Faculty Positions Available
Assistant/Associate Professor
Cohort Hire: Science-Based Solutions to Grand Challenges in Equity and Inclusion
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University

Position: Assistant/Associate Professor, Tenure-track.

Location: Ithaca, NY, USA. The academic home for these positions is the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), housed on the Ithaca campus of Cornell University. The format of this search allows a candidate to be hired into the CALS department that is the best fit for their research program. Candidates will indicate department(s) of preference upon application and will work with the committee to select the most appropriate tenure home given research, teaching, and/or extension programs.

Position Description and Responsibilities:
Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is leading a new cluster hire initiative that leverages our existing strengths and transdisciplinary leadership in solution-based science. We seek individuals whose work explicitly addresses ongoing systemic challenges facing historically marginalized and disadvantaged communities, centering on engagement, scientific advancements, and evidence-based approaches. This strategic recruitment aims to bolster progress in core areas of CALS’ disciplinary and cross-disciplinary strengths, aligning basic breakthroughs in the life, social, environmental, and agricultural sciences with translational approaches for real-world impact.

We invite applications for 9-month, full-time tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant/Associate Professor level. The positions involve 50% research and 50% teaching or extension responsibilities. Up to five new faculty will be hired. Successful applicants will conduct research that advances the college’s commitment to agricultural, biological and life sciences, resource management, biological and/or environmental engineering, and physical and social sciences. The aim of the cohort is to create a community of scholars across disciplines who use basic and applied science to solve challenges and build sustainable relationships that engage historically marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities in the research process. To continue Cornell University's legacy of engaged scholarship, our new colleagues will have a track record of and sustained commitment to building relationships with the communities with whom they partner. Strong consideration will be given to scholars with demonstrated research and teaching or extension excellence in areas such as (but not exclusive to): climate and environmental justice; social and socio-economic system resilience under climate change, globalization, and/or technological change; health equity; disparities in access/use/representation in media and communication technologies; food security, food access and food technology; agricultural, natural resource, land, and water (dis)possession and management; improving urban landscapes and ecosystems; urban agriculture; empowerment of Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and people of color in agriculture or food production; access, equity, and inclusion in the realm of artificial intelligence, big data, computational biology and/or the basic life sciences. Successful candidates will join the faculty in any one of our 16 nationally and internationally recognized departments plus the sections within our School of Integrative Plant Science in CALS (see the CALS website for a full listing of departments and programs).

Outstanding research scholarship is expected, as is excellence in and commitment to teaching or extension, translation of knowledge, and advising and mentoring of students. We seek colleagues with an outstanding record demonstrating success and promise across all these areas, and who will be supported by and contribute to a vibrant culture of inclusive excellence at Cornell. As such, candidates are expected to engage in service and leadership activities within their department, the college and university, and relevant professional societies. We welcome candidates who understand the barriers facing women and other marginalized identities who are underrepresented in the classroom and in higher education careers (as evidenced by life experiences and educational background), and who have experience in equity and diversity with respect to teaching, mentoring, research, outreach, life experiences, or service towards building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment.

Applicants whose research builds and extends our existing strengths and explores new ways to support our mission will be given full consideration. The college is taking active steps to build diversity, equity, and inclusion into all facets of our work, and the colleagues we hire will join us in advancing these efforts in our research, teaching, and engagement. Our college values multiple methods of qualitative and quantitative inquiry and embraces interdisciplinary collaboration. Members of this cohort will benefit from proactive mentoring that engages a network of senior faculty, academic and non-academic peers, and internal and external advocates during pre- and post-tenure career development. Mentoring partnerships will be bidirectional, empowering the cohort and its members and providing space for innovative collaborations to emerge from shared interests, goals, and opportunities.

For more information about this cohort hire, please visit our search website.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in an appropriate field and show promise of developing a national and international reputation in their research area. We seek innovative scholars who will develop a research program connected to department, college, and university priorities in research, extension, and/or teaching. The candidate will join a department with mutually aligned interests and focal areas, contributing to research and teaching or extension curriculum in ways that leverage existing strengths while building unique and collaborative opportunities and programs that include community engagement with a focus on equity and justice. CALS is dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion, and in particular to building diverse and inclusive teaching, research, and outreach programs, including a diverse faculty. Evidence of a commitment to advancing equity and inclusion through research, teaching, outreach, and/or service will be considered essential for the successful candidate.

Starting Date and Applications: The anticipated starting date for these positions is July 2022 or as negotiated. Applications are encouraged from candidates of all backgrounds, particularly from underrepresented groups and identities. Qualified applicants should submit 1) a cover letter briefly summarizing background, qualifications, and interest in the position, 2) a Curriculum Vitae, 3) a research statement outlining experience, interests, and goals, 4) a teaching or extension statement outlining experience, interests, and goals, 5) a statement of contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion outlining how, through research, teaching, extension, mentoring, and/or service, the candidate has and will contribute to support Cornell’s mission of “any person … any study,” 6) at least one (but not more than three) writing sample demonstrating scholarly impact, and 7) names and contact information for four references, including one from a member of a community or network impacted by and/or integrated into the scholars’ research. Materials should be submitted online to: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/19729. Applications received by November 10, 2021, will be given full consideration. Up to five hires will be made from this search. For questions regarding the position, please contact the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Chelsea Specht, at cdspecht@cornell.edu.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University is engaged in pioneering pursuit of inclusive, purpose-driven science. As Cornell University’s second largest college, with discovery for impact at its core, we work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through equitable, world-renowned research, education and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy and environmental resources; and social, physical and economic well-being. CALS is fundamentally invested in improving the lives of people, their environments, and their communities both in New York state and around the world.

Cornell University seeks to meet the needs of dual career couples, has a Dual Career program, and is a member of the Upstate New York Higher Education Recruitment Consortium to assist with dual career searches including positions available in higher education in the upstate New York area.

The new faculty member will join a collaborative, interdisciplinary community on the main campus in Ithaca, New York. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League and Land-grant university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

Cornell's regional and global presence includes state-wide Cornell Cooperative Extension programs and offices in all counties and boroughs, global partnerships with institutions and communities engaged in life-changing research and education, the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, and the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City. The Cornell community embraces diversity and inclusion. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. We value AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and seek candidates who will create a climate that attracts and retains persons of all races, ethnicities, and genders. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations.

Employment Assistance: If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Department of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity at voice (607) 255-3976, fax (607) 255-7481, or email at owdi@cornell.edu. For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting. Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also visit the office of Workforce Recruitment and Retention Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to use a dedicated workstation to complete an online application. Notice to Applicants: Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant. EEO Statement: Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose, and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Research statement
• Teaching or Extension Statement
• Diversity Statement
• Up to Three Writing Samples
• Four references (no actual letters, just names and email addresses )
And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:
https://cals.cornell.edu/diversity-inclusion/cohort-search-pathways-equity-and-inclusion

CALS Human Resources
220 Bruckner
208 Mann Drive
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853

http://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/19729