Assistant Professor - Forensic Science - Virginia Commonwealth University

Mission or Goal of Unit:

The mission of the College of Humanities and Sciences is to serve as the intellectual heart and soul of our institution and wider community. The College of Humanities and Sciences:

• Prepares lifelong learners to participate actively as engaged and responsible citizens
• Propels scientific research and scholarship to improve the human condition, cure and treat diseases, and promote healthy environments
• Grounds us in our history, critically examines our present human condition and empowers students to create more equitable local and global communities
• Provides communities with a passionate and creative workforce that serves as a powerful engine for economic development and innovative solutions to problems

As the intellectual lifeblood of VCU and our community, the College of Humanities and Sciences seeks to inspire our students to explore their passions and dreams as individuals and provide the context to understand their place in the world and connections with others—locally, globally and throughout time. Most importantly, our educational and research environment addresses an array of technological, health-related and societal problems, as well as providing profound insights and reflections of what it means to be human and humane..

Chief Purpose of this position: The Department ofForensic Science at Virginia Commonwealth University invites applications for atenured/tenure-track faculty position at the rank of assistant professor.  We are seeking a qualified candidate withexpertise in a forensic science discipline, which may include but is notlimited to Forensic Anthropology, Trace Evidence Analysis, pattern orcomparative evidence analysis, and/or other applied forensic specialty areas.Candidates will be expected to teach in their area of expertise as well as generalforensic sciences at the undergraduate and graduate levels.  

Virginia Commonwealth University seeks to attract an active, culturallyand academically diverse faculty and staff of the highest caliber.  The candidate must have demonstratedexperience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environmentor commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.  The University has an enrollment of over29,000 students, of which approximately 16,000 represent ethnic minorities. The Department of Forensic Science includes nearly 400 undergraduateand graduate students, many of whom are actively engaged in community STEMactivities through programs with our partners in the local schools and othercollaborating agencies such as the Virginia Office of the Chief MedicalExaminer. Both the B.S. and M.S. degree programs are fully accredited by theAAFS Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC). TheDepartment is operated with a close collaboration with the Virginia Departmentof Forensic Science (http://www.dfs.virginia.gov/). 

Position Responsibilities: The faculty memberwill be expected to contribute to course, curriculum, and program development;participate in campus, university, and community service activities; and engagein activities to stay current in their discipline.  Evidence of commitment to excellence inresearch and teaching is required.  Thecandidate will be expected to develop a successful, externally funded researchprogram involving undergraduate and graduate students; research should becollaborative, including interdisciplinary projects with other forensic sciencefaculty.  Professional experience in acasework or an academic forensic laboratory setting is preferred. This is a 9-monthposition with an anticipated start date of August 16, 2025.

Required Qualifications: Candidates must have aPh.D. in a forensic science-related discipline (e.g., Biological Anthropology,Forensic Science, etc.) or a related discipline within the natural or physicalsciences. 

Preferred Qualifications:  N/A

Applicants should submit: a cover letter;curriculum vitae; statement of teaching philosophy, experience and interests;contributions to diversity (see below); and contact information for at leastthree professional references to VCU Jobs, referencing position number req6372 (https://vcu.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home?c=vcu ).

Applicants are requested to submit aStatement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (typicallybetween 150-300 words) providing career aspirations and contributions toward promoting diversity, equity, andinclusion. Through this statement, you can share how your lived experiences,and academic and professional activities will impact your contribution to VCU’smission of promoting equity and inclusion. For more information and guidelines,see https://provost.vcu.edu/faculty/prospective.
Review of application materials willbegin November 1, 2024 and continue until the position is filled.

Position Type: Teaching & Research Faculty
Full time equivalent: 100
Tenure: Tenure Track
Rank: Assistant Professor
Months: 9
Department:Department of Forensic Science

Salary:

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Dr. Chris Ehrhardt
Contact Email: cehrhardt@vcu.edu
Contact Phone: 828-8420