Assistant/Associate Professor of Rural Sociology
The Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology & Education, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, seeks applicants to fill a tenure track appointment at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor to teach and conduct social science research addressing food and agricultural ethics and policy. This is part of a transformative series of co-funded hires in ethics designed to ensure that Penn State becomes a leader in ethics-informed interdisciplinary research and the integration of ethical literacy throughout the Penn State curriculum. It is one of twelve tenure-track appointments funded by the University to augment the Penn State mission in this important area. Co-funded faculty will be hosted as affiliate faculty in the Penn State Rock Ethics Institute (rockethics.psu.edu).
We are seeking candidates who will build on the Rock Ethics Institute’s tradition of excellence in collaborative, interdisciplinary ethics research and ethically informed decision support for significant societal issues, as well as their success in integrating ethics into the curriculum. We are interested in scholars who will advance cutting edge social science examining the social impacts and ethical implications of new and/or proposed technologies, practices and/or policies that influence the distribution of risks and benefits across global and local food and agricultural systems. Candidates should also demonstrate a record of and/or potential for conducting and leading innovative, collaborative interdisciplinary research that embeds ethical analysis into research projects, including decision support research, and who have experience and interest in integrating ethics in undergraduate and graduate curriculum.
The position will involve 50 percent time on research, teaching, and service in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education; 25 percent time working on ethics teaching and research initiatives in the Dept. of Food Science and across the College of Agricultural Sciences more generally; and 25 percent time working on university-level ethics research and teaching initiatives centered in Penn State University’s Rock Ethics Institute. The Rock Ethics Institute co-funds this position, which is a nine-month, full-time appointment.
Teaching responsibilities will include the equivalent of four courses per year. The candidate will contribute to undergraduate teaching within the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology & Education, with the potential for cross-listing of courses with other departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences, such as Food Science. The candidate will also contribute to the Department’s graduate program in Rural Sociology, which also participates in Penn State dual-title degree graduate programs in International Agriculture and Development, Demography, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and Environment, and Women’s Studies. The candidate will also will be Affiliate Faculty in the Rock Ethics Institute and receive a one-course release for the first five years designed to enhance collaboration with faculty and students on existing ethics research and curricular initiatives as well as building new initiatives and programs in conjunction with the Institute’s mission. Requires a Ph.D. in rural sociology, sociology or a related social science discipline, or philosophy. Demonstrable expertise in applied ethics and/or philosophy desirable.
Applications should be submitted electronically and should include a letter of application and a CV. In addition, three recommendation letters and a statement of how the candidate’s work is relevant to the University and Rock Ethics Institute’s vision, and how such a position is likely to augment his or her own work should be sent to Leland Glenna, Chair, Search Advisory Committee, Department of Dept. of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education, The Pennsylvania State University, 105C Armsby Building, University Park, PA 16802 or [email protected]. Review of applications will begin November 30, 2014, and will continue until a qualified candidate is identified.
Employment will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.
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