Biology - Assistant Professor (Ecology)

Hope College invites applications for a tenure-track position in Biology at the Assistant Professor level, to begin in August 2021. The ideal candidate is expected to develop a vigorous, externally funded research program that addresses questions of fundamental importance in ecology, is at least partially field-based and engages undergraduate students as active collaborators.  The preferred candidate will demonstrate a broad understanding of ecology so that she/he can contribute to teaching courses in Ecology and Introductory Biology.  The candidate will also have the opportunity to teach an advanced course in her/his area of expertise as well as participate in the Environmental Science curriculum.  The Biology Department maintains a nature preserve just 15 minutes from campus that offers potential for research projects. The Biology Department at Hope College views evolution as the fundamental explanation for the diversity of life and is dedicated to the understanding and teaching of the principles of evolution.  We encourage candidates from underrepresented populations to apply.  Position pending final financial approval.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. and postdoctoral experience in Ecology or a related discipline.

• Promise as an excellent instructor.

• Potential to build an active research program involving undergraduate students.

• Understanding of and commitment to the Christian faith, and its compatibility with biological evolution. 

Hope College is committed to creating a diverse, ecumenical Christian academic community that invites all its members into a holistic and robust engagement with the historic Christian faith. The college's board, faculty, administration and staff are committed to the Christian faith as expressed in the ecumenical creeds of the ancient church. Individuals interested in this position must demonstrate a commitment to the character and goals of a liberal arts college with a Christian perspective, including a mature understanding of and commitment to the historic Christian faith.

Application:

As part of the online application, candidates will upload the following documents to http://www.hope.edu/employment/faculty:

• Cover letter

• Curriculum Vitae

• Unofficial transcripts

• Statement of research plans, including anticipated collaboration with undergraduate students

• Sample publications

• Statement of teaching philosophy, experience, and interests

• A statement describing your fit with the mission of the College (https://hope.edu/about/mission.html) and our Christian Aspirations (https://hope.edu/about/christian.html), with particular attention to both multicultural engagement and the historic Christian faith

In addition, please enter the contact information for three references on the application (including current email addresses). Those references will be contacted by Human Resources upon application to submit a reference form. 

Direct questions to Dr. Tom Bultman, bultmant@hope.edu. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Applications received by October 9, 2020 will be assured full consideration. 

Hope College is a four-year liberal arts college where academic excellence and vibrant Christian faith join together in a supportive and welcoming community. Hope offers an academically rigorous, co-educational and residential education to more than 3,050 students from 37 states and territories and 30 countries. Affiliated with the Reformed Church in America since its founding in 1866, Hope College is known for its invitational ecumenical Christian atmosphere, friendly campus community, and well-balanced academic and co-curricular offerings.  Hope's  beautiful campus is located just steps from award-winning downtown Holland, Michigan, and fewer than seven miles from Lake Michigan.

At Hope College, accomplished faculty and staff mentor students to recognize the interconnectedness of the world and cultivate the skills, perspectives and habits that help them flourish inside and outside the classroom. Recognized as a national leader in undergraduate research and scholarship, Hope provides exceptional professional preparation and life-changing educational experiences that equip students for success after graduation. The college has consistently ranked among the nation's top liberal arts colleges and is featured in the book Colleges That Change Lives.

Hope College is financially sound, with an endowment of over $200 million and no deferred maintenance, and over $140 million invested in the construction of new facilities during the past 12 years. Since 2015, the college has completed four new buildings – the Kruizenga Art Museum (2015), the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts (2015), the Jim and Martie Bultman Student Center (2017), and the van Andel Huys der Hope home for the college's Campus Ministries programs (2019).

In 2015, Hope College launched its 10-year strategic plan, Hope for the World: 2025, which  consists of six goals, focused on: academics; Christian formation; global engagement; community; reputation and influence; and value. Developed by the campus community, the strategic plan supports the college's mission, "to educate students for lives of leadership and service in a global society through academic and co-curricular programs of recognized excellence in the liberal arts and in the context of the historic Christian faith."

Hope College is a community that aspires to be faithful, welcoming and transformational. Accordingly, the college is committed to being a place where all experience a sense of belonging. Students of all faiths -- and no faith -- are welcome at Hope, as are students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. During the 2019-20 academic year, 18 percent of the student body identified as a race other than white. On Hope's campus, there is broad understanding that, in order to best prepare students for lives of leadership and service in a global society, the college must have diversity among its faculty and staff. Twenty-four percent of Hope's tenure- track faculty are from underrepresented groups, coming from both the U.S. and abroad. 

ABOUT HOLLAND

Holland, Michigan is located in the heart of West Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa. The city is known for being a friendly college town, a beautiful vacation destination, and annual host of both the Tulip Time Festival and Tulipanes Latino Art and Film Festival. With a city population of 33,000, Holland resides within the greater Holland- Zeeland area populated by 100,000 -- 30 minutes from Grand Rapids, 2.5 hours from Ann Arbor and Chicago and 3 hours from Detroit. Holland features a picturesque downtown just steps from the Hope College campus -- home to restaurants, cafés, shops and a popular farmer's market -- as well as miles of sandy beaches, nationally ranked school districts and charming parks throughout the surrounding area. In recent years, Holland has earned recognition for being one of the "Best Beach Towns to Live In"(WalletHub, 2018), "Prettiest Towns" (Architectural Digest, 2018) and  Best Cities for Global Trade" (Global Trade Magazine, 2017) as well as the #1 "Bes Small City to Start a Business" (WalletHub 2018). The City of Holland has also earned several top honors for the ";America in Bloom" competition, including awards for "Environmental Efforts" and "Coolest  Downtown."  The Holland area is strengthened by its diversity, with people of color comprising 33% of the city's population. The Latino community is particularly vibrant, accounting for 24% of Holland residents. For more about neighborhoods, recreation, businesses and life in Holland, visit the city's "Live in Holland Michigan" website. 

Hope College seeks to be a community that affirms the dignity of all persons as bearers of God's image. It is Hope College policy not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, family  status, genetic information, height, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or weight, except in the event of a bona fide occupational qualification. Hope College is an equal opportunity employer.

ttp://hope.edu/employment/faculty