The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Davidson College invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in Computer Science at the rank of Assistant Professor, beginning July 1, 2024. Candidates must possess a Ph.D. in Computer Science or a closely related field by Fall 2024.

We seek candidates with a strong commitment to improving access to computer science for all students, enthusiasm for teaching all levels of undergraduate students, and a research program that can involve undergraduate researchers. The department is most interested in candidates with research expertise and teaching interests in systems (broadly defined), who can support and expand our curriculum, and enhance research opportunities for students.   

Davidson is an undergraduate-only institution, boasting small class sizes and extensive student-faculty interaction, and is consistently ranked among the nation's top liberal arts colleges. Our computer science major comprises a small core of required courses and a set of electives in a wide range of topics. These electives are adaptable to faculty interests and expertise. Faculty teach four courses in their first year and five courses per year thereafter. The department works together to design course schedules, regularly finding opportunities to lighten faculty workload by assigning them the same course across different terms or multiple sections of the same course within a single semester. Many of our faculty members teach special topics or independent study courses that simultaneously support their research and help recruit summer research students. The department encourages faculty to develop and teach courses with an emphasis on social justice, including those that satisfy the College’s Justice, Equality, and Community requirement. Several department faculty have received course releases from the ongoing FIRST program to develop or redesign courses to incorporate more inclusive practices.

The computer science program has seen rapid growth and diversification since the major was established in 2016. We graduate a higher proportion of women computer science majors than the national average and the proportion of majors from underrepresented backgrounds is on the rise. The department has initiated a social justice speaker series, sponsors students to attend the Richard Tapia Conference and the Grace Hopper Celebration, and supports affinity groups for underrepresented students. 

Our faculty are active researchers; several of us are supported by external funding from sources like the NSF, the DOE, the National Humanities Center and the Ethereum Foundation. We collaborate with partners at R1 institutions and national research laboratories, and serve on international conference program committees. Students are active partners in these research activities and they publish, present, and receive awards at top-rated computer science research conferences. There is generous internal funding for student research, with additional opportunities through the Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. We value faculty engagement with the professional and wider community.

Applications must be submitted online at https://employment.davidson.edu. Please include the following items:

· A curriculum vitae.

· A cover letter (1–2 pages) which addresses your professional interests and aspirations and how these align with the job description and the mission of our department and institution. In this letter, please also discuss your interests and expertise in systems research, as well as the systems classes in our curriculum that you would feel comfortable teaching and new systems courses that you could develop. 

· A statement of your contributions to inclusive pedagogy (1–2 pages) that describes how you will approach teaching, mentoring, and advising a diverse student body that includes members who have been historically excluded from computer science. Specifically, please answer how your past experiences, knowledge, and/or training inform your answers to the following questions: 

• What barriers prevent students from feeling welcome and included in computer science and from accessing opportunities or resources during their undergraduate education?  

• How will you work to alleviate these barriers in your teaching, mentoring, and advising?

Your past experiences, knowledge, and/or training that have contributed to your inclusive pedagogy could include, but are not limited to, formal and informal teaching and mentoring experiences, education, outreach, and/or lived experiences.  Please note that, while we welcome whatever you choose to share, we do not expect you to reveal any aspects of your identity or disclose personal hardships in this statement. Furthermore, we understand that some applicants may have little knowledge of or experience with such statements; please know that we are not looking for a particular response, but for an authentic expression of your perspective and experience. We welcome applications from those educated outside the United States, and from applicants whose institutions are not among the 20% of elite US institutions that produce 80% of tenure-track faculty (Wapman et al 2022).

· A teaching statement (1–2 pages) that discusses your aspirations for and experiences with teaching and mentoring undergraduate students.

· A research statement (2–3 pages) that describes your previous work, current interests, and future plans in a manner that is accessible and engaging to a general computer science audience, and includes ideas for one or more potential undergraduate research projects.

· Unofficial graduate transcripts.

· Contact information for three references. Reference letter submission instructions will be sent to email addresses provided by you. At least one reference letter must specifically and substantially address your interests and experience in teaching and mentoring.

Applications completed by Sunday, October 1 will receive full consideration, though the position will remain open until filled. In our initial selection of candidates, we will evaluate the statement of contributions to inclusive pedagogy. We will focus on evidence of your potential for, or experience with, effectively teaching a diverse range of students. We will equally weigh your potential to enrich systems education and research at Davidson at this stage of the process.

Davidson College is a highly selective, residential, four-year liberal arts college, located 20 miles from Charlotte, NC that is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Davidson faculty members enjoy a low student-faculty ratio, emphasis on and appreciation of excellence in teaching, and outstanding facilities. A collegial, respectful atmosphere honors academic achievement and integrity, upholds educational excellence, encourages student-faculty collaborative research, and prioritizes inclusive pedagogy.

At Davidson College, we believe the college grows stronger by recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff committed to building an inclusive community. In order to achieve and sustain educational excellence, we seek to hire talented faculty and staff across the intersections of diverse races, ethnicities, religions and worldviews, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, socio-economic backgrounds, political perspectives, abilities, veteran status, cultures, and national origins.