Assistant Professor-Tenure System

Position Summary

The Michigan State University (MSU) Department of Integrative Biology (IBIO) and MSU Museum invite applicants for the position of Tenure System Assistant Professor and Curator of Vertebrate Collections. Although preference is for candidates at the Assistant Professor rank, we will also consider exceptional, early-stage Associate Professors. The IBIO Department’s core mission is to advance understanding of the function, stability, resilience, and adaptation of complex biological systems via research, teaching, and outreach while striving to recruit and retain a diverse, vibrant, and inclusive community of scholars (https://integrativebiology.msu.edu). The MSU Museum (https://museum.msu.edu/) maintains a collection of over 117,000 vertebrate specimens (birds, fish, herps, mammals, and paleontological), and has a long history of supporting faculty and student engagement via teaching, outreach, and collections-based research.  

This tenure-stream position comprises research, teaching, and curation components. The applicant is expected to have an independent, specimen-based research program with strong potential (or record, in the case of the more senior applicants) for external funding. The research program should contribute to the growth of the vertebrate collections and provide research opportunities for students. The applicant will also teach an upper-level course in their area of expertise.  

As Curator of Vertebrates, the successful candidate will work with the Collections Manager to facilitate the use of collections for research and education, oversee growth of the collections, write proposals to support collections care and digitization, and provide expertise to the campus community and to state and local authorities. The MSU Museum is currently undergoing a large-scale renovation project to implement state-of-the-art climate control systems, among other improvements (https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/msu-museum-begins-18-month-renovation-project).  

We will consider applicants whose work focuses on any vertebrate taxonomic group and with expertise in any of a variety of fields including global change, phylogenomics, functional morphology, macroevolution, conservation biology, and evolutionary biology. 

The position is funded by IBIO and the College of Natural Science. The successful candidate will have office space for themselves and students in the MSU Museum and laboratory and associated research space in a nearby building.

IBIO uses innovative tools to address important questions about genetics, genomics, development, physiology, behavior, ecology, and evolution in a wide array of organisms, over multiple temporal and spatial scales. Under new leadership, the department is undergoing growth and expansion with several new hires. The department includes more than 30 faculty members, strong graduate and undergraduate programs, and supportive administrative and technical staff. Most faculty members are also affiliated with one or more units outside IBIO; these include the MSU Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Kellogg Biological Station, and numerous cross-college interdisciplinary graduate programs. 

Both IBIO and the MSU Museum have a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), in alignment with the college and institution’s strategic plans towards inclusive excellence. We encourage applicants who have a track record of implementing DEI principles and practices in their teaching, curation, and/or research, or who have compelling ideas for future activities. Valued DEI activities include, but are not limited to, building and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive lab; applying DEI practices in courses taught and the evaluation of those courses; as well as integrating DEI into museum-focused research and curatorial approaches. Salary will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -PhD in Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Biology, Zoology, or related field (or equivalent international degree)

Minimum Requirements

• PhD in Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Biology, Zoology, or related field (or equivalent international degree)
• Postdoctoral research experience, or equivalent post-PhD research experience broadly defined, i.e. not necessarily at an academic institution
• Active specimen-based research program focused on a vertebrate taxon
• At least one year of museum experience managing collections

• Evidence of instructional experience and commitment (at least teaching assistant experience)
• Experience with undergraduate research training and mentorship 

• Proficiency using vertebrate taxonomies
• Service activities such as serving on committees, reviewing manuscripts/proposals, and/or outreach activities with the public
• Experience implementing DEI practices and current DEI activities in research, teaching, or curation, and thoughtful plans for incorporation of DEI practices into at least one of these areas 
• Potential to obtain sustained extramural funding for research and collections care and growth

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with graduate and postdoctoral research training and mentorship 
• Involvement in one or more professional societies (e.g., Society of Systematic Biologists, American Society of Mammalogists, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, American Ornithological Society, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Society for the Study of Evolution, etc.) 
• Track record of collaborative activities in research and/or teaching
• Experience as the instructor of record for an undergraduate course in a relevant field

Required Application Materials

Application materials should be submitted to the MSU Applicant Page (MAP) for faculty positions (online at https://jobs.msu.edu; posting number 1001794) as a single, concatenated PDF document containing the following elements (each clearly designated with a title):  

1. A cover letter (1 page maximum) describing interest in the position 

1. A curriculum vitae with academic appointments, professional experience, funded grants, publications, curation and service roles, and courses taught 

1. A 5-page reflective statement (no less than 12 pt font and one-inch margins), divided into three sections: research, curation, and teaching. Candidates should describe their experiences and accomplishments in all these areas. DEI experiences and accomplishments should be described for at least one of the areas. Additionally, candidates should address how they plan to further DEI principles and practices in research, curation, or teaching. Candidates should also describe their role in past collaborations in the research and/or teaching section.

1. Research: include key publications, grants and/or fellowships, and future research directions 

1. Curation:  include past experience, vision for future use of collections in candidate’s research, and recommendations for how to encourage use of collections by other MSU faculty and students 

1. Teaching: including research mentoring experience, past activities in academic instruction, and reflection on educational commitment.  

1. The names and contact information of three references. Letters will not be requested until the search committee has narrowed the pool of applicants.  

Deadline for Receipt of Applications 

All materials should be assembled into one PDF and uploaded to the job posting at careers.msu.edu. Review of applicants will begin November 27th, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled.  Late submissions will be considered if suitable candidates are not identified by the deadline.

Special Instructions

Contact Information 

Questions regarding the position may be sent to the Chair of the search committee, Dr. Catherine Lindell (lindellc@msu.edu). 

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Statement:   

MSU is committed to providing a work environment that supports employees' work and personal life, and offers employment assistance to the spouse or partner of candidates for faculty and academic staff positions. 

Review of Applications Begins On

11/27/2024

Website

https://integrativebiology.natsci.msu.edu/ ; https://museum.msu.edu/

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.