Cornell College, a private undergraduate liberal arts college, is seeking a physical chemist beginning fall 2025 for a two-year, Visiting Assistant Professor position. Primary teaching responsibilities will include courses in General and Physical Chemistry. A Ph.D. is required. Candidates with an ABD will be considered for a Lecturer appointment.

The Chemistry Department seeks individuals committed to excellence and innovation in undergraduate education and will provide extensive mentoring as well as access to the department’s teaching materials. The candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to the department’s strong student-faculty research program, including participation in our 8-week Cornell Summer Research Institute (Research | Cornell College). The department is located in the newly-built Russell Science Center which houses facilities and instrumentation to support coursework and research projects, including several types of spectrometers (UV-vis, IR, fluorescence, atomic emission, and a 400 MHz NMR), chromatography equipment (HPLC, GCMS, FPLC, and flash), and an atomic force microscope.

Cornell’s One Course At A Time academic calendar is divided into eight 3½-week blocks in which students take and faculty teach a single course. The full-time faculty teaching load is 6 courses during the academic year with the other 2 blocks reserved for ongoing research projects, professional development, course preparations, or travel to academic meetings. Further opportunities for research supervision may also be available.

The college encourages interdisciplinary interests among its faculty and the development of teaching strategies that capitalize on our distinctive academic calendar. One Course At A Time allows us the freedom to take students off-campus or design longer lab activities without impinging on other course commitments. In addition, class size is limited to 25 students, and upper-level courses are often smaller.

About Cornell College

Cornell College is a national liberal arts college committed to excellence in teaching and the creation of a welcoming community in which all individuals are respected and included. Our innovative curriculum includes a focus on the essential abilities of writing, quantitative reasoning, and intercultural literacy as well as experiential learning. The One Course At A Time approach fosters strong student engagement and close faculty-student relationships while allowing faculty freedom to design and carry out their classes, on campus or off.

Founded in 1853, Cornell was the first college west of the Mississippi to graduate both men and women. Academic immersion, real world experience requirements through Ingenuity in Action, and unparalleled flexibility attract an ambitious student body from around the world. Seventy percent of our students are from outside Iowa, representing nearly 50 states and 26 foreign countries. Students of color comprise one-fourth of the student body.

Cornell’s picturesque hilltop campus is a National Historic District and was the first campus listed in its entirety on the National Register of Historic Places. Mount Vernon is a small, college-centered town in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor, home to nearly half a million people. It has two additional National Historic Districts and a classic Main Street a short walk from campus. Mount Vernon attractions include boutique shopping; walking paths; a dedicated sledding hill; and 13 annual festivals and events including Chalk the Walk, Chili Cookoff, and Magical Night.

Cornell College offers a competitive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, HSA & FSA accounts, a TIAA 403(b) retirement account, and tuition remission and exchange for employees and dependents. We also offer life insurance, disability insurance, travel insurance, and accident insurance.

Interested applicants should submit the following materials through Cornell College’s online application system:

• A letter of application/cover letter
• Current Curriculum Vitae
• Graduate transcript(s) (may be unofficial)
• Teaching statement, describing teaching interests, experience, and philosophy, including examples of inclusive pedagogy
• Names and contact information for a minimum of three references. Formal letters will be requested at a later date.

Applications will be reviewed beginning March 21, 2025, and continue until the position is filled.

For more information about the department, please visit the departmental website, Chemistry Department| Cornell College | Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Any questions can be directed to Cindy Strong, Ph.D., William Deskin Professor of Chemistry and Department Chair, at cstrong@cornellcollege.edu.

Cornell is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from underrepresented groups. Cornell complies with Iowa's Smoke-free Air Act. Cornell utilizes E-Verify and requires the satisfactory completion of a background check.

Education

• Doctorate or better in Other