Visiting Assistant Professor in Computing & Applied GIS: School of Integrated Sciences

Working Title: Visiting Assistant Professor in Computing & Applied GIS: School of Integrated Sciences

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

College/Division: College of Integrated Science and Engineering

Department: 100060 - Integrated Science and Technology

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 05/13/2024

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The School of Integrated Sciences (SIS) at James Madison University invites applications to fill a 1-year visiting faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning August 2024. We seek a colleague whose skills and specializations complement computational and applied geospatial technology curricula across the school.

With over 50 faculty and staff and more than 700 majors, SIS is home to undergraduate programs in Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT), Geography, and Intelligence Analysis; an online graduate certificate in Cyber-Intelligence; and a collaborative international Master's program with a concentration in Environmental Management and Sustainability. Our new colleague will be assigned to a primary home within a SIS undergraduate program based on their individual academic focus and teaching assignment.

We have cultivated a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive culture within SIS that reflects core values that include innovation, collaboration, humility, and student engagement. We embrace our differences as strengths and strive to dismantle all forms of discrimination. We prioritize balance and positive impact through integration - of teaching and research, of disciplines, of difference. We highly value autonomy and collaboration; our culture is one of care, appreciation, and support. Our leadership is supportive and characterized by transparency, honesty in communication, and fairness. For more information about our School and its programs, please visit: https://www.jmu.edu/cise/sis/

Duties and Responsibilities:

This position is full-time, with teaching, scholarship, and service expectations.

The teaching load is three courses per semester and our new colleague will teach a variety of applied computational and related topical courses in Geography and ISAT. Examples may include:
* GEOG 215: Introduction to GIS
* GEOG 366: Intermediate GIS
* GEOG 376: Urban Geography
* ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving (using Python)
* ISAT 340: Database Design, Implementation and Management
* ISAT 341: Machine Learning and Data Science
* ...and select upper-level technical and applied electives in Geography, ISAT, and potentially the MS-ISAT program with a concentration in Environmental Management and Sustainability, based on the candidate's specialty

Computing courses in SIS integrate social/human and technical/scientific concepts with an emphasis on deconstructing and solving problems through data analysis, data visualization and storytelling, GIS and geovisualization, modeling and simulation, databases, and knowledge-based systems.

This position also requires an active program of scholarly activity. Interdisciplinary work that emphasizes application and complex problem solving is supported and encouraged. Focuses on transportation, energy, land use change, urban planning, the built environment, and infrastructure are especially welcome. Expertise in sustainability and resilience (broadly defined) would further enhance a college-wide priority.

SIS encourages all faculty to engage as citizens of their academic programs, including those not on the tenure-track. Visiting professors are invited to participate in core program and departmental committees. Engagement with the broader community is encouraged.

Qualifications:

The position requires a Ph.D. at the time of appointment in a relevant academic field and demonstrated expertise in computational thinking, programming, GIS and/or data visualization and geospatial applications.

Candidates must demonstrate a strong potential for excellence in undergraduate education, an ability to teach a diverse set of courses (especially those indicated above), and a desire to collaborate across the curriculum.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

Additional Posting Information:

Required Documents
1. Cover Letter describing one's qualifications as they relate to the job description and one's professional activities in support inclusive excellence (one page or less). The letter should not focus on personal values and personal experiences, but rather on actions and experiences as they relate to inclusivity in the workplace and/or classroom.
2. Curriculum Vita
3. Statement of Teaching Philosophy and Methods (one page or less) (Other Document #1)
4. Statement of Scholarly Interests (one page or less) (Other Document #2)

JMU's Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.