The Biology Department at Williams College, a premier liberal arts college with a strong commitment to excellence in the sciences, invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor, to begin July 2024. We are especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the intellectual vibrancy and diversity of the academic community through their research, teaching, and service, and who are committed to working effectively with a diverse student population. 

We seek an ecologist whose research incorporates state-of-the-art methods and a strong field component to address questions of broad biological significance to communities/populations, organisms, or evolution.  We expect the candidate’s expertise to complement our department’s existing strengths, and we are particularly interested in someone who has an applied aspect to their research.  Possible fields include (but are not limited to) evolutionary ecology, agroecology, disease ecology/epidemiology, and/or community responses to climate and other anthropogenic change.  The successful candidate will teach the organismal course in our introductory sequence (BIOL 102) as well as intermediate- and upper-level courses in ecology and evolutionary biology. Generally, faculty members teach one course and two associated laboratory sections each semester (or the equivalent workload), and mentor undergraduate research projects. We anticipate that the person who fills this position will also participate in the interdisciplinary program in Environmental Studies, and that their courses may contribute to the slate of environmental science electives.  Williams provides faculty with mentoring in teaching, including participation in college’s professional development program First3 for new faculty and support through the Rice Center for Teaching.

We expect a dynamic research program that has a strong field component, involves undergraduates, and is attractive to extramural funding agencies. Start-up research funding will be provided, and additional internal funds can be applied for.  Specialized research resources at Williams include the 2600-acre (1040 ha) Hopkins Memorial Forest, a greenhouse, advanced instrumentation, and facilities/staff that support microscope imaging and work with vertebrate animals.  A Ph.D., postdoctoral experience, and a strong research record are required. We anticipate an appointment at the beginning assistant professor level. For more information on the Department of Biology, visit https://biology.williams.edu/.

Application deadline is September 15, 2023.  All applications should be submitted through Interfolio at http://apply.interfolio.com/128410.  Email, fax, and paper applications will not be accepted.  The application should include the following, each as an independent document: (1) a cover letter addressed to Professor Robert Savage (Chair, Biology Department), (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) a concise statement of teaching philosophy, and (4) a concise description of research plans that includes details on undergraduate involvement. Your application should speak to your ability to work effectively with a broad student population that is diverse with regard to gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and religion. After an initial round of review, we will request three recommendation letters from those applicants who advance in the search. A 14-day turnaround time will be provided for those letters to be submitted. On-campus interviews will then be conducted in November and early December.  All offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background check. Further information is available here: http://faculty.williams.edu/prospective-faculty/background-check-policy/.

Williams College is a liberal arts institution located in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. The College has built its reputation on outstanding teaching and scholarship and on the academic excellence of its approximately 2,000 students.  Please visit the Williams College website (http://www.williams.edu). Beyond meeting fully its legal obligations for non-discrimination, Williams College is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community where members from all backgrounds can live, learn, and thrive.