WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND COVER LETTER FOR FACULTY ... · 9/17/2015 3 University of Pennsylvania Career Services C.V. (Curriculum vitae) •Purpose of a C.V. is get you an interview

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND COVER

LETTER FOR FACULTY POSITIONS IN

RESEARCH OR TEACHING FOR

SCIENCE, MATH AND ENGINEERING

Dr. Joseph BarberAssociate DirectorCareer [email protected]

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What we’re going to cover

• Introduction to written materials for the job search• C.V. development• Cover letter• Additional application materials • Using job announcements appropriately• Resources• Questions

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PDF of PPT will be available after the workshop


Written materials for the job search

• C.V.• Statement of teaching philosophy• Research statement• “Evidence of excellence in teaching”

• Website• Writing sample• Teaching portfolio• Diversity statements• Cover letters• Transcripts• References• And more…

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University of Pennsylvania

Do not copy or distribute without permission

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Written materials for the job search

• C.V.Lists academic achievements, prioritizes research or

teaching based on job description/career goals

• Research statementProvides a narrative of what big questions you have

asked, how you have gained answers, why this is important to your field, and most importantly, where you will go next

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Written materials for the job search• Statement of teaching philosophy

Narrative of your teaching goals with examples that demonstrate

• “Evidence of excellence in teaching” You can decide what to provide

• Teaching portfolio Usually includes syllabi, course evaluations, description of

teaching awards• References

Specific evidence of your academic abilities that should echo your statements and examples

• Cover letters Highlighting the key points of all your other materials (not just

repeating the information), prioritizing the examples given based on who will be reading the letter. Can take the place of both research statement and teaching philosophy if these are not asked for

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Key points for all documents

• No matter what field you are in, you must show that you do compelling, forward-looking research that is both original and helps to advance your field

• All materials should look like they are part of a cohesive packet of information that tell an effective story about youFormatted in the same wayNot saying exactly the same thing, but expanding on

information mentioned in the other documentsEach as separate PDFs named appropriately (unless the

job announcement requests otherwise)

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C.V. (Curriculum vitae)

• Purpose of a C.V. is get you an interview

• Complete listing of your academic credentials and accomplishmentsAcademic jobsFunding (grants or fellowships)

• C.V.’s will vary from discipline to disciplineMake use of younger faculty in your department to see if

you can look at versions of their CV they used for applications

• C.V. organization may vary depending on where/what it is being used for It is possible to tailor the CV for each application

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www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/writtenmaterials


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http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/writtenmaterials

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CV Categories

Standard

• Name and contact information

• Education • Honors and Fellowships• Teaching/Research

Experience• Publications • Presentations• Professional Memberships• References

Possible additional categories

• Grants• Languages• Technical Skills • University/Professional Service• Research/Teaching Interests• Professional Experience• Patents• Certifications/Professional

Licensure• Additional Information

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Prioritizing your CV sections

• The order of sections can vary depending on what you want to prioritizeThere is no required orderCheck to see if there are field or discipline specific

templates you should be followingResearch experience vs teaching experience are the two

main sections that will be switched depending on the job

• Schedule an appointment with a Career Services advisor if you are uncertain

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Some formatting suggestions

• Keep format simple and be consistent in the way you use formattingBalance print and white space

• Your name should be on each page of your C.V. • Don’t list dates on the left side – they are often the least

important piece of information• Use formatting techniques such as indenting, uppercase,

bold and italics, consistentlyBolding highlights key information (degree, institution,

subject, name) Italics often makes text harder to read

• Avoid font sizes under 11 point• Reverse chronological order throughout

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TOO

MUCH

TEXT


Name and contact information

Don’t make “Curriculum Vitae” the most prominent part

of your first page. You can list either your department address or your

personal address (or both)Give one email address to avoid confusionGive the phone number which you would like the

institution to contact you – and will expect to be contactedList a professional website if appropriateDon’t include personal information (unlike int’l CVs)

