Assistant Professor of Philosophy (EXPIRED)

The Department of Philosophy at Texas State University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor to start Fall 2022. The successful candidate will be expected to be an effective undergraduate and graduate teacher, develop a productive research program, contribute to department and college initiatives and leadership (especially the Philosophy Dialogues), and to be committed to teaching lower-level philosophy courses as part of a core curriculum. Members of the department have secured funding through NSF, NEH, AAAS, Rethinking Priorities, and Humanities Texas in recent years.

Typical teaching load is 3/3, with a 2/2 assigned for the first two years. Some teaching may be in evening courses.  Summer teaching is sometimes available, depending on student demand. 

The Department of Philosophy at Texas State University offers the B.A. in Philosophy; the B.A. in Religious Studies; the M.A. in Applied Philosophy and Ethics; undergraduate minors in Philosophy, Religious Studies, Value Studies, and Medical Humanities; and a graduate certificate in Professional Ethics. Course assignments are based on expertise and departmental need, possibly including doctoral-level Responsible Conduct of Research/Research Ethics. Some teaching may be in evening courses or online.

Members of the departmental faculty regularly teach courses in support of interdisciplinary programs in Latino/a Studies, African American Studies, Women’s Studies, Sustainability Studies, Leadership Studies, Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, the Honors College, and International Studies. The Department has 35 full-time faculty members in Fall 2021 and teaches the largest number of undergraduates of any public university in Texas, averaging over 10,000 students per year over the past six years. Departmental activities include the Philosophy Dialogues, a program of ~60 public-facing events each semester including lectures, films, readings, performances, and discussions; an active chapter of Phi Sigma Tau; an annual student symposium; an annual alumni banquet; a growing Religious Studies Student Organization; two student journals; three professional journals; an Ethics Bowl team, and an International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition team. 

PhD in Philosophy required by the time of appointment.  ABD candidates please provide a letter from your committee chair verifying your anticipated completion before August 2022.  

Individuals from historically underrepresented groups and all those who share our commitment to inclusivity and passion for the strength of our diversity are strongly encouraged to apply.

All positions are subject to availability of funds.

Qualifications

Required:

• Ph.D. in Philosophy by time of appointment. (ABD applicants should provide a letter from your committee chair verifying anticipated completion before August 2022).
• Previous teaching experience.
• Research and teaching specialization: Open
• Teaching experience in one or more of: Bioethics, Environmental Philosophy, Philosophy of Technology, Philosophy/Ethics in STEM.
• Evidence of teaching excellence.
• Active research program.
• Evidence of professional or institutional service.
• Statement of how the candidate’s work will be relevant on an increasingly diverse campus.

Preferred:

• Teaching competence in one or more of: Applied Philosophy; Philosophy of Technology; Ethics; Bioethics; Africana Thought; Feminist Philosophy; Gender Studies; or Latin-American Philosophy.
• Experience teaching large classes (100+ students).
• Experience teaching or mentoring graduate students.
• Experience in interdisciplinary teaching or research.
• Experience in coordinating a speaker series or community engagement.
• Statement of how the candidate’s work contributes to public philosophy.

Application Procedures

Only applications submitted through the Texas State University website will be accepted and considered, https://jobs.hr.txstate.edu/postings/37578.

To ensure full consideration, please submit the materials listed below before March 21, 2022:

• A letter of interest addressing how your work contributes to public philosophy and how your work is relevant on an increasingly diverse campus, to Dr. Holly Lewis, Chair of Search Committee.
• Current curriculum vitae.
• Research statement, including summary of any funded research, work in-progress, and future plans.
• Teaching statement to include a discussion of general education (optional).
• Evidence of teaching excellence.
• Two sample syllabi:
• A syllabus for one of our two 1000-level courses: PHIL 1305: Philosophy and Critical Thinking, or PHIL 1320: Ethics and Society;
• A Syllabus for a graduate or upper-level course
• Three professional references including names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers. Letters of recommendation will be required prior to interviews.

