Academic job market materials
Examples of academic job market materials can be tough to find. I was on the job market for two cycles before pivoting to my current role in Postdoctoral Affairs. Below are examples documents from my job search. I hope they help individuals planning to apply for faculty jobs. Note all materials here were for positions in Psychology departments with a neuroscience research focus.
cover letter
Suggested length varies but <2 pages is ideal.
I have seen ads asking for a cover letter with research interests embedded in it (no separate research statement). An example is below.
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Research statement
Two examples below: one that accompanied an R1, research-intensive application & another for a position at a liberal arts institution where faculty teach/work primarily with undergraduate students.
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Teaching Statement
If you have experience teaching courses, describe real-world examples in this document. Be reflective and descriptive regarding approaches that worked (or didn't) in your class. The goal is to show you can be an effective teacher.
I didn't have much teaching experience and so this statement is more philosophical.
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Diversity statement
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where to find faculty job ads
HERC Jobs HigherEd Jobs
ChronicleVitae From The Chronicle of Higher Education Science Careers Nature Careers |
Future PI slack group
Looking for a community of other Ph.D.-trained scientists trying to secure a faculty job?
Join Future_PI Slack! | ||
Looking for more examples of job materials?
Check out Philip Guo's website and resources from UCSF's Office of Career & Professional Development and see their general resources for the Academic Job search here.
Another excellent resource for the faculty job search is this page from Cal State Northridge Postdocs & the Dept of Biology.
Check out Philip Guo's website and resources from UCSF's Office of Career & Professional Development and see their general resources for the Academic Job search here.
Another excellent resource for the faculty job search is this page from Cal State Northridge Postdocs & the Dept of Biology.
example job talk
Putting together a job talk for an academic interview takes a lot of work. Get plenty of feedback. The file below is the result of multiple revisions and feedback from a variety of audiences. It was given as part of an open, seminar-style presentation during my interview for a tenure-track assistant professor position at a large, R1 university.
| CSmith_example_job_talk.pptx |
Sometimes, you will also be required to give a chalk talk, which typically does not involve powerpoint.
Rather, in a chalk talk you sketch out (typically on a white board) and discuss research ideas with small group of faculty.
See advice on giving a chalk talk here and here.
Rather, in a chalk talk you sketch out (typically on a white board) and discuss research ideas with small group of faculty.
See advice on giving a chalk talk here and here.
CV examples
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Non-Faculty job application materials
Resume examples
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Cover Letter examples
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