Job description

23444BR

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Position Overview

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) at the University of Kansas seeks a tenure-track assistant professor in Evolutionary Genomics to begin 8/18/2023. This position is a full-time, academic-year appointment. The department is interested in candidates applying cutting edge genomic approaches to address fundamental questions in evolutionary biology.  KU’s EEB Department, with its close ties to the Biodiversity Institute, Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, and Center for Genomics, provides many opportunities for cross-disciplinary, integrative research. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an externally funded, internationally recognized research program in Evolutionary Genomics and have a demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching, mentoring and service.

The University of Kansas is a Carnegie doctoral/research-extensive university with a $1.4 billion endowment and a faculty of 2,600. Current enrollment is 28,500 (19,000 undergraduate), with students drawn from 110 nations and all 50 states, 20.6% of KU students are members of minority groups. The 1,000-acre main campus is in Lawrence, a community of 95,000 in hilly northeast Kansas that lies about 35 miles west of Kansas City. Lawrence has a lively downtown and a thriving arts and music scene, and its local government has enacted ordinances supporting equality for all members of its population. Lawrence also offers numerous sports and recreational opportunities, local shops, and a wide range of good restaurants.

KU’s research residential campus is in the center of a vibrant and culturally-rich community – a quintessential college town. Visitors, students and new employees from outside the area enjoy discovering the many wonders of Lawrence, including a thriving downtown, diverse local and regional events, area lakes, vibrant arts and music scenes, and an indelible history.  Home to nearly 95,000 people, Lawrence is located 45 minutes west of Kansas City and 30 minutes east of Topeka, the state capital. Along with the music, arts, culture and sports experiences offered at KU and in Lawrence, the short drive to Kansas City provides quick access to historic jazz clubs, museums, world-class music and theatre venues, and professional sports teams.

At the University of Kansas, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are an important part of our culture and university strategic plan. Applications from members of underrepresented groups are encouraged, noting the value that differences bring to our organization, students, staff, faculty, and community. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.

The College emphasizes interdisciplinary, experiential learning and global awareness, houses a vibrant university wide Honors Program that highlights undergraduate research and service activities, and has created strong affiliations with outstanding cross-disciplinary research centers. Faculty and academic staff have emphasized the importance of continuing and expanding on relationships with centers and entities including the Biodiversity Institute, Kansas Biological Survey, Kansas Geological Survey, the Hall Center for the Humanities, the Life Span Institute, the Institute for Policy and Social Research, the Spencer Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum.

Job Description
Position Overview continued:
These relationships have brought a broad range of disciplines together to pursue and conduct sponsored research and education at the international, national, state, regional and local levels, and have created employment structures in which faculty and academic staff share appointments to emphasize collaboration. College faculty and research staff are welcomed as members in all KU’s designated research centers and institutes. The College is home to internationally recognized scholars and scientists who brought in $44M in research funding in FY 2021, nearly 30% of the total funded research at KU Lawrence.

Job Duties:
40% Research – Tenure-track faculty in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology are expected to develop an active and productive research program that includes regular publications in peer reviewed journals and presentations at professional conferences. A successful researcher will gain national and international recognition and be competitive for extramural funding.

40% Teaching/Advising:

• Teach two courses/academic year. Courses taught will include those that contribute to the core curriculum in undergraduate biology (e.g. Genetics, Evolution) and advanced courses in research specialty at the graduate and undergraduate level.
• Participate in mentoring masters and doctoral students in thesis research.
• Conduct course evaluation with student input as directed by the University.
• Hold regular office hours for students of courses taught.
• Adhere to program, College, and University Policies.

20% Service:

• Serve on committees at the Departmental, College, and University levels and perform other related duties as opportunities arise.
• Participate in professional service that may include reviewing scholarly articles and grant proposals, serving on advisory panels, activity in national organizations and scientific societies, and organizing meetings or workshops.

Faculty Code
Faculty members are expected to carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the Faculty Code of
Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, currently viewable at:
http://policy.ku.edu/FacultyCodeKULawrence/faculty-code-of-rights

Required Qualifications
Evaluation of the following requirements will be made through: (a) statements of current and future research interests and teaching philosophy (b) record of accomplishments and productivity included in curriculum vitae, and (c) information provided from three professional references.

• Doctoral degree in evolutionary genomics or related field by the time of appointment
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching as evidenced by teaching philosophy statement and/or reference letters
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in research as evidenced by dissertation research, publications, and/or externally funded research grants and statement of research interests
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as evidenced by the statement in application, CV and/or reference letters

Contact Information to Applicants
Dr. John Kelly
Search Committee Chair
[email protected]

How to apply

For complete information and to apply online, go to:  https://employment.ku.edu/academic/xxxxxBR.
A complete online application includes the following materials: (1) cover letter; (2) Curriculum vitae; (3) research agenda; (4) teaching philosophy statement; and (5) the names, email and contact information for three professional references. In addition to the materials above, learning about each applicant’s contribution and engagement in areas of diversity is an important part of KU’s mission. As a result, applicants will be presented the following question at the time of application:

• Describe your experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds and explain how those experiences reflect your commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Applicants are also encouraged to include or expand upon how they have contributed to building a culture of belonging through DEI initiatives within the required application materials provided.

Application review will begin November 1, 2022 and will continue until a pool of qualified applicants is obtained.

Application Review Begins: 01-Nov-2022

Anticipated Start Date: 18-Aug-2023

Position Number: 00001672

Primary Campus
University of Kansas Lawrence Campus

FTE: 1.0

Reg/Temp: Regular

Advertised Salary Range: commensurate with experience

Employee Class: F-Faculty

Disclaimer
The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX, [email protected], Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY (for the Lawrence, Edwards, Parsons, Yoder, and Topeka campuses); Director, Equal Opportunity Office, Mail Stop 7004, 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-588-8011, 711 TTY (for the Wichita, Salina, and Kansas City, Kansas medical center campuses).