WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND COVER LETTER … of Pennsylvania Career Services WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND...

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WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND COVER LETTER FOR FACULTY POSITIONS IN RESEARCH OR TEACHING FOR SCIENCE, MATH AND ENGINEERING Julie Miller Vick Senior Career Advisor 1

Transcript of WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND COVER LETTER … of Pennsylvania Career Services WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND...

Page 1: WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND COVER LETTER … of Pennsylvania Career Services WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND COVER LETTER FOR FACULTY POSITIONS IN RESEARCH OR TEACHING FOR SCIENCE, MATH AND

University of Pennsylvania Career Services

WRITE A COMPELLING CV AND COVER LETTER FOR FACULTY POSITIONS IN RESEARCH OR TEACHING FOR SCIENCE, MATH AND ENGINEERINGJulie Miller VickSenior Career Advisor

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

What we’re going to cover• Introduction to written materials for the job search• C.V. development• Cover letter• Additional application materials • Using job announcements appropriately• Resources• Questions

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Written materials for the job search• C.V.• Statement of teaching philosophy• Research statement• “Evidence of excellence in teaching”• Website• Writing sample• Teaching portfolio• Cover letters• Transcripts• References

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Written materials for the job search• C.V.

Lists academic achievements, prioritizes research or teaching based on job description/career goals

• Research statementProvides a narrative of what big questions you have

asked, how you have gained answers, why this is important to your field, and most importantly, where you will go next

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Written materials for the job search• Statement of teaching philosophy

Narrative of your teaching goals with examples that demonstrate

• “Evidence of excellence in teaching” You can decide what to provide

• Teaching portfolio Usually includes syllabi, course evaluations, description of

teaching awards• References

Specific evidence of your academic abilities that should echo your statements and examples

• Cover letters Highlighting the key points of all your other materials (not just

repeating the information), prioritizing the examples given based on who will be reading the letter. Can take the place of both research statement and teaching philosophy if these are not asked for

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Key points for all documents• No matter what field you are in, you must show that you

do compelling, forward-looking research that is both original and helps to advance your field

• All materials should look like they are part of a cohesive packet of information that tell an effective story about youFormatted in the same wayNot saying exactly the same thing, but expanding on

information mentioned in the other documentsEach as separate PDFs named appropriately (unless the

job announcement requests otherwise)May have them on the web in something like Interfolio

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

C.V. (Curriculum vitae)• Purpose of a C.V. is get you an interview

• Complete listing of your academic credentials and accomplishmentsAcademic jobsFunding (grants or fellowships)

• C.V.’s will vary from discipline to disciplineMake use of younger faculty in your department to see if

you can look at versions of their CV they used for applications

• C.V. organization may vary depending on where/what it is being used for It is possible to tailor the CV for each application

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www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/writtenmaterials

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

CV CategoriesStandard• Name and contact

information • Education • Honors and Fellowships• Teaching/Research

Experience• Publications • Presentations• Professional Memberships• References

Possible additional categories• Grants• Languages• Technical Skills • University/Professional

Service• Research/Teaching

Interests• Professional Experience• Patents• Certifications/Professional

Licensure• Additional Information

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Tips on writing your CV• C.V. lists all your relevant professional/academic

accomplishments It is expected that your C.V. will be more than one page

• Your most significant & relevant accomplishments should be prominent in the organizational structure of the C.V.

• Try to put most important information on the first page• Organize each section in reverse chronological order• Tailor to your audience• Use clear, easy-to-understand language• Your name should be on each page of your C.V.

Beginning on the second page, also add page numbers

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Formatting the CV• Use formatting techniques such as indenting, font sizes,

uppercase, bold and italics, and skipping line consistently Bolding highlights key information (degree, location, subject,

name) Italics often makes text harder to read Avoid using too many formatting techniques/stylesBalance print and white space Avoid font sizes under 10 point

• Keep the format simple

• Don’t list dates on the left side – they are often the least important piece of information Don’t bold them either

• Find someone to read/proof your job search materials Check for spelling mistakes

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Prioritizing your CV sections• The order of sections can vary depending on what you

want to prioritizeThere is no required orderCheck to see if there are field or discipline specific

templates you should be followingResearch experience vs teaching experience are the two

main sections that will be switched depending on the job

• Schedule an appointment with a Career Services advisor if you are uncertain

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Name and contact information• This category is pretty straightforward

Don’t make the word “Curriculum Vitae” the most prominent part of your first page!

