Job Description

Commitment to Inclusive Excellence
Northern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution. We embrace inclusiveness, equity, and global awareness in all dimensions of our work and seek excellence through diversity among our students, administrators, faculty, and staff. Application by members of diverse groups is encouraged.
Purpose of Position
The Department of Physics, Geology, and Engineering Technology (PGET) invites applications for a tenure-track position in geology to begin August 2025. The rank is intended to be at the assistant professor level; however, candidates who currently hold a tenured position, have exceptional breadth of teaching experience, are entering with a currently active research agenda, and demonstrate the ability to serve as an effective program director will be considered for appointment at the rank of associate professor.

The PGET department has over 200 majors with 12 tenured/tenure-track faculty members and 5 full-time, non-tenured faculty. Within this, the geology program has about 25 majors who currently are served by a contingent of dedicated faculty with part-time, adjunct, and visiting professor appointments. This new tenure line is being created to establish a foundation for this small but growing undergraduate-only geology program. The new hire will be expected to lead engaging introductory geology courses in the general education curriculum that inspire some undeclared students to become geology majors, teach advanced geology courses with a student-centered focus, and enrich student experiences through participation in co-curricular activities such as geological field activities. Undergraduate research opportunities are highly valued within the department, and the hire will be expected to provide research experiences to undergraduate students by involving them in the hire’s own scholarship and by serving as a bridge to interinstitutional experiences such as summer research opportunities and internships. Tenure-track faculty members also are expected to engage in service activities at all levels of the university and to provide mentoring to students. Any research expertise or specialization within the geological sciences will be considered, provided that it allows the successful candidate to engage students, and the community more broadly, in the northern Kentucky and the greater Cincinnati region. The new hire will have opportunities to engage in student recruitment and to shape the geology curriculum.

Primary Responsibilities
Responsibilities for this position include the following:
Teach introductory geology courses in the general education curriculum
Teach advanced core and elective courses in the geology major, including development of courses in the hire’s area of expertise if they are not already part of the curriculum
Establish a productive research program that involves NKU’s undergraduate students
Disseminate results from research at conferences and in suitable journals
Serve as a career mentor for students, including helping them find research and professional experiences at other institutions
Establish professional connections in industry, government, and academia
Participate in service activities at various organizational levels of the university, within the profession, and in the community

Qualifications

Required qualifications:
Doctorate in geology or closely related field
Commitment to teaching excellence at the undergraduate level
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain a productive research program in the geological sciences that can involve undergraduate students
Excellence in written and oral communication

Preferred qualifications:
Effective teaching experience in introductory and advanced undergraduate geology courses
Demonstrated understanding of and compassion towards the needs of the student population served by NKU
Proven record of peer-reviewed, scholarly research in the geological sciences
Active advocate for the field of geology, including recruitment of geology majors
Demonstrated field experience to support classes, research, and co-curricular activities

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Review of applications will begin on January 2, 2025. All interested, qualified persons must apply for this position online at http://jobs.NKU.edu and will be asked to provide the following documents in PDF format.
Cover letter outlining qualifications and interests
Detailed curriculum vitae
Statement of teaching philosophy, including how laboratory exercises, field experiences, and evidence-based instructional practices fit in
A description of current research and plans for future research, including how undergraduate students will be incorporated into the research program
Unofficial copies of graduate transcripts
List of three references with contact information
Any candidate who is offered this position will be required to go through a pre-employment criminal background check as mandated by state law.

Minimum Education
A doctoral degree in geology or closely related field

Preferred Education
A doctoral degree in geology or closely related field