Computer Science Tenure-Track Job

Macalester College Tenure-Track Position in Computer Science

The Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science (MSCS) at Macalester College invites applications for one tenure-track assistant professor position in Computer Science to begin Fall 2023. Candidates who have, or are completing, a Ph.D. in Computer Science are preferred, but closely related fields with a demonstrated interest in Computer Science will also be considered. Candidates must have a strong commitment and vision for both teaching and research in an undergraduate liberal arts environment. They will contribute to the teaching of a broad range of courses, from introductory to advanced, and will mentor undergraduate research.

At Macalester College, diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our educational mission and values. We are committed to the institutional change required for visioning and realizing a more equitable and socially just college and society. 

The MSCS department offers majors and minors in Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, and Statistics. We encourage innovative and inclusive pedagogy and curriculum, and emphasize Computer Science’s interdisciplinary connections. We have close relationships with disciplines both within and beyond the sciences, and we are interested in candidates whose work spans disciplinary boundaries. Areas of highest priority include algorithms and theory, systems (including parallel / distributed, networks, or operating systems), programming languages, hardware, and data science.

Macalester faculty teach five in-person course sections per year (typically two to three distinct courses) on a semester schedule. They supervise senior capstone presentations and honors theses, and advise students in their curricular and career choices. In addition, faculty maintain an active scholarly agenda, and engage in pedagogical, curricular, and extracurricular departmental activities. During their first year of the appointment, new faculty teach four courses and attend a weekly new faculty development seminar. The Macalester Faculty Handbook details expectations for tenure and promotion. 

To Apply

To apply to this position, please submit the following materials to Academic Jobs Online:: 

  1. Curriculum vitae (CV), 
  2. Graduate school transcripts, 
  3. Three letters of recommendation – at least one of which discusses your potential as a teacher, 
  4. Teaching statement: a statement of your experience in, commitment to, and vision for teaching undergraduate students. Discuss pedagogical approaches (e.g., inclusive teaching, active and innovative teaching strategies, assessment of learning outcomes), contributions to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives in your teaching, future teaching development goals, and courses you’d be passionate to teach or introduce into the curriculum. 
  5. Research statement: a statement of your contributions to the scholarly field and future research goals. Highlight professional engagement in the field through conference or journal publications, and/or software development as well as ongoing publishable projects. Describe your current and immediate future research projects. The strongest candidates will have enthusiasm and a feasible plan in a liberal arts college setting for incorporating undergraduate students of multiple and diverse backgrounds in their future research, with an attention to structural barriers that limit access to education opportunities.
  6. A cover letter (2-3 pages, no more than three pages) that provides an executive summary of your:
    1. Specific interest in joining the MSCS Department at Macalester College,
    2. Training and experience in computer science, particularly if you do not have a Ph.D. in Computer Science,
    3. Experience in, commitment to, and vision for DEI,
    4. Experience in, commitment to, and vision for teaching undergraduate students, and
    5. Contributions to the scholarly field and future research goals.

 

Application materials should be written to be accessible to all members of the search committee (including MSCS and non-MSCS faculty and undergraduate students), as well as the college Provost and Dean of the Faculty.

In your materials, we also ask you to address how your teaching, scholarship, mentorship, and/or community service might support Macalester’s commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable environment. 

For any questions about the position, please contact Shilad Sen ([email protected]). Full consideration will be given to complete applications received by October 14, 2022.

About Macalester

Macalester College is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on the ancestral homeland of the Dakota people who were forcibly exiled because of aggressive and persistent settler colonialism. Macalester is a highly selective, private liberal arts college in the vibrant Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, with a population of approximately three million people and home to numerous colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota. Macalester’s diverse student body comprises over 2000 undergraduates from all 50 states and the District of Columbia and 99 countries. The College maintains a longstanding commitment to academic excellence with a special emphasis on internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society. As an Equal Opportunity employer supportive of affirmative efforts to achieve diversity among its faculty, Macalester College strongly encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented minority groups.  

For more information about our programs, see:

Recent Computer Science News at Macalester
  • 106 members of the Macalester College graduating class of 2021 were majors in the MSCS department, making MSCS by far the largest department at the college; 49 of these students were Computer Science Majors.
  • The department has eleven Computer Science  professors, seven of whom are tenure track.
  • Over the past four years, women have accounted for 40% of Computer Science majors, far exceeding the national averages (18%). Of the eleven Computer Science faculty, six identify as women and one identifies as transgender (among seven tenure track, three women and one transgender).
  • On average 28% of CS majors are US students of color and 38% are international students. Course enrollments broadly mirror these data.
  • Over half of all Macalester graduates will take at least one computer science course.
  • The department nurtures an active community of faculty / student research collaborations through honors projects, capstone projects, and summer research. MSCS typically engages more than 20 students in full time research projects over the summer, with many collaborations published in peer reviewed conferences and journals. Learn more in the summer research showcase.
  • Recent grads are employed at organizations such Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Adobe, AirBnB, Epic, a variety of startups, and many other companies, non-profits, and government organizations. Our students also work for many local Twin Cities companies, including Target, Thomson Reuters, Code42, Ameriprise, Pearson Vue, BuzzFeed, Software For Good, Kipsu, and Garage Grown Gear.