For Future Faculty Series
Preparing for success on the job market and beyond
- Understanding institutional fit
- Preparing your job application materials
- Conducting your job search
- Developing your research program
- Advancing your teaching skills
Spring 2024 Training Events
Institute for Future PUI Faculty
Monday 4/1 to Saturday 4/13. Lafayette College, Easton, PA.
At Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), such as Lafayette College, a faculty member’s foremost responsibility is teaching. This is an immersive training program for chemistry postdocs and graduate students interested in pursuing a teaching-intensive faculty position. A select cohort of individuals will be invited to this intensive two-week experience. Apply here by 12/15.
Offered by Lafayette College.
Exploring Teaching Careers at Research Universities with CIRTL Alumni
Wednesday 4/3 12:00pm-1:00pm. Online event.
Faculty members who primarily teach, rather than do research, have become increasingly important for delivering courses to STEM undergraduates. Learn about the teaching faculty career path and ask questions of CIRTL alumni who are junior teaching faculty in this online panel event. Panelists will discuss the rewards and challenges of these positions, the opportunities for stability and advancement, and how non-tenure line faculty live in a research department. Register here.
Offered by the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning.
Writing Your Research Statement for the Academic Job Market
Wednesday 4/3 3:00pm-4:00pm. Online event.
Join faculty panelists from several institutions across the country to discuss their experiences as members of academic search committees. Panelists will discuss the process of the search, how their campus/department approaches a search and any advice they may give to graduate students and postdocs looking for academic positions. Panelists will also answer audience questions. Register here.
Offered by the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning.
Negotiating Faculty Job Offers
Thursday 4/4 1:00pm-2:30pm. Online event.
So you've got the job offer! Now what do you do? In this workshop, learn what you should consider when beginning negotiations. Also, learn what you can and cannot negotiate and hear strategies for clearly articulating your wants and needs. Register here.
Offered by the National Institutes of Health Office of Intramural Training & Education.
Writing Your Teaching Statement for the Academic Job Market
Friday 4/5 3:00pm-4:00pm. Online event.
Learn best practices for writing a teaching statement (also called a teaching philosophy statement) for the academic job market. Register here.
Offered by the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning.
Exploring Teaching Careers at Teaching Intensive Universities with CIRTL Alumni
Wednesday 4/10 12:00pm-1:00pm. Online event.
Nationally, more undergraduates are educated at community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and specialized BS and MS universities than at research universities. These faculty become leaders at their institutions, usually serve as advisers as well, and may engage in some research. Learn about what it’s like to teaching at a teaching-intensive university and ask questions of CIRTL alumni who are teaching at these institutions in this online panel event. Panelists will talk about how much teaching they do, opportunities for leadership and advancement, and more. Register here.
Offered by the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning.
Future Faculty Fellows
This week-long program will bring future and junior, women aligned, faculty together to meet current faculty at Cleveland-based universities, engage in professional development workshops to prepare for the faculty career search, and tour Cleveland area neighborhoods. Participants in the program are responsible for their travel to and from Cleveland, but all other costs are covered by the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women, including housing, meals, travel between institutions, and more. Apply here by 4/15.
Offered by Flora Stone Mather Center for Women at Case Western Reserve University.
How to Use This Summer to Prepare for Your Faculty Job Search
Wednesday 4/24 11:00am-11:45am. Online event.
The academic job market is highly competitive, and you want to stand out as a candidate. By attending this webinar, you’ll gain the insights and knowledge you need to prepare application documents that will highlight your potential as a scholar in your field. This webinar is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering: What are the major stages of an academic job search? What are faculty search committees looking for in a candidate? What documents do I need to write to prepare to go on the market? How do I navigate interviews during the academic job search process? Register here (select UW-Madison).
Offered by Beyond the Professoriate.
How to Start a Lab - Panel Discussion
Thursday 5/2 4:00pm-5:00pm. Online event.
Join our panel discussion to get expert advice from Northwestern professors who recently made this transition. Register here.
Offered by Northwestern University Postdoctoral Association.
WiscProf: Future Faculty in Engineering Workshop
Monday 5/20 to Thursday 5/23. UW-Madison College of Engineering campus.
Aims to broaden participation in the nation’s engineering faculty ranks by providing scholars who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents the foundation for a successful faculty career in an engineering discipline. This exciting, expenses-paid, four-day program is an invaluable opportunity to learn more about academic careers and how to succeed in a faculty position. Apply here by 3/1.
Spring 2024 Recruitment Events
The Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center Second Annual ExCEL Scholar Award Competition
Thursday 4/14. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
They are seeking mid- to late-stage postdocs with outstanding research achievements who are preparing to transition into an independent position in academia. Selected candidates will be invited to present their research at the ExCEL (Excellence in Career Enrichment Leadership) Symposium at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine on March 14, 2024. During their visit, awardees will also interact with trainees and faculty in one-on-one meetings and networking events. Apply here by 1/10.
Fall 2024 Recruitment Events
The 2024 Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) Future Faculty Career Exploration Program
Wednesday 9/25 - Saturday 9/28. Rochester Institute of Technology, NY.
The Future Faculty Career Exploration Program is a rigorous four-day program designed for participants to experience a “behind the scenes” glimpse into life as a faculty member here at RIT. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with RIT's diverse administration, faculty, and students while on campus. The program offers additional opportunities to enhance interview skills, practice job-talk presentations, and explore the research, teaching, and service expectations of RIT Faculty members. Apply here by 3/22.
Other Helpful Resources
Faculty Corner – Recorded Interviews/Talks about Becoming a Professor
Do you ever wonder what the joys and challenges are of being a professor? How best to prepare for a tenure track job? How to achieve work-life balance? What the best practices are in running a lab? Learn the answers to these types of questions in these recorded events with University of Michigan faculty. Access the recordings here.
Future PI Slack Group
The Future PI Slack group is an informal peer mentoring group for biomedical postdocs who are interested in staying in academia. They also have channels for those exploring non-academic options. They use the Slack messaging service to communicate about grant applications, conferences, the faculty job search, and other topics of common interest. The community has approximately 500 active members from around the world as of October 2020. Join here.
The Academic Job Search Handbook
The Academic Job Search Handbook is the comprehensive guide to finding a faculty position in any discipline. Beginning with an overview of academic careers and institutional structures, it moves step by step through the application process, from establishing relationships with advisors, positioning oneself in the market, learning about job openings, preparing CVs, cover letters, and other application materials, to negotiating offers. Of great value are the sixty new sample documents from a diverse spectrum of successful applicants. The handbook includes a search timetable, appendices of career resources, and a full sample application package. This fifth edition features new or updated sections on issues of current interest, such as job search concerns for pregnant or international candidates, the use of social media strategies to address CV gaps, and difficulties faced by dual-career couples. The chapter on alternatives to faculty jobs has been expanded and presents sample résumés of PhDs who found non faculty positions. E-book available through the UW–Madison library here.
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