ACS career tips Tenure-Track Faculty Positions in Chemical Engineering Requisition Number: 89532 Rank is anticipated at the level of Assistant Professor; other ranks will be considered. Successful candidates will be expected to develop a nationally recognized and externally funded research program, develop departmental and multidisciplinary collaborations, teach existing graduate and undergraduate courses in chemical engineering and develop new courses, and perform internal and professional service at a level commensurate with rank. Further information can be obtained by contacting the Associate Department Chair, Dr. Brandon Weeks at
[email protected].
Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering Requisition Number: 85025 Rank is anticipated at the level of Full Professor; other ranks will be considered. The position is supported with a $2 million endowment. Successful candidates will be expected to manage an internationally recognized and externally funded research program; develop strong departmental and multidisciplinary collaborations, potentially also with the adjacent Health Sciences Center and medical school; teach existing graduate and undergraduate courses in chemical engineering; and develop new courses. The candidate will be expected to oHer appropriate service to the department, college, and university as needed.
Further information can be obtained by contacting the search committee chair, Dr. Gregory B. McKenna at greg.mckenna@ttu. edu.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering or a closely related field and demonstrated potential for outstanding scholarly work and funding for all available positions. Applicants must apply at the TTU online job application web site at https://jobs.texastech.edu and use requisition number appropriate to the proper position. The application process requires uploading a detailed CV, a statement of research and teaching interests, and the names and addresses of at least three references. Review of applications for all positions will begin on November 15, 2013; applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Starting date for all may be as early as June 1, 2014. Candidates must be currently eligible to work in the United States. The department has a strong research portfolio with 2012 research awards of over $5 million in four focus areas: Bioengineering, Polymers and Materials, Modeling and Simulation in Chemical Engineering, and Energy and Sustainability. Texas Tech University is an Afrmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to excellence through diversity. Texas Tech welcomes applications from minorities, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and dual-career couples.
Just Tell Me What You Want RECENTLY, A COLLEAGUE asked if I would help him identify some good candidates for a new opening at his company— he said he needed an “analytical chemist.” Another friend just e-mailed me and said his university was looking for a “laboratory prep technician,” and did I know anyone who might be suitable? In neither case did I have enough information to even begin to point them in the right direction—I had to go back to each of them and ask a number of questions until I had enough details about the positions to start recommending people who might be suitable. I wanted to help them; I just didn’t have the information I needed. Many job seekers do the same thing. They ask for assistance but don’t make it easy for people to help them. They don’t have a specific, concrete description of the type of job they are searching for, so they can’t explain to others what they want. Spending a little time to craft a good description of what you’re looking for will make it much easier for others to help you find it. Below are a few things you should keep in mind when developing the description of your ideal job. BE BRIEF, BUT NOT TOO BRIEF. For job seekers, two to three sentences should be enough to convey the essence of what you’re looking for, without being overly specific. You want to be detailed enough to convey what you want, but broad enough to cover several different options. Indicate the education and experience level you are aiming for, as well as any specific knowledge areas you want to work with, such as types of compounds, instrumentation, or techniques. TO CHANGE OR NOT TO CHANGE. Do you want to stay in the same industry, but change roles? Or continue doing the same kinds of tasks, but change industries?
If you’re thinking about a new job, you obviously want some things to change, but there are probably some things you’d like to stay the same. Make sure to identify the most important items in each category. JOB TITLES ARE MEANINGLESS. The same job title can mean vastly different things at different companies. Focus your description on what you want to do, not what you think that position should be called. Although a descriptive title such as “analytical chemist” can be helpful, a rank title such as “senior scientist” conveys little useful information. INCLUDE RELEVANT FACTORS. If the job must be within two hours of Boston or you want to manage people or you want less than 20% travel, include that information in the description. It may be obvious to you, but different things are important to different people—and even to the same person at different points in his or her career. By developing a succinct description of exactly what you’re looking for, you will be able to explain it to others, making it easier for them to help you. They will recognize the job when they come across it. Even better, forcing yourself to write down a succinct description will help you clarify your goals in your own mind. SHUTTERSTOCK
The Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas Tech University invites applications for TWO tenure-track faculty positions in Chemical Engineering and ONE Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering.
Get Involved In The Discussion. The ACS Career Tips column is published the first week of every month in C&EN. Post your comments, follow the discussion, and suggest topics for future columns in the Career Development section of the ACS Network (www.acs.org/ network-careers).—Brought
to you by ACS Careers
A more precise job description can help you hit your job target. CEN.ACS.ORG
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