Give one email address to avoid confusionGive phone numbers at which you would like the institution

to contact you – and will expect to be contactedExclude personal informationYou may want to add “PhD” to name if you have graduated

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Education• Most Ph.D. candidates will have this as their first category

Make it clear when your degree is expected

• Postdocs might want to have “Current Research Experience” or “Current Position” as a first categoryPostdocs are not usually included in the Education

section. Some people use the heading “Education and Training” and include both the postdoc and education

• Give some detail such as field of concentration, title of dissertation, name of advisorYou can include a very succinct summary of your research

that focuses on questions asked, methods used, findings, and relevance

Everyone will “read” your CV, few will read everything else

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EducationDoctor of Philosophy, Neuroscience, August 2014University of California, San Francisco, California

Master of Science, Neuroscience, 2011University of California, Berkeley, California

Bachelor of Arts, Human Biology, 2009Columbia University, New York, New York

EDUCATIONPh.D. Electrical and Systems Engineering, August 2014University of PennsylvaniaAdvisor: Dr. X NameDissertation Title: Title of dissertation

B.Sc., in Honors, Summa cum Laude, Computer Engineering, May 2005Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityAdvisor: Dr. Y NameThesis: Thesis titleSelected Graduate Coursework:Optimal Design of Wireless SystemsNonlinear and Adaptive Control Random Processes in EngineeringIntelligent and Animated Software Agents

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CURRENT RESEARCH EXPERIENCEPostdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Dr. Name July 2013-presentDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Brief description of research

EDUCATION

EducationUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USAPh.D., Mathematics, May, 2013Thesis: Rational Polynomial Pell EquationsAdvisor: Name

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USAB.A., Mathematics, summa cum laude, 2007Thesis: Representations of Cyclic QuiversAdvisor: NameB.A., Computer Science, 2007

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Honors and Awards• You can make this a separate category, or include these

under the relevant degree

• Put recognizable, significant awards

• If you are a international student, you may need to explain some of the honorsWere they given for academic excellence?Were they based on something you applied for?Were they competitive?Can you find a way to describe the award that will help it to

make sense to anyone who reads this section?

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AWARDSStudent Fellow Award, Biomedical Engineering Society January 2013DSM Polymer Technology Award, DSM and American Chemical Society August 2011Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research Award, American Chemical Society 2010Graduate Student Research Gold Award, Materials Research Society 2009Molecular Biophysics Training Grant, National Institute of Health (NIH) 2007 – 2009Biomolecular GAANN Fellowship, US Dept. of Education 2007 – 2010

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Research interests• A brief answer to the question, “what’s next?”

This must be credibleYou should absolutely be prepared to elaborate on this if

you get an interview

• Keywords associated with your specific research interests and expertiseLook at the job description for clues on what terms they

may be looking for

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Research InterestsMy research considers the role of a neuromodulator, dopamine, in guiding behaviors driven by a DS. For decades, dopamine was equated with reward or pleasure because it is released after exposure to a wide variety of rewarding events, including sexual partners, food, and drugs of abuse. More recently, several researchers raised the hypothesis that dopamine is required to motivate a behavioral response to a salient environmental cue. I recognized that my behavioral task could directly test this "motivational salience" hypothesis. If dopamine is truly required for a cue to trigger a behavioral response, not only should dopamine blockers disrupt the ability of animals to respond to the DS, dopamine disruption should abolish the activity of neurons that are excited by a DS.

Research Interests:Algebraic, enumerative, and topological combinatorics, and their connections with algebraic geometry, representation theory, and physics. In particular: total positivity, cluster algebras, statistical mechanics, tropical geometry.