Jane Doe

3718 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104215-898-7530; [email protected]

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Education• Most Ph.D. candidates will have this as their first categoryMake it clear when your degree is expected

• Some postdocs might want to have “Current Position” as a first category, then list the education section

• Give some detail such as field of concentration, title of dissertation, name of advisorYou can include a very succinct summary of your research

that focuses on questions asked, methods used, findings, and relevance

Everyone will “read” your CV…

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Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Neuroscience, August 2014University of California, San Francisco, California

Master of Science, Neuroscience, 2011University of California, Berkeley, California

Bachelor of Arts, Human Biology, 2009Columbia University, New York, New York

EDUCATIONPh.D. Electrical and Systems Engineering, August 2014University of PennsylvaniaAdvisor: Dr. X NameDissertation Title: Title of dissertation

B.Sc., in Honors, Summa cum Laude, Computer Engineering, May 2005Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityAdvisor: Dr. Y NameThesis: Thesis titleSelected Graduate Coursework:Optimal Design of Wireless SystemsNonlinear and Adaptive Control Random Processes in EngineeringIntelligent and Animated Software Agents


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CURRENT RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Dr. Name July 2013-present

Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine,

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA,

Brief description of research

EDUCATION

EducationUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USAPh.D., Mathematics, May, 2013Thesis: Rational Polynomial Pell EquationsAdvisor: Name

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USAB.A., Mathematics, summa cum laude, 2007Thesis: Representations of Cyclic QuiversAdvisor: NameB.A., Computer Science, 2007



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Honors and Awards

• You can make this a separate category, or include these under the relevant degree

• Put recognizable, significant awardsYou might use the heading “Selected Honors & Awards” if

you have quite a few

• If you are a international student, you may need to explain some of the honorsWere they given for academic excellence?Were they based on something you applied for?Were they competitive?Can you find a way to describe the award that will help it to

make sense to anyone who reads this section?

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AWARDSStudent Fellow Award, Biomedical Engineering Society January 2013DSM Polymer Technology Award, DSM and American Chemical Society August 2011Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research Award, American Chemical Society 2010Graduate Student Research Gold Award, Materials Research Society 2009Molecular Biophysics Training Grant, National Institute of Health (NIH) 2007 – 2009Biomolecular GAANN Fellowship, US Dept. of Education 2007 – 2010


Research interests

• A brief answer to the questions, “what have you been

doing” and “what’s next?”

Must be credible; you should be able to elaborate

• Use keywords associated with your specific research interests and expertise Job description may provide clues on relevant terms Search committees are looking for an indication of an

independent, strong research program

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Research Interests

My research considers the role of a neuromodulator, dopamine, in guiding behaviors driven by a DS. For decades, dopamine was equated with reward or pleasure because it is released after exposure to a wide variety of rewarding events, including sexual partners, food, and drugs of abuse. More recently, several researchers raised the hypothesis that dopamine is required to motivate a behavioral response to a salient environmental cue. I recognized that my behavioral task could directly test this "motivational salience" hypothesis. If dopamine is truly required for a cue to trigger a behavioral response, not only should dopamine blockers disrupt the ability of animals to respond to the DS, dopamine disruption should abolish the activity of neurons that are excited by a DS.

Research Interests:Algebraic, enumerative, and topological combinatorics, and their connections with algebraic geometry, representation theory, and physics. In particular: total positivity, cluster algebras, statistical mechanics, tropical geometry.


Experience (research and teaching)

• Depending on the type of job, and the degree of experience you have, you should consider whether to split this into 2 sections:

• Research experience: Projects/experiments you have worked onCollaborations you have been involved withFindings and publications associated with your work

• Teaching experience:Classes you have taught (include # and type of students),Labs you have been involved withMentoring and other formal/informal teaching experiences

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Research Experience

Neuroscience Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 0000-PresentDoctoral thesis research conducted with Dr. A NamePioneered behavioral and electrophysiological experiments investigating the neural mechanisms underlying relapse to drug-seeking triggered by environmental cues. Resulted in 3 publications to be submitted to The Journal of Neuroscience, Nature, and Psychopharmacology.

The Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, San Francisco, CA, 0000-PresentMember of a unique scientific community of clinicians and basic scientists trying to understand the neural underpinnings of drug abuse.

Department of Biology, Columbia University, New York City, NY, 0000-0000Masters' thesis research conducted with Dr. B NameInvestigated Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by studying the effect of environmental risk factors for SIDS on sleep development in neonatal rats.



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Teaching Interests

• A chance to briefly describe courses you are qualified to teach even if you have not had the chance to teach those courses

• You can list topic areas or proposed course titles• Tailor this section to each school/job description – look at

their current syllabus

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Sample teaching interests listing

TEACHING INTERESTS

• Introductory Psychology• Advanced Research Methods• Epidemiology• Clinical applications of bioinformatics• Big data and neuroscience

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TeachingTA for Advanced Networking Protocols (50 Graduate students), UPenn, Spring 2007 TA for Introduction to Networks and Protocols (20 Undergraduates, 55 Graduates),

UPenn, Fall 2006 Guest lecturer in Network, Friends, Money, and Bytes (Undergraduates), Princeton, Fall 2012Mentored 4 PhD students and 4 Undergraduates at Princeton, 2 Undergraduate students, UPenn



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Professional Experience• If you have relevant professional experience outside the

academy, you might have a section later in the CV entitled “Professional Experience”

• This section could include: Industry experienceNon-profit experienceWorking within universities in an administrative role (e.g.,

student advising)

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Publications/Presentations

• If you have a long list, divide and then subdivide by topics (peer reviewed papers, reviews, posters, invited talks, abstracts, etc.) If you have short list, it won’t make sense to sub-divide

into different categories as much

• You can list a few articles that are in preparation and will (realistically) be publishedThis helps to show that your work in on-going, and that

you will have research that you can build on in your new role

Clearly mark “in preparation” or “submitted” manuscripts

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PUBLICATIONS – possible ways to organize them

Journal PublicationsConference Proceedings (full papers, peer-reviewed)Conference AbstractsWorks in ProgressUse discipline-specific citation style

PRESENTATIONS – possible ways to organize them

Research PresentationsConference and Seminar TalksInvited TalksSelected TalksUse discipline-specific citation style



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Scholarly/Professional Memberships

• List your memberships in scholarly associations (e.g., American Society of Microbiology, Materials Research Society). This category is very discipline specific

• If you have been active in the scholarly community, you should include this information here. Panel moderation would be a good example of something

that might fit under this heading

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Grants

• Use this category if you have received significant funding Dissertation and fellowship support are usually listed in

“Honors and Awards”

Grant writing experience can be highlighted in other sections if no significant grants have been received

• List the funding agency and the projects that were funded

• The work supported by the grant can be discussed in detail under “Research Experience”

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Skills

• These can be broken down based on what is appropriate for your disciplineEnsure that the most important keywords come first in any

lists

• Skills can include:LanguagesComputer software/ and programmingStatistical softwareTeaching course management systemsLab/technical skills

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Additional Information

• A positive statement about your visa status “Eligible to work in US as Green Card holder”

• Do not put marital status on CV’s for jobs in the U.S.

