Two-Year Visiting Assistant Professor of Astronomy

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Amherst College invites applications for a two-year visiting assistant professor position in astronomy/astrophysics.  The appointment will begin on July 1, 2019.  A Ph. D. in observational astronomy and some teaching and research experience are required.  Amherst College is coeducational and one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country.  Within the last decade, Amherst College has profoundly transformed its student body in terms of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, sexuality and gender identity, and nationality.  Today, nearly one-quarter of Amherst’s students are Pell grant recipients; 45 percent of our students identify as domestic students of color; and 10 percent of our students are international students.  Our expectation is that the successful candidate for the faculty position will excel at teaching and mentoring students who are broadly diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, and religion.

The department is looking for a person with broad intellectual interests who is committed to teaching astronomy/astrophysics and working at a liberal arts college.  An active research program, especially of a kind that is conducive to undergraduate participation, is desirable. Applicants are encouraged to specifically address how they might integrate the campus’ new rooftop observatory into their teaching in their application.  Amherst College is a part of the Five-College Consortium along with Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The astronomy program in particularis enriched through the formal structure of the Five-College astronomy department and through close collaboration among the astronomers in these institutions.  The appointee in astronomy at Amherst College will also be a member of the Five-College astronomy department.

Interested candidates are asked to provide a current curriculum vitae (including a list of publications), and a statement on teaching, research, and career plans.  Application materials should be submitted electronically to https://apply.interfolio.com/58363. In addition, applicants should arrange to have three confidential letters of recommendation sent to Professor Kannan Jagannathan, chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002-5000, or by email to [email protected].   To ensure full consideration, applications should be received by March 15, 2019.  The search will remain open until the position is filled.  Amherst College is a private undergraduate liberal arts college with approximately 1800 students, and a teaching faculty of more than 200.  More information on the college can be found at www.amherst.edu.

Amherst College is an equal opportunity employer and encourages persons of all genders, persons of color, and persons with disabilities to apply.  The college is committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration, and staff.