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Experience (research and teaching)• Depending on the type of job, and the degree of

experience you have, you should consider whether to split this into 2 sections:

• Research experience: Projects/experiments you have worked onCollaborations you have been involved withFindings and publications associated with your work

• Teaching experience:Classes you have taught (include # and type of students),Labs you have been involved withMentoring and other formal/informal teaching experiences

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Research ExperienceNeuroscience Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 0000-PresentDoctoral thesis research conducted with Dr. A NamePioneered behavioral and electrophysiological experiments investigating the neural mechanisms underlying relapse to drug-seeking triggered by environmental cues. Resulted in 3 publications to be submitted to The Journal of Neuroscience, Nature, and Psychopharmacology.

The Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, San Francisco, CA, 0000-PresentMember of a unique scientific community of clinicians and basic scientists trying to understand the neural underpinnings of drug abuse.

Department of Biology, Columbia University, New York City, NY, 0000-0000Masters' thesis research conducted with Dr. B NameInvestigated Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by studying the effect of environmental risk factors for SIDS on sleep development in neonatal rats.

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TeachingTA for Advanced Networking Protocols (50 Graduate students), UPenn, Spring 2007 TA for Introduction to Networks and Protocols (20 Undergraduates, 55 Graduates),

UPenn, Fall 2006 Guest lecturer in Network, Friends, Money, and Bytes (Undergraduates), Princeton, Fall 2012Mentored 4 PhD students and 4 Undergraduates at Princeton, 2 Undergraduate students, UPenn

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Professional Experience• If you have relevant professional experience outside the

academy, you might have a section later in the CV entitled “Professional Experience”

• This section could include: Industry experienceNon-profit experienceWorking within universities in an administrative role (e.g.,

student advising)

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Publications/Presentations• If you have a long list, divide and then subdivide by topics

(peer reviewed papers, reviews, posters, invited talks, abstracts, etc.) If you have short list, it won’t make sense to sub-divide

into different categories as much

• You can list a few articles that are in preparation and will (realistically) be publishedThis helps to show that your work in on-going, and that

you will have research that you can build on in your new role

Clearly mark “in preparation” or “submitted” manuscripts

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PUBLICATIONS – possible ways to organize them

Journal PublicationsConference Proceedings (full papers, peer-reviewed)Conference AbstractsWorks in ProgressUse discipline-specific citation style

PRESENTATIONS – possible ways to organize them

Research PresentationsConference and Seminar TalksInvited TalksSelected TalksUse discipline-specific citation style

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Scholarly/Professional Memberships• List your memberships in scholarly associations (e.g.,

American Society of Microbiology, Materials Research Society). This category is very discipline specific

• If you have been active in the scholarly community, you should include this information here. Panel moderation would be a good example of something

that might fit under this heading

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Grants• Use this category if you have received significant funding

Dissertation and fellowship support are usually listed in “Honors and Awards”

Grant writing experience can be highlighted in other sections if no significant grants have been received

• List the funding agency and the projects that were funded

• The work supported by the grant can be discussed in detail under “Research Experience”

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Skills• These can be broken down based on what is appropriate

for your disciplineEnsure that the most important keywords come first in any

lists

• Skills can include:LanguagesComputer softwareProgrammingStatistical softwareLab/technical skills

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Additional Information• A positive statement about your visa status

“Eligible to work in US as Green Card holder”

• Do not put marital status on CV’s for jobs in the U.S.