• Never put your social security number on a CV or a cover letter

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References

• Give the contact information and titles of the individuals who will be writing letters of recommendation for youProvide same number of references that employer requests

• Provide the contact information for the people who may have already submitted letters on your behalf. Don’t provide different contacts than those submitting letters

Dr. James L. Doe, Assistant Professor Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania215-000-0000, [email protected]

Dr. Christine Smith, Stanley Zuck Professor of EngineeringDepartment of Engineering, UCLA314-000-0000, [email protected]

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Additional materials for the job search

• Cover letters or letters of application• Research statement• Statement of teaching philosophy• “Evidence of excellence in teaching”

• Writing sample• Diversity Statement, Statement of Faith• References

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CV and application materials

interview

Must convince some/all

members of the search committee

NOTE: not all members of the

search committee understand all of

your research

Must show your research leads to publications and is of interest to funding orgs

AND/OR

Ability to engage and support

students through teaching/research

Must demonstrate your ability to lead your own

research or develop your own curriculum as an

independent

faculty member (you won’t be a

student/postdoc)



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Let’s take a moment…

Why is your research publishable and/or fundable?What makes you an effective teacher?


Cover letter• Highlights your experience and expertise relevant to the

specific position and institutionLength of cover letter can be dictated by what other

materials are asked for

• Elements of a cover letterSalutation: Dear Prof. Huntsman and members of the

Search Committee First paragraph: mention how you learned about the job

and summarize your key qualificationsBody: use the structure of the job ad to guide you in the

more detailed discussion of your qualifications. Mention the “so what” of your research, and teaching competencies

Final paragraph: Explain why this position and this institution are a good fit, offer to provide additional information upon request.

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• Don't send form letters - they are easily identifiableAbout as appealing as junk mail

• Concentrate on probable perspectives of those who will read the letter and try to address their interests as you writeKeep end user in mind at all times

• Be honest about your interests – write in simple, clear, professional style, and say only what you’re comfortable with and relatively sincere in saying

But this

could have

been written

for any job



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Research statement• Use the language to guide you—do they want a “Statement of Research Plans” or a

“Summary of Current Research”

• Provide a context for your research interests Future research should follow logically from what you’ve doneRough estimate: 50% of statement might focus on future

• Decide what research belongs to your lab/advisor and what belongs to you

• Mention facilities you might need (so long as these are not in conflict with the institution)List possible sources of funding for your research Identify possible collaborations

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Teaching Philosophy• Sometimes included within a teaching portfolio, sometimes

sent in along with your cover letter and CV

• A document that details your experience of teaching: As a teacherAs a student being taughtAs a mentor (e.g., informal teaching experiences)

• Philosophy should explain:Why you do itWhat you goals areHow you do itHow successful you have been (and how do you know?)PROVIDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES

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Teaching Portfolio• This can include syllabi of established courses or

proposals for future courses as well as teaching evaluations and sample assignments

• Anything proposed should be associated with realistic goals regarding your target group of students grads/undergrads majors/non-majors International students Focus on most relevant group for job

• The Center for Teaching and Learning can help graduate students with their teaching materials. www.upenn.edu/ctl

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Writing sample• This can be an off-print of an article

• This can be an edited chapter of a dissertationShort and to the point might be better than 50+ pages

• This could be something written just for the application –depending on the context

• Ask your mentor/advisor about what is appropriate in your field

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References & letters of recommendation

• Decide whom to ask to be referencesYour advisorsColleagues/mentors outside of your department,

committee, or current institutionBalancing information – research focus, teaching focus

• Communicate with your referencesAsk if they are able to write a positive reference for youLet them know the scheduleRemind them 2-3 weeks out before deadline

• How will you have letters of reference sent? Interfolio; VitaeYour department

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Diversity Statement, Statement of Faith• Documents that target specific mission statements of the institution

Look to institution website for more information to understand what these issues mean to the school

Whitworth University (faith) www.whitworth.edu/Administration/HumanResources/FacultyFaithEssay/Index.htm

UCLA (diversity) https://grad.ucla.edu/asis/diversity/index.html These statements are an opportunity to disclose more personal aspects of

your experience and how they influence your approach to scholarship and being a teacher

• Resources for diversity statements: https://chroniclevitae.com/news/266-the-professor-is-in-making-sense-of-

the-diversity-statement• Faith based statements:

www.insidehighered.com/advice/2011/05/04/essay_on_the_job_options_for_faculty_members_at_religious_colleges

www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/04/17/essay-advice-applying-jobs-religious-colleges

