Clarkson U - TT Medical Sociology

[clarksonhss]

Clarkson University’s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Sociology whose primary field is Medical Sociology and whose secondary field is in one of the following areas of focus in our multidisciplinary department: Consumption, Conflict Studies, Demography, Environmental Studies, Film, Gender and Sexuality, Globalization, Race and Ethnic Relations, Rural, or Technology. The successful candidate will make use of quantitative and/or mixed methods in his or her work and be able to teach the department’s undergraduate Research Methods course. Applicants should also bring a lively interest in contributing to the programmatic development of Clarkson’s intra-school emphases in biotechnology and the health sciences, and to expanding the world reach and diversity of the Clarkson community.

The ordinary teaching load is three courses (usually two preparations) per semester, including each fall two sections of a first-year writing-intensive course, focused on a theme of the applicant’s choosing. There is ample opportunity for course development in electives. The successful candidate will have published scholarship and evidence of excellence in the classroom. PhD required by September 1st, 2016. The deadline for receipt of applications is October 5th. clarkson.peopleadmin.com/

Located in New York’s rural Saint Lawrence Valley, Clarkson University is a research-intensive institution with a pre-professional teaching mission in engineering, business and the sciences. The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences offers degrees in History, Humanities, Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Political Science, and Social Documentation.

Clarkson University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and actively seeks and encourages applications from minorities, women, people with disabilities and veterans.

[clarksonhss]

I want to add that although the job ad specifies Medical Sociology, people working on social inequalities who are concerned with, say, health and related outcomes would also be very welcome to apply.

[clarksonhss]

Small update:

As of September 16, we have 8 applicants.

Please feel free to ask questions about the position, etc., if you have any reservations, or if you have questions about what a multidisciplinary department like this is like.

[teaching evaluations]

This may be a question more suited for the Q&A section of this board but since this issue has come up for me re: this position it might behoove me to ask anyway. Following the application link there is a list of items required for application, including a CV, cover letter, and teaching evaluations. As a candidate who spent a majority of my career in research rather than the classroom (and what little teaching I've done did not produce teaching evaluations from students), I do not have any teaching evaluations on hand despite what I believe is high potential for excellence in the classroom. Will this be a significant enough detriment to me that it will essentially nullify my application (i.e., it will be immediately be discarded upon receipt)?

In addition, the link to the application specifies a minimum of 3 references and a maximum of 4. Do the reference letters need to be in-hand and uploaded along with all other application documents? Or (as is the case with some other institutions) are only the names and contact information of references needed (and Clarkson will contact references directly for requests for letters)?

[clarksonhss]

We like to see some "evidence of teaching excellence," even if this does not take the form of student evaluations. In your case perhaps this could include some materials related to your past teaching experiences, or perhaps a sample syllabus or two. You might (also) include a teaching statement that provides some reflection on some basic principles that would guide your teaching, and a brief description of some courses you might be interested in teaching and developing. This could be a more expansive discussion than what you state in your cover letter.

In short: no, lacking teaching evaluations doesn't mean your application will be discarded immediately. But you'd do well to include some alternative "evidence of teaching excellence" (potential or otherwise).

In terms of letters of recommendation: let me ask the chair of the committee. I'll post back when I have an answer.

[clarksonhss]

Further follow-up:
Letters are required only for candidates who reach the phone interview stage, and they will be notified to submit letters at this time (if they have not submitted them already).

[thanks]

Thank you for the clarification!

[Justaheadsup]

Just a heads up, the submission software for this particular app doesn't play nice with chrome. You'll get stuck at the employment history page and it will insist that you haven't filled in required fields. Switching to IE helped.

[clarksonhss]

Sept 21, 2015 8:27:02 GMT -5 thanks said:

Thank you for the clarification!

It's my pleasure. I hope that you will apply.

[clarksonhss]

Another update:

Five days before the deadline, we have received only 26 applications.

I'm really curious about this: why aren't more of you applying?

[i have done]

have applied. perfect match for my quant and med socy research

[Why so few?]

Location location location.

[nothealth]

I'd be happy to, if only I ever got on the med/health soc train! Too bad I didn't.

[clarksonhss]

Sept 30, 2015 10:09:36 GMT -5 Why so few? said:

Location location location.

Potsdam is no metropolis; this is true. There are tradeoffs. To put it bluntly (I'm no charlatan): there is no wide array of restaurants (though this is changing slowly), it's not a particularly diverse community, and we're a 90-min drive from the nearest international airport (though, FWIW, I've been flying out of Montreal lately, and it's terrific). On the upside, it is an incredibly restful place to live and work. The spring semester ends in late April, leaving you nearly four glorious summer months (if you have never been to the Adirondacks in the summertime, it might be hard to appreciate fully how beautiful it is) to play and work without any teaching obligations. Cost of living is low. The setting is rural, but -- if this is something you're worried about -- not straightforwardly "red-state." Long-time residents have a strong libertarian streak, and/but the region has experienced an influx of lefty farmer types over the last 30 years, and there are four colleges within a seven-mile radius (hence, many faculty). In professional terms, our department is a collegial, multidisciplinary group. And it's worth noting that, as an engineering school experiencing no problems maintaining student enrollment, Clarkson is probably not going to start ditching departments or tenure anytime soon (unlike, say, myriad liberal arts colleges and state universities). It's potentially a perfect gig for someone who values both research and teaching. I hope you will apply.

[ ... "Never say no to a job you haven't been offered yet." ]

[Pay]

Any idea of the general salary range for this position?