered in the BS-FIVS program, these instructional needs could be met by individuals with a traditional academic background and career pathway, or by individuals with significant professional experience as a practitioner in the forensic and investigative sciences, hence the two available titles of Instructional Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of the Practice, respectively, are offered in this faculty search. We seek two well-rounded teaching-centric individuals with broad experience across the forensic sciences. Courses currently available to teach include subject material in general forensic sciences, photography, microscopy, impression evidence, crime scene investigation, digital forensics, controlled substances, and forensic biology, chemistry, entomology, genetics, and toxicology. There is also the potential for new elective course development to meet future professional and student needs that align with a candidate’s area of specialization. The faculty members will have primary responsibility for preparing, delivering, and assessing the courses to which they are assigned as the instructor of record. A 90% teaching appointment in the Department of Entomology is defined by the Department as teaching ~27 fixed-credit hours over two years. To fulfill this appointment, two to three ~3 credit classes would be taught each fall and spring semester. Assignment of courses is done by the Department Head in consultation with the Associate Department Head for Academic Programs. Teaching also involves mentoring of undergraduate students and is expected of all faculty. Department, College, University, and Professional service appropriate to an individual’s talents and skills are required of all faculty. Any questions contact: Dr. Craig Coates, Chair Search and Screen Committee Minnie Belle Heep Center, Room 412 College Station, Texas 77843-2475 Phone: (979) 845-2510 Email: craig.coates@ag.tamu.edu For appointments as Instructional Assistant Professor, applicants are required to have a doctoral degree, preferably in a closely related science discipline. For appointments as Assistant Professor of the Practice, applicants are required to have, at the minimum, an earned master’s level degree, or at least 18 graduate credit hours in the teaching discipline. Alternatively, for the Assistant Professor of the Practice title, applicants with a bachelor’s degree and significant professional experience will meet minimum requirements. Desired qualifications include experience in teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level and experience in mentoring students. The successful candidate should have excellent written and oral communication skills.