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Identifying job opportunities

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• Your scholarly association Job listing bulletin or website; job

events at conferences/conventions

• National publications and websitesThe Chronicle of Higher Education

www.chronicle.comAcademic360.com

orHigheredjobs.com Inside Higher Ed

• Institutional & departmental websites

• Your network



http://www.whitworth.edu/Administration/HumanResources/FacultyFaithEssay/Index.htm

https://grad.ucla.edu/asis/diversity/index.html

https://chroniclevitae.com/news/266-the-professor-is-in-making-sense-of-the-diversity-statement

https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/04/17/essay-advice-applying-jobs-religious-colleges

https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/04/17/essay-advice-applying-jobs-religious-colleges

http://www.chronicle.com/

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Applying for positions

• Apply for positions that appear to be a good fit for you

• Send what the announcement specifically requests, unless you have a very good reason to do otherwise

• In your cover letter show that you understand the unique qualities of each department/institution to which you are applying

• Let your recommenders know where you have applied

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The Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, seeks applications for a tenure track, Assistant Professor position in the area of biomechanical engineering in healthcare. Topics of specialization include but are not limited to biomechanics and biomaterials, design and analysis of medical devices, general mechanical engineering techniques as applied to problems in healthcare.

Applicants must hold a doctorate. To apply please go to the following link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/create/3 and submit a cover letter, a resume, statements of

research and teaching interests, one copy of each significant publication, and names,

addresses and phone numbers of five professional references.

Applications will be reviewed starting August 15, 2015. The deadline to apply is September 15, 2015, applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Appointment is subject to budgetary approval.

The University of California is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, committed to excellence through diversity. The college seeks candidates whose research, teaching, or service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and inclusion in higher education. The college is also committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents.

For more information please go the CALcierge web site at http://calcierge.berkeley.edu/.

Position Summary University of California, Berkeley, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Seeks Applications for a Tenure Track, Assistant Professor Position in the

area of: Biomechanical Engineering in Healthcare

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Position Summary Assistant Professor of Pure Mathematics, the College of William and Mary

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The Department of Mathematics at the College of William and Mary invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position, beginning August 2016.Responsibilities include teaching two courses per semester, maintaining high quality research program, and service to the College. Advising undergraduate research is also expected.

Applicants should provide evidence of a strong commitment to undergraduate instruction as well as a record of high quality research.

Submissions received by December 1 are guaranteed full consideration. Applications received after December 1, 2015 will be considered if needed.

Require Qualifications: A PhD. in any area of pure mathematics is required by the time of appointment, August 10, 2016.To apply, please submit online at https://jobs.wm.edu a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, teaching and research statements, and ensure that at least four letters of recommendation, one of which addresses teaching, will be also submitted.The College of William & Mary is committed to providing a safe campus community. W&M conducts background investigations for applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial (credit) report or driving history check.The College of William & Mary values diversity and invites applications from underrepresented groups who will enrich the research, teaching and service missions of the university. The College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.



https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/create/3

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Assistant Professor, Microbiologist, Department of

Biology, Southeast Missouri State University

Teaching responsibilities will include microbiology for majors and non-majors, pathogenic microbiology, immunology and other biology courses. Undergraduate advising of biology majors is expected. The successful candidate will be expected to develop aresearch program in microbiology involving undergraduate and graduate students that is commensurate with the needs and resources of the department.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or ABD (with Ph.D. by August 2016) in microbiology or related field (Degree must be from a regionally accredited or internationally accredited/government certified university.)

