The Department of Geography, Society, and Environment at the University of Minnesota invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, non-tenure track position at the rank of Lecturer with expertise in Geographic Information Science (GISc) to begin teaching in Fall 2023. The candidate will teach 6 courses per year. Compensation and benefits are highly competitive. We are committed to attracting candidates from historically underrepresented groups knowing that diversity enriches the academic experience and enhances innovation.
Apply here: https://jobsearch.cla.umn.edu/354424
The successful applicant for this Lecturer position will help provide high-quality GISc instruction. The ideal candidate will help provide vision and leadership for the professional Masters of GISc program, the first such program in the country. The candidate will contribute to the undergraduate and graduate GIS programs. They will have an opportunity to develop curricular materials demonstrating how GIS and GISc can support diversity, equity, and inclusion in society.
Responsibilities
- Provide high-quality instruction in GISc and GISc-related courses. This will include existing courses focusing on specific GIS, such as ArcGIS, and broader substantive areas, including Principles of Cartography, and Advanced Cartography and Geovisualization as well as newly developed courses.
- Maintain and update current course content and, if needed, develop new courses to meet programmatic needs and improve student success given new evolutions in geospatial data and technologies.
- Create an inclusive learning environment for a population of students with diverse backgrounds and professional/personal interests.
- Dependent upon course size may supervise teaching assistants.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
At the time of appointment, the candidate must:
- possess a Masters or PhD in GIScience, geography, or a related field;
- demonstrate a commitment to supporting diverse and inclusive communities;
- demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively with students;
- be proficient with geospatial tools, including ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, and other commercial and open source products;
Preferred Qualifications
- Be proficient in teaching cartography and/or geovisualization courses;
- Be proficient with programming languages (e.g., SQL, Python, JavaScript, R); or
- Experience with spatial databases and/or enterprise GIS environments (e.g., PostGIS, ArcGIS Server).
About the Department
The Department of Geography, Environment & Society at the University of Minnesota is an internationally recognized department with high profile scholarship in urban geography, globalization, nature-society relations, GIScience, biogeography, and climatology.
Active Geography faculty research projects include the following: Recovery, promotion, and advancement of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Indigenous approaches to collaborative forest management for climate resilient landscapes; paleoclimate modeling to benchmark climate extremes and dynamics; ecosystem coupling and spatio-temporal responses to global environmental change; fertility and maternal health response to climate shocks in Sub-Saharan Africa; development and application of novel geospatial technologies for transportation, epidemiology, population dynamics, and big-data science; critical race and feminist studies for environmental justice; urban development, social justice futures, and changing environmental trajectories in the Twin Cities; Blackness, capitalism, and the African Diaspora; critical social theory of Latinx and Latina feminist politics; political economies and political ecologies of waste; critical theory of settler colonialism, extractivism, and contemporary trajectories of infrastructure.
We offer B.A., B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Geography, and interdisciplinary undergraduate majors in Urban Studies, and in Biology, Society, and Environment, plus a professional-track Master’s of Geographic Information Sciences (http://mgis.umn.edu/). Geography also hosts an interdisciplinary minor in GISc and another in Public Health in conjunction with the Department of Sociology and the School of Public Health.
More on the Department of Geography, Environment & Society and its programs can be found at http://www.geog.umn.edu/
About the College of Liberal Arts
Home to the arts, social sciences and humanities disciplines and programs, the College of Liberal Arts is the largest college in the University of Minnesota and comprises 31 academic departments, and over 20 interdisciplinary research centers and administrative/support units. CLA has over 1,300 faculty and staff spanning research, teaching, advising, outreach, and administrative functions. CLA units reside in over twenty buildings on the East Bank and West Bank of the Twin Cities campus. CLA enrolls nearly 13,000 undergraduate students, over 40% of the undergraduate enrollment on the Twin Cities campus, 1,400 graduate students, and has an annual all-funds budget of $290 million.
CLA is a destination for curious, compassionate individuals who are committed to making our increasingly interdependent and diverse global community work for everyone. That foundational commitment begins in our CLA Constitution. CLA is committed to increasing enrollment of underrepresented and under-resourced students, diversifying our faculty across all disciplines, recruiting, and retaining a diverse staff, and promoting the expression and exploration of diverse perspectives and viewpoints—so that we all gain the background knowledge and analytical skills we need to understand and respect differences.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in CLA
Benefits
Working at the University
At the University of Minnesota, you’ll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.
The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
- Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Scholarship
- Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
- Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
- University HSA contributions
- Disability and employer-paid life insurance
- Employee wellbeing program
- Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
- Financial counseling services
- Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefits.
How To Apply
Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and you must attach a cover letter and CV This position also requires that you attach a diversity and teaching statement, and a sample syllabus, lab and/or course activity. Additional documents must be attached after applying by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.
Screening of applications will begin on April 3, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. Please be advised: those applicants who are selected for further consideration will be asked for three professional letters of reference on short notice later this spring.
Candidates will be evaluated according to overall quality of their credentials as a scholar-educator; relevance of their teaching record to the department’s curricular priorities; evidence of commitment to teaching and skills as a teacher; demonstrated evidence of commitment to diversity and inclusion in teaching (to be described in a separate diversity and teaching statement); an example lab, course activity, or syllabus that explores GIS, data science and issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion; and strength of recommendations.
For questions about the application process, please contact the department administrator, Glen Powell, at [email protected]. For questions about the position, contact Professor Eric Shook at [email protected]
To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail [email protected] or call (612) 624-UOHR (8647).
Diversity
The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.
The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu.
Employment Requirements
Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.
Please note: All employees at the University of Minnesota are required to comply with the University’s Administrative Policy: COVID-19 Vaccination and Safety Protocol by either providing proof of being fully vaccinated on their first day of employment, or complete a request for an exemption for medical exemption or religious reasons. To learn more please visit: https://safe-campus.umn.edu/return-campus/get-the-vax
About the U of M
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.