Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship in Engineering, Engineering Education, and/or Sociotechnical Innovation in the Center for RARE JUSTICE at Arizona State University
The President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is pleased to announce the 2024-25 President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship awards. These fellows provide an outstanding pool of potential new faculty members in a wide range of engineering and associated disciplines. Please learn more about the presidential fellowship here: https://graduate.asu.edu/presidential-postdoctoral-fellowship-program. The Center for Research Advancing Racial Equity, Justice and Sociotechnical Innovation Centered in Engineering (RARE JUSTICE) at Arizona State University (ASU) invites applications for a Presidential Postdoctoral Scholar in the area of engineering, engineering education and/or sociotechnical innovation.
RARE JUSTICE is a testbed for re-envisioning the post-pandemics future of engineering grounded in an ethos of justice where all can thrive. We aim to model equity in action in engineering through redefining what is valued; redefining what it means to have impact, and for whom; reaching target audiences, stakeholders, and the community via innovative modalities; and expanding pathways, access and quality for all, affording novel opportunities that create new tables, forget the seats. This effort will take a village of visionary, innovative, imaginative, and transformative thinkers, and thus, we are searching for a qualified individual to join our team in this incubator of transformation. We are hoping to identify an enthusiastic postdoctoral associate to develop and implement research opportunities related to racial equity and at the seam of sociotechnical innovation. The candidate will have the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a newly awarded $5 million NSF-funded Racial Equity project, Positioning Engineering Faculty to Support Black Engineering Graduate Students through Awareness, Knowledge & Capacity Building, and Community (NSF# 2411987), from its inception.
The postdoctoral scholar selected will join a cohort of 10-15 other postdoctoral scholars at ASU as part of the Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The goal of the program is to support the career development of outstanding Ph.D. recipients with great potential for advancing the ASU Charter into a future tenure track appointment at ASU. The program seeks applicants whose professional preparedness, experience, and accomplishments are informed by experiences working with and within groups historically underrepresented or underserved in higher education in the United States. Where pools of qualified applicants are strong, priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate, through prior actions and achievements, intentional and actioned commitment to inclusive excellence.Examples of such contributions are research, teaching, mentorship, service or creative activity focused on empowering underserved populations that increases equitable access and inclusion in fields where historically excluded populations are underrepresented. The postdoctoral scholar will play a key role in research, dissemination, workforce development, and community engagement and outreach activities that support RARE JUSTICE’s mission of creating an equitable engineering future for all.
The Center for RARE JUSTICE has committed to the provision of individualized mentorship and career development to ensure the candidate is well prepared to succeed in a future tenure track appointment. Career development and community building will also occur through programmatic support at the ASU Graduate College’s Postdoctoral Affairs Office. The Center’s Executive Director is also invested in the professional development of the candidate and will support participation in one external activity annually up to the amount of $2,500 (e.g., conference attendance, workshop or training registration, certificate completion, etc.) as well as a $1,000 stipend for mental health and/or writing support, annually. The Center’s Executive Director is also committed to mentoring the candidate, and especially those wishing to prepare for and transition to a tenure-track faculty position, while also supporting them to expand their networks in the field. Lastly, the Center’s Executive Director has nuanced expertise in arts-based research methods, grant-writing, and public speaking/professional presentations which will all be willfully shared with the candidate for their exposure and learning, and this also includes skills in building collaborations.
This position is unique in several ways: 1) it affords the opportunity to play an integral role in a nascent center focused on advancing racial equity, justice and sociotechnical innovation in one of the greatest academic testbeds possible at Arizona State University, home to over 20K engineering students; 2) it provides the scholar with the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a newly awarded $5 million NSF-funded Racial Equity project, Positioning Engineering Faculty to Support Black Engineering Graduate Students through Awareness, Knowledge, Capacity Building, and Community (NSF# 2411987), from its inception; and 3) the position is renewable for up to two years with the option to transition to a tenure-track faculty position upon completion (contingent upon candidate performance).
