Academic Job Description
The School of Integrative Plant Science
Postdoctoral Associate as part of Cornell’s Active Learning Initiative
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and home to Cornell University’s second largest population of students, faculty and staff. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy and environmental resources; and social, physical and economic well-being. CALS is fundamentally invested in improving the lives of people, their environments, and their communities both in New York state and around the world.
The CALS School of Integrative of Plant Science (SIPS) encompasses five fields: Horticulture, Plant Biology, Plant Breeding & Genetics, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, and Soil and Crop Sciences. Combined there are 100+ faculty, ~200 undergraduate majors, 200+ graduate students in six fields, and 600+ other employees located in Ithaca, Geneva, and other satellite locations across New York State. The School offers the multidisciplinary undergraduate major in the Plant Sciences and is also home to the Agricultural Sciences major. School faculty also contribute to the Biology, Global Development, and Viticulture & Enology majors.
Position Function
The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) invites applications for a three-year Postdoctoral Associate as part of Cornell’s Active Learning Initiative.
We invite applicants with a specialization in Plant Sciences to apply for an exciting position working together with dedicated professors to enhance the classroom experience. Thus, we seek early career scholars with demonstrated interest and skills in new classroom technologies, evidence-based methods, and creative approaches to teaching to reimagine and implement strategies that elevate engagement and learning in plant science classes. The Postdoc will work with course instructors to create an environment where students from diverse backgrounds, experiences and learning styles can thrive.
The Postdoctoral Associate will join our SIPS teaching ecosystem which includes three top-ranked undergraduate majors, five strong graduate fields, and an existing community of scholars who value active learning approaches. Specifically, the Postdoc will work to make teaching more effective in five SIPS courses representing diverse topics at both undergraduate and graduate levels (working with two courses per semester). The Postdoc will also participate in activities of like-minded scholars (the Cornell-wide Active Learning Initiative) by attending meetings with other postdocs, learning how to conduct assessments, surveys and class observations, and exploring new techniques used in other departments across the university. The Postdoc will not teach classes as a sole instructor but will work with a lead faculty member for each course to implement change.
The Postdoctoral Associate will be appointed for a one-year period with the possibility of annual extensions for up to three years. The Postdoc will be mentored through regular dialog with SIPS faculty and with leaders of the Active Learning Initiative in the Cornell Center for Teaching Innovation. The starting salary for this position is $65,000 per year, plus benefits, and up to $3,000 per year in research allowance. A relocation allocation will be negotiated with the successful candidate.
Anticipated Division of Time
80% pedagogy advising of SIPS faculty
15% pedagogy research and publication
5% professional development
Requirements
All applications are due by April 30, 2023. Review of applications will begin promptly and we expect to conduct Zoom interviews with shortlisted candidates in early May.
Eligibility: Applicants must have received the Ph.D. degree no earlier than September 1, 2018. Applicants must have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. degree (including filing the dissertation) before July 1, 2023. The completion date for the Ph.D. degree cannot in any circumstance be waived or extended.
Supervision Exercised
No supervision will be required.
To apply:
Qualified candidates should submit:
(1) Cover letter
(2) CV
(3) Statement of teaching philosophy and experience
(4) Statement of research experience
(6) Contact information for three references that include a name, phone number, and email address.
Questions about the position or the application process should be addressed to the Associate Director of Teaching for SIPS at kh11@cornell.edu.
CALS hiring range for this title is $56,484 to $65,000.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Life. Changing.
Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations.
Employment Assistance:
For specific questions about the position or application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or for general questions email mycareer@cornell.edu.
If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at equity@cornell.edu.
Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing mycareer@cornell.edu.
Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.
EEO Statement:
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.
Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff from all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.
Pay Ranges:
The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
- Prior relevant work or industry experience.
- Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
- Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)
- Unique applicable skills.