Position Description

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at Rice University in Houston, Texas invites applications for an Assistant Teaching Professor and Associate Director. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, non-tenure track faculty position with a dedicated administrative component. Applicants with teaching expertise in any discipline will be considered, but experience in faculty development with an inclusivity or mental health focus is strongly preferred. The successful candidate will have demonstrated capability to (i) develop effective faculty and graduate student programming that supports evidence-informed and innovative teaching practices, (ii) create evidence-based workshops and materials on pedagogical methods that contribute to student wellbeing, (iii) teach engaging graduate and undergraduate courses in pedagogy, (iv) mentor faculty and graduate students regarding student support, (v) enrich and engage in a collegial center environment, and (vi) promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

Duties and Responsibilities

The position requires teaching graduate courses in pedagogy, with the teaching load equivalent of three courses per year, in addition to collaborating with the Director and Faculty Fellows to carry out the CTE’s mission to foster outstanding teaching through evidence-based practices, strong community building, and research in pedagogical sciences. The incumbent takes leadership of various initiatives in the Center, particularly those related to creating academic environments that support inclusive teaching practices and student mental health; they are responsible for developing, implementing, administering, and evaluating faculty and graduate student programming, such as reading groups, workshops, and learning communities that serve the CTE’s broader mission and also incorporate outreach designed to raise awareness around inclusivity in the classroom.

In addition to their teaching responsibilities, Teaching Professors at all ranks are expected to contribute to the application and dissemination of pedagogical practices and carry out service to the university. In the context of the current position, service duties may include mentoring graduate and undergraduate student instructors, acting as a resource for faculty seeking assistance on teaching, and serving as a liaison between student wellbeing services and faculty instructors, among others. They are neither required nor expected to carry out disciplinary research, but should engage with the CTE’s mission to contribute to best practices and research in pedagogical sciences. Assistant Teaching Professors are eligible to be promoted through the teaching-track ranks. Candidates with specific interests and/or demonstrated accomplishments
in building diverse and inclusive teaching environments, particularly with regard to student mental health, should indicate as much in their diversity statements.

Start date
July 1, 2024

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. degree in their field at the time of application. Applicants must also have experience teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses in addition to professional experience consistent with the rank of Associate Director. A background in faculty development with an inclusivity or mental health focus is strongly preferred.

Application Instructions

Please submit a (1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) a teaching statement, (4) evidence of teaching effectiveness, (5) a diversity statement outlining how you would contribute to the development of an inclusive learning community at Rice through your teaching and service, and (6) three letters of recommendation through Interfolio. The deadline for applications is March 18, 2024.

About Rice University and the Center for Teaching Excellence

Rice University is a private university with a strong reputation for excellence in both teaching and research, located in the heart of Houston’s dynamic Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across eight schools, with a student body of approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students. Rice
consistently ranks among the top 20 national universities and the top 10 in undergraduate teaching (US News & World Report); the university is committed to a culturally and intellectually diverse community, as well as to supporting work-life balance of its faculty. The CTE supports the teaching mission of Rice’s 546 tenure-track and 341 non-tenure track instructional faculty. Rice’s CTE is unique in that it was founded and developed by faculty, and affiliated Faculty Fellows continue to play a vital role in the Center.

Houston is the most diverse city in the country, and boasts a vibrant economy as well as world-class museums, performing arts venues, restaurants, and sports teams. Rice University is committed to a culturally and intellectually diverse community, and is committed to supporting the work-life balance of its faculty. We seek greater representation of women, scholars of color, LGBTQJ people, people with disabilities, veterans, and others who have historically been underrepresented in academia. The CTE strives to actively counter prejudice, to accelerate progress in building a faculty who are diverse in background and thought, and to create a working environment that is inclusive and equitable.

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

Rice University Standard of Civility Serves as a representative of the University, displaying courtesy, tact, consideration and discretion in all interactions with other members of the Rice community and with the public.