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About the University
Western Washington University is a public institution that was founded in 1893 and enrolls
approximately 16,000 students. It is recognized by US News & World Report as the top public masters-granting institution in the Pacific
Northwest, and the number 2 public masters-granting institution in the entire West. The Chronicle of Higher Education previously listed
Western as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, citing teaching environment, and tenure clarity and process.
Western
Washington University is located in scenic Bellingham, a city of about 100,000 residents nestled between the mountains of the North Cascades
and the waters of Puget Sound. Recreational opportunities abound nearby including biking, skiing, hiking, sailing, and mountaineering.
Bellingham is 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia, and 90 miles north of Seattle, each with a lively cosmopolitan atmosphere and
home to many leading technology companies.
Western Washington University is committed to making continuous progress to advance
accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) so that all community members feel safe, supported, and included. To learn more about
Western’s ADEI initiatives, please visit https://www.wwu.edu/diversity.
About the Department
The College of Science and
Engineering and the Computer Science Department support Western’s mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty,
we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive
achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from
underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.
The Computer Science department has 18
tenured or tenure-track faculty, and serves approximately 500 majors or pre-majors. The department offers an ABET-accredited B.S. in
computer science, an M.S. CS degree, a Data Science B.S. degree, a Cybersecurity B.S., a CS Education B.A. degree, as well as multiple
certificate programs. The department has a strong history of research collaboration with other disciplines across campus such as
Linguistics, Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, as well as collaborations with regional tech partners, including the Pacific
Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL). Faculty-mentored projects are a hallmark of CS at WWU, which the department and college foster by
funding student and faculty travel to conferences to present student and faculty co-authored publications.
The Computer Science
Department is committed to cultivating equitable and diverse learning and work environments to fulfill Western’s strategic goals of
Advancing Inclusive Success, Increasing Washington Impact, and Enhancing Academic Excellence. The department’s on-going efforts are
evidenced by faculty involvement in workshops on inclusive pedagogy and educational research on student success, the CS/M Scholars Program
that supports women and underrepresented minorities, and previous funding at $1,000,000 through an S-STEM NSF grant.
Visit our
department web page at http://www.cs.wwu.edu for more
information.
About the Position
The Computer Science Department at Western Washington University
(WWU) invites applications for a tenure-track position beginning September 16, 2023 at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. All
areas of specialization will be considered, but for this position the department is particularly seeking candidates with scholarly interests
in computing education.
WWU has a historic emphasis on teacher preparation and prepares a large fraction of the K-12 teachers in
Washington State. The program in Science Math and Technology Education (SMATE) is housed in the College of Science and Engineering, includes
12 faculty members with joint appointments in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Geology, Computer Science, and the College of Education, and is
led by a full-time director. SMATE prepares teachers in science content and methods and has an established history of leading and supporting
systemic science education reform efforts in Washington State and nationally. SMATE faculty engage actively in interdisciplinary
collaborations in research, teaching, and teacher professional development.
Position Responsibilities: The
successful candidate will enhance our existing strengths in undergraduate education and science teacher preparation, and will teach computer
science courses as well as K-12 science teacher preparation courses in SMATE. The teaching assignment will be distributed evenly between
Computer Science and SMATE. This person must be committed to quality undergraduate education and to fulfilling teaching responsibilities in
ways that support an equitable and inclusive learning environment for students. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and
maintain an active research program involving undergraduate and M.S. students, especially one that emphasizes science education and supports
active collaborations within and between the SMATE and Computer Science programs. This faculty member will also be expected to participate
in service activities, including departmental committees and student advising.
Work Life Balance: The department is
committed to a balanced approach for faculty where research is encouraged and supported, but securing external grants is not required.
High-quality engaged instruction is highly valued. Faculty have reasonable yearly teaching loads, that enables them to pursue their
scholarship interests via mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students.
Department Growth: As part of the
university’s commitment to cultivate expansion in critical disciplines, Kaiser Borsari Hall is being built to increase capacity in
Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering. The 20,000 square foot facility will house state-of-the-art teaching classrooms,
new faculty offices, a showcase robotics lab, as well as student project spaces. The new building will add to the existing footprint of CS
at Western, and is slated to open in 2024.
Application Instructions
Application materials must be
submitted via WWU’s PageUp system here and
must include the following:
- Curriculum vitae
- Cover letter, that addresses how you meet the required and preferred
qualifications for the position, and your ability and commitment to fulfill the position’s responsibilities. Please explicitly
discuss your qualifications to teach undergrad and graduate level CS and SMATE (SCED) classes, and mention which graduate level CS classes
you have taken. - Statement on teaching experience and interests, and future plans for teaching core and advanced undergraduate and
graduate courses. - Statement on past and on-going research, including how your research would involve master’s students and
advanced undergraduates. - Statement on accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI), and how your experiences (academic or
non-academic) have prepared you to effectively teach an increasingly diverse student population, and how you would promote ADEI in and
outside your classroom. - Names and contact information for three professional references. References of finalists will be contacted
to upload their confidential recommendation letters directly into Western’s PageUp system.
Other Information: Inquiries
may be directed to the department and search committee chair, Dr. Filip Jagodzinski, at [email protected].
Review of applications will begin November 21,
2022 and will continue until the position is filled.
Conditions of Employment
Salary:
Commensurate with experience and qualifications. The successful candidate is expected to be appointed as an assistant or associate
professor (tenure-track). An appointment into assistant professor will have an anticipated starting salary of $92,000-$96,000. Candidates
hired into the associate professor rank (without tenure) may have an expedited timeline to tenure. An appointment into associate professor
will have an anticipated starting salary of $96,000-$106,000. Relocation assistance may be available
per University guidelines. Salary and Start-up funds are to be determined upon being offered the position.
Benefits
information: 2022 Benefits Overview
for Faculty Positions
Bargaining unit: United Faculty of Western Washington