• Never put your social security number on a CV or a cover letter

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References• Give the contact information and titles of the individuals

who will be writing letters of recommendation for youProvide the same number of references that the employer

requests

• Provide the contact information for the people who may have already submitted letters on your behalf. Don’t provide different contacts than those submitting

letters

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Cover letter• Highlights your experience and expertise relevant to the

specific position and institutionLength of cover letter can be dictated by what other

materials are asked for

• Elements of a cover letterSalutation: Dear Prof. So and So or Search Committee

MembersFirst paragraph: state that you are applying for the

position and how you learned about itBody: use the structure of the job ad to guide you in your

discussion of your qualifications. Explain why you are a good fit for this position and this institution

Final paragraph: Reiterate your interest. Offer to submit additional information. Let them know how to meet with you. Thank them for their consideration

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IntroductionTimeline/Getting Started with Your LetterSamples/Anatomy of a Cover Letter

Additional Cover Letter ResourcesHow Career Services Can Help You

IntroductionThe purpose of a cover letter Sometimes called a "letter of intent" or "letter of interest", a cover letter is an introduction to the rest of your job application materials (e.g., resume/CV, research statement, teaching philosophy, writing samples, etc.). The purpose of a cover letter is to quickly summarize why you are applying to an organization or for a particular position, and what skills and knowledge you bring that make you the most suitable candidate for that position. The cover letter is often the first impression that a prospective employer will have of you, especially if they do not know you, or have not heard about you from their network of contacts. First impressions count, and so getting your cover letter right is a critical step in your job application process. Like all your job application materials, cover letters can take time to write, and even more time to write them well. You will likely have several drafts before you come up with a final version that clearly articulates your skills and your understanding of the employer and the job requirements.

While your CV or resume briefly states your skills, knowledge, experience and (most importantly), what you have achieved using your abilities, the cover letter gives you an opportunity to create a narrative that shows the path you have taken in your career or education, emphasizing the skills you've used along the way, and explaining why the position you are applying to is the next desirable step on this path. To find out more about the structure of the cover letter, you can see some examples here. Also, it is important to know that there are some differences between cover letters written for faculty positions and those written for non-academic positions. You can review some of the key differences of cover letters for faculty positions here. For a detailed discussion of academic cover letters, as well as many sample letters provided by successful job or postdoc candidates, see "The Academic Job Search Handbook", available to Penn doctoral students and postdocs for $10 at Career Services.

When you start the process of looking for job opportunities, you will probably read through lots of job advertisements. You will notice that most of the ads for both academic faculty positions and non-academic jobs ask for a cover letter of some sort. The exception to this might be when you apply for some jobs through an employer's online job application system, where they may ask you to uploadyour letter as a document, cut and paste the contents of your letter into specific fields, or they may not ask for a letter at all. For most jobs, and whenever you are submitting a formal application, cover letters are usually required - even if a letter is not requested in the job ad itself.

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradstud/coverletterguide.php

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Additional materials for the job search• Research statement• Statement of teaching philosophy• “Evidence of excellence in teaching”• Teaching portfolio• Website• Writing sample• Transcripts• References

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Research statement• Use the language to guide you—do they want a

“Statement of Research Plans” or a “Summary of Current Research”

• Provide a context for your research interests Your future research should follow logically from what

you’ve done

• Decide what research belongs to your lab/advisor and what belongs to you

• Mention facilities you might need (so long as these are not in conflict with the institution)List possible sources of funding for your research Identify possible collaborations

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TeachingStatement of teaching philosophy, “evidence of excellence in teaching”, teaching portfolio

Provide demonstrated evidence of your ability to teach by giving actual examples of you teaching effectively (ideally to the types of students you will be teaching), and of how your research makes you a better teacher

Statement of Teaching Philosophy• Sometimes included within a teaching portfolio, sometimes sent in along

with your cover letter and CV

• A document that details your experience of teaching: As a teacher As a student being taught As a mentor (e.g., informal teaching experiences)

• Philosophy should explain: Why you do it What you goals are How you do it How successful you have been PROVIDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES

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“Evidence of Excellence in Teaching”• Your “teaching excellence” should also be discussed by one of the people recommending

you Provide student evaluations to your recommender so that they can discuss them, and

provide the context in which to interpret them

• Formal teaching evaluations (e.g., university-wide or departmental ones)

• Feedback from other faculty, administrators, or students on the courses you have taught Quotes from students can be used

Teaching Portfolio• This can include syllabi of established courses or proposals for future courses as well as

teaching evaluations and sample assignments

• Anything proposed should be associated with realistic goals regarding your target group of students grads/undergrads majors/non-majors International students Focus on most relevant group for job

