Visiting Assistant Professor - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Visiting Assistant Professor - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Brief Summary of Work for this Position
The Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina Wilmington is seeking a fixed-term, nine-month, non-tenure track, Visiting Assistant Professor of Geology for a two-year contract beginning in August 2023 through May 2025 in the areas of sedimentology, stratigraphy, and basin analysis.

Upon initial appointment, the successful candidate will teach a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in the program’s curriculum that may include introductory geology, sedimentary petrology, sedimentology and stratigraphy, and courses in the successful candidate’s area of specialization, as well as other courses in the curriculum. Course curricula involving applied field experiences will be considered positive attributes of a candidate’s application.

This position carries a teaching load of 12 contact hours per semester. Upon initial appointment, the successful candidate will also engage in departmental faculty meetings, provide limited departmental service, participate on undergraduate and/or graduate committees, and actively assist in efforts to increase department visibility, student participation, and enrollment in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences academic programs.

The Department is committed to the idea that we all benefit from diverse student, staff, and faculty populations, experiences, and perspectives, and we believe that our students, our faculty, and our curriculum are essential elements in that vision. We are seeking a colleague who shares that commitment, has potential for excellence in teaching, and who is interested in being an integral part of the department.

The successful candidate will join a department with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence and will be expected to contribute actively to these efforts. Our department actively fosters a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Doctoral degree in Geology or a closely related geological field on or before August 2023

Applicants who are ABD for the terminal degree may be considered if a doctoral degree is conferred by the time of appointment.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Preference will be given to candidates who have the following qualifications:

  • Demonstrated interests and experience in the area of sedimentology, stratigraphy, and basin analysis, with an emphasis on tectonics, sedimentary petrology, and/or geochronology.
  • Demonstrated experience and commitment to exceptional teaching at the college level, ideally beyond teaching assistantship duties.
  • Demonstrated interest or success in outreach efforts to increase geoscience visibility, student participation, and enrollment in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences’ academic programs.
  • Demonstrated interest or success incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion in both instructional and outreach activities and in working with diverse populations. 

Primary Function of Organizational Unit
The Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences (https://uncw.edu/earsci/) offers the following degrees: B.S. in Geology and Oceanography, M.S. and B.A. in Geosciences, B.A. in Geography and Geospatial Science, and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science. The department maintains an outstanding record of research and scholarship and provides powerful undergraduate/graduate student experiences that include applied learning, field studies, and mentored research. UNCW maintains a wide range of analytical facilities in support of research including sedimentology, geospatial analysis, electron microscopy, stable isotope mass spectrometry, aqueous chemistry, NMR and DNA facilities, as well as a dive shop, machine shop, and instrument shop at the UNCW Center for Marine Science (https://uncw.edu/cms/).

College/School Information
The College of Arts and Sciences is UNCW’s largest academic unit and awards approximately two-thirds of the university’s academic credits. Ours is a comprehensive arts and sciences college comprising the arts, the humanities, the mathematical and natural sciences, and the social and behavioral sciences.

The College’s twenty-five units offer a variety of undergraduate majors leading to the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Music, and the Bachelor of Science. The College also offers a full complement of minors, including interdisciplinary minors such as Africana studies, Asian studies, Forensic studies, Latin America studies, Middle East & Islamic studies, Native-American studies, and Women’s and Gender studies, among others.

Applied learning is a hallmark of the student experience in the College of Arts and Sciences. Each of the College’s departments requires an applied learning experience as a part of the curriculum for its undergraduate majors. Examples include faculty-directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various strands of knowledge and to apply that knowledge to broader, real-world or real disciplinary situations. Through applied learning, students in the College gain direct hands-on experience with the skills of their major fields as an essential part of their preparation for life and career.

In addition to its undergraduate major and minor programs, the College is chiefly responsible for the curriculum that comprises the UNCW’s University Studies Program, through which all UNCW undergraduates gain a foundation in the liberal arts and develop the transferable skills essential for life in the twenty-first century. The College strives in its undergraduate programs and in its University Study offerings to nurture creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, diversity and inclusion, and academic integrity in students while providing them with a solid foundation of knowledge in their chosen fields. Upon completion of their undergraduate studies, College of Arts and Sciences students will have the necessary preparation for rewarding careers, advanced study, effective citizenship, and meaningful lives.

Graduate degrees awarded in the College of Arts and Sciences include the Master of Arts, the Master of Fine Arts, the Master of Public Administration, the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy (Marine Biology and Psychology). In addition, the nationally awarded Graduate Liberal Studies program offers a personalized curriculum of interdisciplinary study leading to the Master of Arts. Post-baccalaureate certificates in Applied Statistics, Environmental Studies, Forensic Science, Conflict Management and Resolution, Gender Studies and Hispanic Studies are available. Graduate programs in the College are designed to develop intellectual competence and to prepare the student for careers in business, industry, government, teaching or for further study at the doctoral level.

University Information
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

Please apply online at https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/26209

Special Notes to Applicants
Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59PM EST on December 15, 2022, the job closing date.
To apply, please complete the online application process available at https://jobs.uncw.edu/ and attach the following materials as an Adobe PDF document including:

1. Brief Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vita
3. Combined Unofficial Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts – please upload these documents under the Combined Unofficial Graduate Transcripts category
4. Statement of Teaching Philosophy describing:

a. teaching practices, interests, and experience (face-to-face and online)
b. a list and brief description of potential undergraduate- and graduate-level course offerings
c. a plan for actively engaging students in field and classroom learning
d. a statement of how issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion shape the applicant’s working practices, past and planned, and e. a statement reflecting the candidate’s commitment to a broad diversity of perspectives and experiences.

5. List of 3 professional references
6. If needed, applicants may upload additional materials under the Other category.

Please note that a minimum of three references are required for all applications. References will be requested during the screening process.

Letters of application without the requested components will not meet the application requirements. For questions about the position, contact the Search Chair, Dr. Peter Haproff at Haproffp@uncw.edu or 910-962-7077. For questions about the online application process, contact Ms. Lorenda Heathcock at heathcockl@uncw.edu or 910-962-3490.

EEO Statement
At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset. 

Eligibility for Employment
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.