Overview

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver invites applications for a tenure track faculty position in Geographic Information Science (GIS) to expand the department’s current strengths in GIS and Geography. The successful candidate would teach 24 credits of GIS courses each year beginning in fall 2024. MSU Denver is a predominantly undergraduate, public, urban, minority-serving institution on the Auraria Campus in the heart of downtown Denver. The university values teaching first, with an emphasis on small class sizes to better facilitate student-instructor interactions.

The department houses a Bachelor’s degree in Geography with an optional GIS emphasis, a minor in GIS, and a certificate in GIS.  We prefer candidates with expertise in remote sensing, field data collection, spatial data science, Earth data analytics, and/or machine learning. In addition, we seek candidates who can use these skills in GIS courses to engage students from across the university and with the greater GIS community. The department is home to eleven tenure track faculty and three lecturers across four degree-granting programs. The candidate will complement the department’s strengths in Geography, Environmental Science, Geology, and Meteorology.

Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences are committed to active and strategic initiatives in our work toward educational equity and promoting a culture of access and inclusion for our students, staff, and faculty. We seek to sustain an inclusive community where all individuals are respected, feel a sense of belonging, and are provided proper resources and skillsets to be successful. This success is not limited to our discipline-focused education, but also to the broader development of our students as engaged citizens and valued contributors to the discipline, the community, and society.

At MSU Denver, we recognize the value of everyone and every group as part of an inclusive community of belonging. The College of Letters, Arts and Sciences has a vibrant statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that highlights those values. Differences can include but are not limited to culture, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, language, sex, physical appearance, pregnancy, marital/partner status, age, (dis)ability, neurodiversity, creed, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, class, education, gender identity/expression, veteran status, political affiliation, political philosophy, and more. We recognize that these differences can be visible or invisible.

MSU Denver enrolls over 17,000 students, where nearly 60% are first generation and over 55% are students of color. Located in downtown Denver, we are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), an INSIGHT into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award winner for 10 consecutive years, and the only Seal of Excelencia certified institution in Colorado. As the third largest institution of higher education in Colorado and the only institution with an open access mission, MSU Denver is a model university for today’s college students. The University serves the most diverse undergraduate student population in the state, as well as the most first-generation students and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals students. Qualified candidates who have experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and a demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching, student advising, scholarship, and service in an inclusive and diverse environment are encouraged to apply.

Duties/Responsibilities

  • Teaching 24 credit hours per year (80%), which may include Digital Earth, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, GIS Programming, or other courses in GIS and Earth and Atmospheric Sciences as needed by the department. This position will teach primarily in person to complement our online offerings but may teach online sections from time to time.
  • Academic advising and career mentorship of geography majors, geography and GIS minors, and students pursuing a GIS Certificate.
  • Mentorship and supervision of undergraduate research.
  • Engaging in scholarly activities and professional development (10%), and service (10%) to the department, college, university, and/or community.

Required Qualifications

  • Doctorate in Geographic Information Systems, Geography, Geospatial Sciences, Geoinformatics, or closely related discipline at the time of appointment.  ABD applicants will be considered with evidence of degree conferral by the start of the fall 2024 semester
  • Ability to teach undergraduate courses in Digital Earth, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, and/or GIS Programming, as evidenced by academic transcript, work experience, or other demonstrated experience

Preferred Qualifications

  • Evidence of ability to teach or experience teaching courses, in one or more of the following areas:
    • Field data collection in GIS/Geography;
    • Spatial data science, Earth data analytics, machine learning, remote sensing, or other related areas;
    • Additional courses in Sustainability or applications of GIS in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Demonstrated research experience in GIS, Remote Sensing, Spatial Data Science, Science of Teaching and Learning, or related fields
  • Experience supervising undergraduate research or mentoring undergraduates in research projects
  • Experience with a variety of software and technical platforms including but not limited to ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, PostGIS, R, Python or equivalent
  • Evidence of, or interest in, course and curriculum development
  • Experience working with diverse populations and demonstrated evidence of enhancing diversity and inclusion.  The successful candidate must have the ability to work with the educational needs of a diverse urban population including (but not limited to) students of color, LBGTQIA students, students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation students, students with disabilities, undocumented students, nontraditional students, student veterans, and English-language learners
  • Evidence of professional collegiality and/or collaborative impact within the applicant’s academic experiences

Instruction to Apply

Please include the following documents with your application:

1. Curriculum vitae

2. Letter of application

3. Statement of teaching philosophy highlighting teaching experience, pedagogical approach, and how you would engage a diverse student body in the classroom (2 pages maximum)

4. Statement of research interests and how undergraduates would be included (2 pages maximum)

5. Copies of unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts

6. Names and contact information for three professional references

Applicants will notice on the application portal there is one location (the resume/cover letter submission field) to upload all required materials. Multiple documents can be submitted into this one field; alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF and upload. Once submitted, you will not be able to edit your application.

Internal applicants must apply through their MSU Denver Workday Home page, searching ‘Find Jobs’.

Official transcripts will be required of the candidate selected for hire.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer

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