As part of our application process, we are requesting contact information for three (3) references. Please provide the names and email addresses for your references in the Reference Letter section of the employment application. Upon submission of your application, an automated email will be generated and sent to your references with instructions on how to attach the reference letter to your application through a confidential online portal. Applicants are highly recommended to remind their referees to respond to the letter request in a timely manner.

If the letter of recommendation will be collected through Interfolio Dossier, please provide the specific Interfolio email in lieu of the references email. If a central office is responsible for responding to all reference letter requests in your department, please notify Faculty and Academic Resources at [email protected].

The selected candidate will be required to provide official transcripts from all degree granting universities.

The University:

The only university in Texas to graduate a US President, Texas State University is a doctoral-granting Emerging Research University (Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie classification) located in the burgeoning Austin-San Antonio corridor.  Texas State’s over 38,000 students choose from more than 98 undergraduate, 93 master’s and 14 doctoral programs offered by ten colleges (Applied Arts, The Emmett and Miriam McCoy College of Business Administration, Education, Fine Arts and Communication, Health Professions, Honors, Liberal Arts, Science and Engineering, The Graduate College, and the University College).  Texas State is a Hispanic Serving Institution with a diverse campus community including over 55% of the student body from ethnic minorities, Texas State is one of the top 14 producers of Hispanic baccalaureate graduates in the nation.  In the fall of 2014, there were over 2,000 full-time faculty and nearly 2,000 full-time staff.  Research and creative activities have led to growing success in attracting external support. Texas State has an annual operating budget of over $650 million. Texas State’s Research and Development expenditures are more than $65 million.  The Alkek Library has more than 2.4 million titles in its collection. Located in the Texas Hill Country, Texas State enjoys a setting that is unique among Texas universities including the headwaters of the San Marcos River, home to eight endangered species and the second-largest springs in Texas. Additional information about Texas State and its nationally recognized academic programs is available at http://www.txstate.edu.

The community:

San Marcos, a city of about 63,000 residents, is situated in the beautiful Central Texas Hill Country, 30 miles south of Austin and 48 miles north of San Antonio.  Austin-Bergstrom International Airport offers direct flights to 65 destinations, including London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, and various destinations in Canada and Mexico.  San Antonio International Airport offers direct flights to 53 destination in the US and Mexico. Metropolitan attractions plus outdoor recreational opportunities make the community an attractive place in which to live and work.  The San Marcos-Austin-Round Rock area has a population of ~ 2.2 million, and the Greater San Antonio area has a population of ~ 2.5 million. Other major metropolitan areas, including Houston and Dallas-Ft. Worth, are within four hours driving.  

Some positions may require teaching on the main campus and at the Texas State University Round Rock Campus.

Diversity and Inclusion: Texas State is guided by a commitment to shared values, including a spirit of inclusiveness, the free exchange of ideas, and a sense of community.  To achieve these ideals, we strive for all members of the university community to feel welcome, embrace a diversity of people and ideas, and ensure that all voices are heard. We recognize that the path to inclusive excellence will be as varied as the faculty, staff, and students who make up our vibrant institution

Texas State University, to the extent not in conflict with federal or state law, prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, veterans’ status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.   Equal employment opportunities shall include: personnel transactions of recruitment, employment, training, upgrading, promotion, demotion, termination, and salary. Texas State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and senior administrative positions. Texas State University is a member of The Texas State University System. Texas State University is an EOE.

Personnel Policies: Faculty are eligible for life, disability, health, and dental insurance programs.  A variety of retirement plans are available depending on eligibility.  Participation in a retirement plan is mandatory.  The State contributes toward the health insurance programs and all retirement plans. http://www.humanresources.txstate.edu/benefits.htm

Texas State University is a member of the Texas State University System.  

Texas State University is an EOE.

Texas State, in accordance with applicable federal and state law and institutional values, prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or veterans’ status. Pursuant to university policy, this policy also prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus. Smoking and the use of any tobacco product will not be allowed anywhere on Texas State property or in university owned or leased vehicles.