Assistant Professor - Chemistry
Assistant Professor - Chemistry
Western Carolina University
Department: Chemistry & Physics
About WCU:
Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes Best Employers lists each year. Including:
2025 - Ranked 1st in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes Americas Best Employers by State list.
2024 - Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
2023 - Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
2022 - Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes Americas Best Employers by State list.
Western Carolina University is the UNC systems westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.
Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans - eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.
WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences - many of which are offered free of charge.
Position Summary:
The primary location of this position is our main Cullowhee, NC campus.
Western Carolina University (WCU) and the Department of Chemistry & Physics invites applications for a 9-month tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. Anticipated start date of August 1, 2026.
The Department of Chemistry & Physics at WCU offers B.S. degrees in Chemistry (including an ACS-certified degree) and Forensic Science, an M.S. degree in Chemistry (both as a stand-alone program and as part of an accelerated Bachelors/Masters (ABM) program), and minors in Chemistry and Physics. The Department has a vibrant undergraduate and graduate research program, with some students beginning research during their freshman year. The Department is located in the new Tom Apodaca Science Building, which provides state-of-the-art laboratory and classroom spaces. Our Chemical and Trace Analysis laboratory provides access to over 25 scientific instruments in the areas of Atomic Spectroscopy, Molecular Spectroscopy, Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (400 MHz), Electrochemistry, and Materials Characterization. For a complete list of available instrumentation, please visit https://www.wcu.edu/learn/departments-schools-colleges/cas/science-and-math/chemphys/instrumentation/index.aspx
We invite applications from candidates whose teaching and research interests align with the field of analytical and environmental chemistry. Applicants with a strong commitment to innovative teaching and scholarly research are encouraged to apply.
The successful applicant is expected to develop, revise, and teach courses in the general chemistry curriculum as well as upper-level courses within the analytical field (undergraduate and Masters level). The applicant is also expected to develop and maintain an active research program that attracts extramural funding and actively engages undergraduate and Masters students within the chemistry program. In addition, all faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Physics are expected to engage in student advising as well as in department, college, and university-level service.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required for this position:
Minimum Qualifications:
- The minimum education/professional requirement for the position is a Ph.D. in chemistry, analytical chemistry, or a closely related field. Although post-doctoral or other professional experience beyond the Ph.D. is welcome.
- ABD candidates will be considered with degree conferral by July 30, 2026.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in environmental chemistry. We are particularly interested in candidates whose expertise will enhance and strengthen our departments curriculum and research offerings in the areas of analytical chemistry and environmental chemistry.
Position Type: Permanent Full-Time
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Application materials must be submitted online. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate has been selected for hire.
Please include the following:
- letter of application
- current CV
- teaching philosophy - (ca. 2 pages) should include a description of the types of courses the application would most like to teach. See https://catalog.wcu.edu/ for current course offerings)
- research philosophy and plan - (ca. 3-5 pages) should specifically address how the applicants scholarship will support the education of undergraduate and Masters-level students
- list of three professional references with complete contact information
- unofficial transcripts showing degree conferral dates for all degrees at the masters degree level and higher*.
For questions or additional information please contact Channa De Silva at mhdesilva@wcu.edu
*All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript of their highest attained degree, showing all completed coursework and the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must state Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or a similar phrase. For candidates who are ABD, please submit your most recent doctoral program transcript along with your masters degree transcript, if you hold such a degree. The masters degree transcript must have a notation such as Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or similar phrase, to verify it as your highest completed degree.
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