Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Astrobiology
New York Center for Astrobiology
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seeks to hire a tenure-track faculty member in Astrobiology. An appointment at the Assistant Professor level is anticipated. The appointee will be based in the School of Science at Rensselaer (http://science.rpi.edu/), Troy, NY and affiliated with the New York Center for Astrobiology (NYCA, http://www.origins.rpi.edu/), a member of the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The home department of the appointee within the School of Science will be determined at the time of appointment, based on prior experience. Applicants must have a doctoral degree (or foreign degree equivalent) in a relevant field, and research interests and expertise that complement and synergize with current interdisciplinary research in the NYCA, which includes astrophysical studies of organic molecules in the interstellar medium, star formation and the chemical evolution of protostellar envelopes and protoplanetary disks, the impact history of the early solar system, conditions on the early Earth and Mars, the origin and early evolution of the first biomolecules on these planets, the emergence of life on Earth, and the search for biosignatures in our solar system and beyond. The appointee will join an established team that values the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations. The NYCA also emphasizes education and training at all levels: current programs include an Astrobiology Summer Science Camp for middle-school students, an Astrobiology Teachers Academy for high-school science teachers, college-level courses and a minor degree in Astrobiology, and training of the next generation of researchers at graduate and postdoctoral levels. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to these activities and will have duties that include teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in the relevant department, developing and maintaining robust programs of research and scholarship, and service to the department, the School of Science, and to Rensselaer.
To apply, qualified individuals must send a curriculum vitae, a statement of research and teaching interests, a list of publications, and the names and contact information of three references to: Professor Douglas Whittet, Chair, Astrobiology Search Committee, Department of Physics, Applied Physics & Astronomy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Steet, Troy, NY 12180. Applications may be submitted electronically to whittd@rpi.edu. Review of applications is ongoing and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications received by October 31, 2012 are assured fullest consideration.
We welcome candidates who will bring diverse intellectual, geographical, gender and ethnic perspectives to Rensselaer’s work and campus communities. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