The Center for Teaching and Learning can help graduate students with their teaching materials. (www.upenn.edu/ctl)

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Writing sample• This can be an off-print of an article

• This can be an edited chapter of a dissertationShort and to the point might be better than 50+ pages

• This could be something written just for the application –depending on the context

• Ask your mentor/advisor about what is appropriate in your field

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References & letters of recommendation• Decide whom to ask to be references

Your advisorsColleagues/mentors outside of your department,

committee, or current institutionBalancing information – research focus, teaching focus

• Communicate with your referencesAsk if they are able to write a positive reference for youLet them know the scheduleRemind them 2-3 weeks out before deadline

• How will you have letters of reference sent? InterfolioYour department

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Identifying job opportunities43

• Your scholarly association Job listing bulletin or website Job placement at conferences/conventions

• National publications and websiteThe Chronicle of Higher Education www.chronicle.comAcademic360.com orHigheredjobs.com

• Institutional & departmental websites

• Your network

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Applying for positions• Apply for positions that appear to be a good fit for you

• Send what the announcement specifically requests, unless you have a very good reason to do otherwise

• In your cover letter show that you understand the unique qualities of each department/institution to which you are applying

• When emailing materials, send them as PDFsSave them with you name and the document title as the

file name – don’t just save them as “CV”

• After sending, you can try to make sure materials were receivedYou may not get a response

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

The Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, seeks applications for a tenure track, Assistant Professor position in the area of biomechanical engineering in healthcare. Topics of specialization include but are not limited to biomechanics and biomaterials, design and analysis of medical devices, general mechanical engineering techniques as applied to problems in healthcare.

Applicants must hold a doctorate. To apply please go to the following link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/create/3 and submit a cover letter, a resume, statements of research and teaching interests, one copy of each significant publication, and names, addresses and phone numbers of five professional references.

Applications will be reviewed starting August 15, 2014. The deadline to apply is September 15, 2014, applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Appointment is subject to budgetary approval.

The University of California is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, committed to excellence through diversity. The college seeks candidates whose research, teaching, or service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and inclusion in higher education. The college is also committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents.

For more information please go the CALcierge web site at http://calcierge.berkeley.edu/.

Position Summary University of California, Berkeley, Department of Mechanical EngineeringSeeks Applications for a Tenure Track, Assistant Professor Position in the area of: Biomechanical Engineering in Healthcare

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Position Summary Assistant Professor of Pure Mathematics, the College of William and Mary

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The Department of Mathematics at the College of William and Mary invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position, beginning August 2015.Responsibilities include teaching two courses per semester, maintaining high quality research program, and service to the College. Advising undergraduate research is also expected.

Applicants should provide evidence of a strong commitment to undergraduate instruction as well as a record of high quality research.

Submissions received by December 1 are guaranteed full consideration. Applications received after December 1, 2014 will be considered if needed.

Require Qualifications: A PhD. in any area of pure mathematics is required by the time of appointment, August 10, 2015.To apply, please submit online at https://jobs.wm.edu a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, teaching and research statements, and ensure that at least four letters of recommendation, one of which addresses teaching, will be also submitted.The College of William & Mary is committed to providing a safe campus community. W&M conducts background investigations for applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial (credit) report or driving history check.The College of William & Mary values diversity and invites applications from underrepresented groups who will enrich the research, teaching and service missions of the university. The College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

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Assistant Professor, Microbiologist, Department of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University

