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 LetterSuggested 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 StatementTwo 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?
There are may excellent resources on UCSF's Office of Career & Professional Development website.
Example academic job search materials from UCSF can be found here.
What qualifications are needed for different types of faculty jobs?
The Academic Career Readiness Assessment (ACRA), also from UCSF, is an excellent starting place for this.
Read the ACRA publication describing the development of this instrument.
I am also part of a team trying to understand the faculty job market from the applicant's side. Read more about that work here.
There are may excellent resources on UCSF's Office of Career & Professional Development website.
Example academic job search materials from UCSF can be found here.
What qualifications are needed for different types of faculty jobs?
The Academic Career Readiness Assessment (ACRA), also from UCSF, is an excellent starting place for this.
Read the ACRA publication describing the development of this instrument.
I am also part of a team trying to understand the faculty job market from the applicant's side. Read more about that work here.
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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