Primary Responsibilities:
• Conduct culturally responsive, antiracist research on the experiences of Black engineering graduate students and contributing to interdisciplinary research initiatives;
• Develop faculty professional development programs;
• Engage in multimodal, mixed-method research, including case studies, 2D videos, and immersive virtual reality simulations, to evaluate educational interventions;
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams at ASU and George Mason University to foster an inclusive academic environment;
• Contribute to research dissemination through scholarly publications, presentations, and outreach efforts;
• Support RARE JUSTICE’s broader mission by engaging in programmatic initiatives, mentoring students, and participating in community building and outreach;
• The postdoctoral scholar is expected to manage multiple research projects and contribute to grant writing efforts.
Qualifications and Characteristics:
Minimum Qualifications:
• Candidates must have earned their PhD by December 1, 2024, and not be more than 5 years removed from receipt of PhD;
• This position is not restricted to U.S. citizens and there is the possibility for Visa sponsorship;
• Ph.D. in Engineering Education, Engineering, or a related field;
• Strong background in racial equity scholarship, particularly within engineering education;
• Commitment to disrupting systemic inequities in engineering;
• Qualitative research experience and a robust publication record;
• Demonstrated evidence of autonomous performance;
• Ability to independently drive research dissemination efforts;
• Excellent communication skills and oral and written communication of academic research;
• Ability to work effectively in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams;
• Experience mentoring and supervising junior researchers (i.e., graduate or undergraduate research assistants);
• Flexibility to travel and work some evenings and weekends as related to the duties of the job.
Desired Qualifications:
• Experience with mixed and quantitative methods research, including inferential statistics and data analytics;
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn arts-based research methods;
• Teaching experience at the undergraduate level within engineering (required to qualify for faculty transition);
• Experience writing successful grant proposals to government agencies (e.g., NSF) and philanthropic organizations (e.g., Spencer Foundation);
• Talent to contribute to the ideation, coordination, and delivery of RARE JUSTICE’s programmatic activities;
• Successful management of multiple work streams simultaneously.
Salary
The salary is $70,000 per year and includes a complete benefits package (health, dental, vision, vacation and paid sick leave). RARE JUSTICE will also award the postdoc $3,000 for research and $5,000 for relocation expenses, when applicable.
About Arizona State University:
ASU is a comprehensive research university committed to excellence, inclusion, and societal impact. ASU’s mission is to advance research, teaching, and community engagement with a focus on equity and access for all learners.
Unique Opportunity:
This postdoctoral position offers a rare opportunity to combine scholarship, vision, and commitment to serving those centered in the work to drive transformation. Working in the nascent Center for RARE JUSTICE, this unprecedented opportunity will enable one scholar to be an integral part of our movement from its inception; beyond rhetoric, we wish to actualize an equitable engineering future for all. RARE JUSTICE is committed to modeling equity in engineering from all aspects, and the postdoc will have the opportunity to support the development of this testbed from ideation to fruition with the option to transition into a tenure-track faculty position upon their success.
Application Instructions:
Submit a pdf file addressing each of the items listed below:
1. Cover letter detailing research interests and qualifications
2. A critical analysis of the manuscript: Coley, B., & Thomas, K. (2023). “The lab isn’t life”: Black engineering graduate students reprioritize values at the intersection of two pandemics.Journal of Engineering Education,112(2), 542-564. Your analysis should be Times New Roman 12-pt font, single-spaced and not to exceed two pages in length.
3. Curriculum vitae (CV)
4. Contact information for two professional references and dissertation chair (if Ph.D. for less than 5 years)
http://apply.interfolio.com/153644
Application Deadline:
Review of applications will begin on November 9, 2024, and will continue accepting applications until filled.
Contact Information:
Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Brooke Coley at brooke.coley@asu.edu.
Additional Information:
This position is based at the ASU Tempe campus. Initial appointments are for one year, with the possibility of renewal or transition to a tenure-track position based on progress and training needs.
Equal Opportunity Statement:
ASU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. A background check is required for employment.
Security and Fire Safety Report:
ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at [ASU Clery Report] (https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf).
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