Position Overview

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Kansas is seeking outstanding candidates for a tenure-track position in Inorganic Chemistry at the assistant or associate professor level, expected to begin in the fall of 2024. The Department will welcome candidates with a strong track-record and research interests in any area of inorganic chemistry. Possible subfields include but are not limited to: environment/energy, photochemistry, (electro)catalysis, spectroscopy/magnetism, cluster chemistry/organometallics, supramolecular/materials chemistry, or biomedically-relevant interests.

The Department of Chemistry at KU is a worldwide leader in training and research in chemistry. Our highly recognized faculty include twenty-nine (29) active faculty (among these are three distinguished professors and two endowed chairs) and our number of graduate students continues to grow with current enrollment at 109. Research groups in the department occupy two different buildings, including Gray-Little Hall (opened in 2018 as a mixed research/teaching facility) and the Multidisciplinary Research Building on KU’s West Campus. Opportunities and support for chemistry research on campus abound, including core laboratories and shared facilities (NMR, EPR, XRD, electron microscopy, imaging/XPS, optical spectroscopies), making the department and the University of Kansas an outstanding place to advance high-quality molecular science. Complementing these resources, KU is also home to the Ralph N. Adams Institute for Bioanalytical Chemistry, an interdisciplinary consortium of researchers dedicated to achieving international leadership in Bioanalytical Science, and the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, a self-sustaining, designated research center that fosters collaborative research in catalysis at the interface of chemistry and engineering. The Department of Chemistry is housed within the KU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the College is the largest school on campus and thus plays a central role within the University. The College houses a vibrant Honors Program that highlights undergraduate research and service activities, as well as outstanding cross-disciplinary research centers.

The University of Kansas is a Carnegie doctoral/research-extensive (R-1) university with a $1.4 billion endowment and a faculty of 2,600. Current enrollment is 28,500 (19,000 undergraduate), with students drawn from 110 nations and all 50 states, 20.6% of KU students are members of minority groups. The 1,000-acre main campus is in Lawrence, a community of 95,000 in hilly northeast Kansas that lies about 35 miles west of Kansas City. Lawrence has a lively downtown and a thriving arts and music scene, and its local government has enacted ordinances supporting equality for all members of its population. The city also offers numerous sports and recreational opportunities, local shops, and a wide range of quality restaurants. Lawrence is located 45 minutes west of Kansas City and 30 minutes east of Topeka, the state capital; the short drive to Kansas City provides quick access to historic jazz clubs, museums, world-class music and theatre venues, and professional sports teams.

At the University of Kansas, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are an important part of our culture and university strategic plan. For this position, we are particularly interested in qualified candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, will contribute to the diversity of the Department and academic community. Thus, we strongly encourage applications from individuals who identify as members of groups that are underrepresented in science. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.

Job Description

At both the assistant and associate professor levels, the distribution of effort for the appointment will be 40% Teaching, 40% Research, and 20% Service.

40% Teaching: In the area of teaching, the current classroom teaching assignment for full-time faculty members in chemistry is two courses per academic year; faculty members are expected to have established office hours for students each week and to participate in advising activities. Effective teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels is expected.

40% Research: In the area of research, faculty members are expected to engage in a robust program of research activity, and to share their scholarship with colleagues and/or the public, through publications, presentations, and other scholarly works.

20% Service: In the area of service, all faculty members are expected to fulfill their share of service duties needed to facilitate the efficient operation of the department; faculty could provide additional service to the College and University, and could serve their discipline through regional, national, or international activities.

Required Qualifications

For candidates who wish to be considered for hiring at the assistant professor level:

1. Ph.D. in chemistry or closely related field is expected by the starting date of appointment.

For candidates who wish to be considered for hiring at the associate professor the above requirement plus the following:

1. Prior experience as a faculty member; A record of excellence in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate level; A record of demonstrated excellence in research; and The successful acquisition of external research support.

Additional Candidate Instructions

For a complete announcement and to apply online go to https://employment.ku.edu/academic/26174BR

A complete online application includes the following materials: (1) cover letter (3-page limit); (2) Curriculum vitae; (3) research agenda (3-page limit); (4) teaching philosophy statement (2-page limit); and (5) the names, email and contact information for three professional references.

For applicants who wish to be considered at the assistant professor level, letters will be solicited after initial candidate review and phone interviews have been completed.

For applicants who wish to be considered at the associate professor level, recommendations will be solicited only after in-person interviews have concluded.

In addition to the materials above, learning about each applicant's contribution and engagement in areas of diversity is an important part of KU's mission. As a result, applicants will be presented the following question at the time of application:

• Describe your experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds and explain how those experiences reflect your commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Applicants are also encouraged to include or expand upon how they have contributed to building a culture of belonging through DEI initiatives within the required application materials provided.

Application review will begin October 10, 2023 and will continue until a pool of qualified applicants is obtained.

Contact Information to Applicants

For questions about the position, please contact search chair Dr. James Blakemore, blakemore@ku.edu.

Advertised Salary Range

Commensurate with experience

Application Review Begins

Tuesday October 10, 2023

Anticipated Start Date

Sunday August 18, 2024

View the job posting and apply here: https://employment.ku.edu/academic/26174BR