Focused Inquiry Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow

The University College at Virginia Commonwealth University invites applications for a 2-year postdoctoral teaching fellowship in the Department of Focused Inquiry!

We welcome candidates from any academic discipline with interest or experience in teaching general education courses, and an emphasis on written and oral communication and critical and creative problem-solving. The teaching fellowship will begin in August 2024.

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes: comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, generous tuition benefit, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more. Learn more about VCU’s benefits: https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/benefits/a-z-list-of-benefits/.

ABOUT VCU AND FOCUSED INQUIRY:
VCU is an urban, public, research institution with strong first-year retention and 6-year graduation rates. VCU was recently designated as a minority-serving institution by the US Dept. of Education. FI plays an important role in improving equity and fostering student success through an emphasis on classroom community, student support, and mentorship.

The Department of Focused Inquiry is responsible for teaching the foundational, general education courses that develop and refine students’ academic skills, including communication, problem-solving, ethical reasoning, global and cultural responsiveness, and information literacy. The department also holds student engagement and belonging as core to its mission. Faculty come from a range of academic disciplines including Education, Music, English, History, Philosophy, and Sociology. Through mentoring, faculty development, and shared resources, faculty develop innovative pedagogical practices that support the academic success of VCU’s diverse community of learners. For additional information about the department, please see https://fi.vcu.edu/.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Postdoctoral fellows will teach a 4/4 load (one prep) of small, seminar-style, general education classes while honing their student-centered pedagogical practices and gaining experience in teaching an interdisciplinary, equity-focused curriculum. Fellows will work with mentors to develop their pedagogy, and they will take part in a postdoctoral seminar that introduces them to innovative ways to engage students and strategies to close equity gaps. This fellowship is designed to prepare Fellows for successful careers in a wide variety of faculty and academic positions, as well as to provide experience teaching an interdisciplinary curriculum. Fellows can expect to engage in a robust, interdisciplinary community of teacher-scholars committed to student success through collaborative pedagogy.

Through this postdoctoral training, Fellows will gain experience in an innovative general education curriculum; they will develop their own course design within the program’s shared framework; and they will develop best practices to support the success of a diverse student body.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Successful candidates will demonstrate their commitment to student success and to furthering their own understanding of teaching and learning. To be considered for this position, applicants must have:

• A terminal degree awarded within the last five years, supplemented by experience teaching or mentorship of college-level students.
• Terminal degree requirements must be completed by the beginning of the appointment.
• An eagerness to work with a diverse population of students who have a wide range of academic preparedness.
• A commitment to furthering excellence in college-level teaching.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a member of the VCU community.
  
  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• College teaching experience in a general education curriculum.
• Knowledge of and experience with culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy.
• Experience teaching and mentoring historically minoritized students.