Teaching responsibilities will include microbiology for majors and non-majors, pathogenic microbiology, immunology and other biology courses. Undergraduate advising of biology majors is expected. The successful candidate will be expected to develop aresearch program in microbiology involving undergraduate and graduate students that is commensurate with the needs and resources of the department.Required Qualifications• Ph.D. or ABD (with Ph.D. by August 2015) in microbiology or related field (Degree must be from a regionally accredited or

internationally accredited/government certified university.)• Evidence of active research in microbiology with the potential to engage Southeast students in research activities• Experience teaching at college/university level as a graduate assistant, instructor, or above• Demonstrated commitment to collegiality when interacting with others within the University community• Demonstrated commitment to working with multi-cultural populations and awareness of issues affecting women and minoritiesAs a public regional university (with a graduate mission), Southeast seeks candidates with a commitment to excellent undergraduate (and graduate) education and student success within the framework of the teacher-scholar model. Applications of instructional technology and pedagogical research are supported through the Center for Scholarship in Teaching and Learning and the Office of Online Learning. Successful candidates will contribute to the development of innovative curricula and delivery strategies, including traditional, blended and online formats, and participate in initiatives promoting student success, retention and degree completion.

Application Deadline and Information: The position is available August 2015 and will remain open until filled. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by October 1, 2014.To apply, submit the following items online by clicking on the position you wish to apply for at the below link, then click on the APPLY button at the top of the page: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/semoedu/default.cfm?promotionaljobs=1• Letter of interest addressing position qualifications and how you learned of this position• Current Curriculum Vita• Statement of Teaching Philosophy• Statement of Research Interests• Unofficial copies of transcripts (official transcripts required for employment)• Name and contact information of three professional references

Departmental Information: Information regarding the Department of Biology can be found at http://www.semo.edu/biology/University Facts: Southeast Missouri State University is a comprehensive regional state university with seven colleges and schools, 11,500 students, and a faculty and staff of over 1,100. Southeast, a moderately selective institution, offers baccalaureate, masters and specialist degrees, and participates in joint doctoral programs with the University of Missouri. Cape Girardeau, a historic city overlooking the Mississippi River, is the hub of a thriving county with a population of approximately 71,000. Serving a region of more than 500,000 people, it is the largest center for retail, medical, manufacturing, communications, and cultural activities between St. Louis and Memphis. More at: https://chroniclevitae.com/jobs/0000844797-01#sthash.3gyKOkLq.dpuf

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Postdoctoral Fellow - Cerebellar CircuitsThe lab of Dr. Jason Christie at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience ((http://www.maxplanckflorida.org/jason-christie.html) is currently searching for postdoctoral candidates possessing an extreme curiosity and an unquenchable desire for basic discovery in the physiology of cerebellar circuits. The select candidates will participate in a research program whose objectives are to (1) identify signaling principles allowing neurons to perform a diverse array of cellular computations and (2) relating these principles to motor learning that engenders optimized movements. This investigation incorporates a variety of advanced recording techniques centered on two-photon microscopy, optogenetics, and patch-clamp electrophysiology in awake, behaving mice as well as in acute brain slices.

The ideal candidate should have a PhD in Neuroscience or Biophysics. More importantly, the candidate should be prepared to make a total commitment to ground-breaking research. Previous experience with electrophysiology and/or light-microscopy is preferred. Also, candidates with technical backgrounds including electronics engineering, computer science, or physics are highly encouraged to apply as this research program depends extensively on developing novel methods to record and perturb cerebellar activity in custom-designed closed-loop systems. Dr. Christie’s group is part of the larger Jupiter Neuroscience Research Campus that also includes The Scripps Research Institute Florida and Florida Atlantic University. The candidate is expected to become an active member of this flourishing research community.

Applicants are encouraged to provide a statement of research interests with their CV and list of references. For additional information please contact Dr. Christie directly: jason.christie at mpfi.org. In addition, please visit http://www.maxplanckflorida.org/employment.html?jobid=148 and click “Apply Now”.

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Resources to help with written materials• Your advisor

• Career Services programs – panels and workshops

• The Academic Job Search Handbook, 4th edition

• Web resources: Guides on the CS websiteSamples on the CS websiteArticles at www.chronicle.com

• Meet with a career advisor – get CV review, and help with teaching philosophy, research statement and cover lettersCall 215 898 7530 to schedule an appointment

• Penn’s Center for Teaching and Learning

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

Short critiquing exercise• CV• Cover letter

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