Job Description

NUS College (NUSC), the honours program for the National University of Singapore, plans to hire dedicated individuals to fill numerous vacancies. These are full-time, renewable lecturer positions that include opportunities for research funding and for promotion to Associate Professor with Open Contract on the NUS Educator Track, as described below.

The primary responsibility is to offer one of our mandatory courses, to which you will be expected to bring your own academic and intellectual expertise. The courses and corresponding positions are:

Reasoning with Data (RWD)

This course introduces first year NUSC students to the thoughtful use of data to answer questions and assess claims, using various quantitative tools such as statistics. Candidates must hold a PhD in any disciplinary background where quantitative reasoning is essential; in particular, in subjects related to statistics, mathematics, applied sciences, natural sciences, quantitative social sciences, and computing. Prior experience in teaching undergraduates in small classes with students from mixed disciplines will be an advantage. We are especially interested in active scholars who have been involved in interdisciplinary teaching. The primary responsibility will be to co-design and teach Reasoning with Data. Prior knowledge of R is preferable but not essential. Successful candidates are expected to offer 3 sections of Reasoning with Data in the academic year, an elective of their own design, and take on a small supervision load.

Computational Problem Solving (CPS)

This course enables NUSC students to learn how computational methods can be used to formulate, solve, and analyse problems that relate to their everyday lives. Candidates must hold a PhD in a computer science, statistics, mathematics, or related fields. Familiarity with algorithms and algorithmic thinking is a must. Prior experience in teaching undergraduates in small classes with students from mixed disciplines will be an advantage. We are especially interested in active scholars who have been involved in interdisciplinary teaching and have experience using computational methods to solve problems in academia or industry. The primary responsibility will be to design and teach Computational Problem Solving. Successful candidates are expected to offer 3 sections of Computational Problem Solving in the academic year, an elective of their own design, and take on small supervision load of independent study modules.

Science and Society (SNS)

This team-taught module explores the intersection and interplay of science and society, how scientific knowledge and technological development influence and shape institutions, societies, and environments. We encourage scientists with an interest in how science interacts with society, and social scientists with research and teaching interests in the natural sciences, to apply. We are particularly interested in hiring candidates with research and teaching interests from the fields of STEM, social sciences, humanities (e.g., sociology, anthropology, and history), or from interdisciplinary fields (e.g., environmental studies, public health, development studies). Familiarity with the Science and Technology Studies (STS) literature is beneficial. The primary responsibility will be to contribute to designing and teaching the Science and Society module which explores the intersections between science and society in a small class setting. Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate the ability to teach outside of their primary discipline, to lead discussion-based seminars, and to identify, design, and implement case studies that demonstrate the connection between science and society. Successful candidates are expected to offer 3 sections of Science and Society in the academic year, an elective of their own design, and take on small supervision load of independent study modules.

Apart from offering sections for one of the above courses, a secondary responsibility is to contribute to other parts of NUSC education and more broadly to new developments in interdisciplinary honours education in NUS. This role could include designing and teaching more specialised, knowledge-based elective classes that are interdisciplinary in nature and draw on your own interests and expertise. Another option is for you to offer original ideas about what other kinds of contributions you can bring to interdisciplinary education in NUS in small class settings. Generally, all NUSC classes maintain small faculty-to-student ratios. No matter what secondary role you see yourself performing, you should have a commitment to innovation in undergraduate and honours education, be devoted to your own research and teaching excellence, and have the willingness and ability to engage students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.

Qualifications

Candidates must hold a PhD by August 2022. While we are keen to hire individuals able to start by that time, we will also consider individuals able to start by January 2023. Remuneration and benefits are highly competitive on the global research university level. Benefits include relocation assistance and a housing subsidy for the first nine years. Appointments begin at the level of Lecturer on the Educator Track, or possibly the level of Senior Lecturer if previous experience warrants it. Although the NUS Educator Track is not a tenurable line, it offers a pathway to promotion to Associate Professorship on an open contract (and beyond), as well as opportunities for research funding, including overseas research and conference travel. The contract is for three years in the first instance and is renewable subject to good performance.

Interested applicants should prepare and submit the following documents when they apply:

• A cover letter, clearly specifying which position they are applying for.
• CV: An abridged CV (5-page maximum), including details on education, employment history, past experience of teaching and supervision, research activities (including publications) and achievements, honours and awards, and service accomplishments.
• Qualifications: Include scanned copies of academic degrees.
• Teaching Portfolio:
  • A Teaching Statement that commences with a preface (maximum 300 words) that makes the case for appointment. This should be a highly distilled summary of key contributions to student learning and, if applicable, educational leadership, guided by your teaching philosophy. The rest of the Statement, of not more than 2,000 words, should outline your teaching philosophy and your educational contribution across multiple dimensions and roles. Please include evidence on how you have impact students’ learning experience and outcomes as well as how you have influenced peers and the community.
  • Teaching evaluations and peer review reports, if available. Other evidence of teaching excellence and/or other contributions to education, e.g., curriculum development, pedagogical innovation etc., should also be provided.
• A proposal, of not more than 500 words, describing a prospective syllabus for the target course.
• A statement, of not more than 500 words, highlighting how you plan to contribute to pedagogical innovation and/or advance interdisciplinary honours education at NUSC.
• FOUR referees’ letters (one of whom must be the applicant’s PhD supervisor). Referees may submit their letters to uspbox24@nus.edu.sg.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis beginning from mid-Apr 2022.

Interviews will normally be conducted online. Only shortlisted applicants will be notified. We plan to conduct the process entirely online given the uncertain travel situation.

Please email all enquiries specific to this advertisement to uspbox24@nus.edu.sg.

More information about NUSC and our curriculum can be found on our website: https://nuscollege.nus.edu.sg/

Additional information about Academic Appointments at NUS can be found here: http://www.nus.edu.sg/careers/

Covid-19 Message

At NUS, the health and safety of our staff and students are one of our utmost priorities, and COVID-vaccination supports our commitment to ensure the safety of our community and to make NUS as safe and welcoming as possible. Many of our roles require a significant amount of physical interactions with students/staff/public members. Even for job roles that may be performed remotely, there will be instances where on-campus presences are required. 

In accordance with Singapore's legal requirements, unvaccinated workers will not be able to work on the NUS premises with effect from 15 January 2022. As such, job applicants will need to be fully COVID-19 vaccinated to secure successful employment with NUS.

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge
Organization: National University of Singapore
Department: NUS College