Assistant Professor – Geology / Director – Wheaton College Field Station

The Department of Earth and Environmental Science and Division of Natural Sciences at Wheaton College seek a dynamic earth science professional to teach Geology courses and direct our field station in the Black Hills of South Dakota beginning August 2024. Members of groups traditionally underrepresented in field science, including those with non-traditional career paths, are strongly encouraged to apply. Visit our website to see more about the Geology Program and the Black Hills field station.

This full-time, tenure track faculty position is based in Wheaton, IL with the expectation for regular travel to the Black Hills as needed to direct the field station. The successful candidate will teach a half load (12 hours; 3 courses), primarily in Sedimentary Geology, Stratigraphy, and/or Structural Geology. The ability to teach Climate Change, Geophysics, Field Methods, and/or GIS (Geographic Information Systems) would be a plus. All faculty are expected to maintain an active and productive program of scholarship that supports their teaching. The remainder of this position is dedicated to overseeing our field station and implementing the Field Station Strategic Plan, including site operations, academic programming, budget, recruitment, and advancement. The Field Station operates seasonally from late May to mid-August, hosting 40-80 students and staff each summer for classes in field science and cultural engagement with local and Native communities in the region.

We seek applicants with an earned PhD in geoscience or a related field who will contribute to culturally responsive mentoring and will engage an increasingly diverse student body with an active-learning model that challenges and supports each student. Successful applicants will: have the ability to mentor students in the integration of Christian faith with geoscience; demonstrate a strong commitment to undergraduate students and field science education; and exhibit competent, creative, and entrepreneurial leadership for the field station. 

Wheaton College is located 25 miles west of Chicago and is close to two national laboratories and many active industries. The College is an evangelical Protestant Christian liberal arts college whose faculty and staff affirm a Statement of Faith and adhere to lifestyle expectations of the Wheaton College Community Covenant. Wheaton is an equal-opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce and student body. We encourage the expression of multiple perspectives within a Christian worldview, inside and outside the classroom. For more information about Wheaton College visit www.wheaton.edu.

Additionally, Wheaton College is committed to providing a physically safe environment for students, staff, and faculty to learn and work. In support of this objective, the College requires background checks for final candidates, after an employment offer is extended. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Apply for this open faculty position through Wheaton College’s online applicant portal. Application materials should include a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest. The letter of interest should clearly articulate the candidate’s qualifications in terms of teaching, mentoring, scholarship, and leadership. Additionally, candidates should describe their interest in mentoring geoscience students in the integration of Christian faith and learning by drawing from their own personal Christian faith background. Additional application materials will be sent to promising candidates.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.