• Evidence of active research in microbiology with the potential to engage Southeast students in research activities• Experience teaching at college/university level as a graduate assistant, instructor, or above• Demonstrated commitment to collegiality when interacting with others within the University community• Demonstrated commitment to working with multi-cultural populations and awareness of issues affecting women and minorities

As a public regional university (with a graduate mission), Southeast seeks candidates with a commitment to excellent undergraduate (and graduate) education and student success within the framework of the teacher-scholar model. Applications of instructional technology and pedagogical research are supported through the Center for Scholarship in Teaching and Learning and the Office of Online Learning. Successful candidates will contribute to the development of innovative curricula and delivery strategies, including traditional, blended and online formats, and participate in initiatives promoting student success, retention and degree completion.

Application Deadline and Information: The position is available August 2016 and will remain open until filled. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by October 1, 2015.

To apply, submit the following items online by clicking on the position you wish to apply for at the below link, then click on the APPLY button at the top of the page: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/semoedu/default.cfm?promotionaljobs=1• Letter of interest addressing position qualifications and how you learned of this position• Current Curriculum Vita• Statement of Teaching Philosophy• Statement of Research Interests• Unofficial copies of transcripts (official transcripts required for employment)• Name and contact information of three professional references

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Postdoctoral Fellow - Cerebellar CircuitsThe lab of Dr. Jason Christie at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience ((http://www.maxplanckflorida.org/jason-christie.html) is currently searching for postdoctoral candidates possessing an extreme curiosity and an unquenchable desire for basic discovery in the physiology of cerebellar circuits. The select candidates will participate in a research program whose objectives are to (1) identify signaling principles allowing neurons to perform a diverse array of cellular computations and (2) relating these principles to motor learning that engenders optimized movements. This investigation incorporates a variety of advanced recording techniques centered on two-photon microscopy, optogenetics, and patch-clamp electrophysiology in awake, behaving mice as well as in acute brain slices.

The ideal candidate should have a PhD in Neuroscience or Biophysics. More importantly, the candidate should be prepared to make a total commitment to ground-breaking research. Previous experience with electrophysiology and/or light-microscopy is preferred. Also, candidates with technical backgrounds including electronics engineering, computer science, or physics are highly encouraged to apply as this research program depends extensively on developing novel methods to record and perturb cerebellar activity in custom-designed closed-loop systems. Dr. Christie’s group is part of the larger Jupiter Neuroscience Research Campus that also includes The Scripps Research Institute Florida and Florida Atlantic University. The candidate is expected to become an active member of this flourishing research community.

Applicants are encouraged to provide a statement of research interests with their CV and list of references. For additional information please contact Dr. Christie directly: jason.christie at mpfi.org. In addition, please visit http://www.maxplanckflorida.org/employment.html?jobid=148 and click “Apply Now”.

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Tailoring your materialsShowing your knowledge of the department and institution:

• What research are they doing?• What courses do they have?• What courses might they need?• Who are their students?• What resources could you use?

By:• Having right sections in CV• Prioritizing sections• Using the right language for the

school/department• Emphasizing the relevant aspects

of your experience• Making use of cover letters,

research and teaching statements to demonstrate or provide examples

One size?



http://agency.governmentjobs.com/semoedu/default.cfm?promotionaljobs=1

http://www.maxplanckflorida.org/jason-christie.html

http://www.maxplanckflorida.org/employment.html?jobid=148

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Resources to help with written materials

• Your advisor; other faculty in your field• Career Services programs – panels and workshops• The Academic Job Search Handbook, 4th ed. ($10 at Career

Services)• Web resources: Guides/samples on the Career Services websiteArticles on www.chronicle.com; www.insidehighered.com

• Meet with a career advisor – get CV review, and help with teaching philosophy, research statement and cover lettersCall 215 898 7530 to schedule an appointment

• Penn’s Center for Teaching and Learning

• Alumni from your program (QuakerNet; LinkedIn)

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QUESTIONS?


Short critiquing exercise

• CV

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Those who have brought draft versions of CVs, find someone else with a draft and swap

Write down any positive feedback and constructive criticism on the back

Also, write an answer to this question:“if you had to briefly describe the person you are reading

about to someone else, what would you say?”



http://www.chronicle.com/

http://www.insidehighered.com/

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