Who we are

Why Rensselaer? Our dynamic global community of changemakers includes some of the world’s leading researchers, students, alumni, and faculty who ask the important questions and devise the scientific and technological innovations that make the world a better place for all of humanity. Nestled on a beautiful 275-acre campus in upstate NY, Rensselaer is home to five schools, 32 research centers, three makerspaces, an observatory, and one of the world’s fastest supercomputers. 

The Department of Science and Technology Studies offers undergraduate programs in STS, Sustainability Studies, and Design, Innovation & Society, as well as MS and PhD programs in STS. STS faculty members conduct interdisciplinary teaching and research on the human dimensions of science and technology, often focusing on the environment, health, information technology and media, engineering, and design. A diverse blend of disciplines, theoretical approaches, objects of study, and topical issues informs the scholarship of the department and creates an open, productive, and collaborative intellectual location from which to explore the multifaceted relationships among science, technology, and human existence.

Rensselaer faculty and alumni include more than 145 National Academy members, six members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, six National Medal of Technology winners, five National Medal of Science winners, three astronauts, and a Nobel Prize winner in Physics. With nearly 200 years of experience advancing scientific and technological knowledge, Rensselaer remains focused on addressing global challenges with a spirit of ingenuity and collaboration. To learn more, please visit www.rpi.edu.

Are you ready to change the world? Apply now!

Job Summary

The Department of Science & Technology Studies (STS) in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seeks a tenure track/tenured Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor specializing in Community Engagement and Community-Based Research and whose research and teaching is grounded in Science and Technology Studies (STS).

The successful candidate will extend the STS research portfolio in the areas of public understanding of science, citizen science, community-based participatory research, participatory action research, participatory design, and/or public engagement in science and technology policymaking. They will teach required courses for the majors in Science, Technology, and Society; Design, Innovation and Society; and Sustainability Studies, as well as the PhD program in Science and Technology Studies. The position is 40% teaching, 40% research, 20% service.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or foreign equivalent in Science and Technology Studies or a related field, such as Sociology, Anthropology, Design Studies, Geography, or Media Studies. Applicants must have knowledge of, commitment to, and expertise in community engagement and community-based research.

Candidates must also be able to present evidence of effective teaching, and have the ability to demonstrate, through accomplishment, promise of academic, scholarly and/or research achievement.

We seek a scholar who will contribute to the STS Department’s broader commitments to socially engaged STS and design of alternative futures. STS features a wide range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary researchers, including historians, sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists, and media studies scholars. Scholarship that takes into account perspectives from marginalized communities and pedagogical practice that values diversity and inclusivity will be prioritized.

Applicants must meet stated minimum education and experience requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

Starting Salary/Rate

Expected hiring range: 

Assistant Professor: $80,000 $90,000
Associate Professor: $100,000 $120,000
Professor: $125,000 $135,000

Pay transparency disclosure: The selected candidate’s salary will be determined based on factors that include the available budget, internal equity, and the final candidate’s qualifications, experience, education and other job-related credentials. This hiring range is provided as Rensselaer’s good faith estimate of the expected hiring range at the time of posting.

Application instructions

Follow the on-screen prompts to create a brief online profile with names and contact information for three(3) references. Please be ready to upload the following documents:

• (1) a letter of interest;
• (2) a curriculum vitae;
• (3) a teaching statement;
• (4) a research statement;
• (5) a diversity statement;
• (6) a writing sample; 

The deadline to submit applications is November 1, 2023.

If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact careers@rpi.edu.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Rensselaer is committed to providing a safe and healthy living, learning, and working environment for its faculty, staff and students.  As such, we strongly recommend that faculty, staff and students obtain a COVID-19 vaccination and remain current with available boosters to protect themselves, as well as to protect vulnerable members of the community.

Total Compensation and Benefits Information

Rensselaer’s Total Compensation Program is designed to provide stable pay growth, a comprehensive and affordable benefits package, and a comprehensive and affordable retiree medical and prescription plan. Rensselaer is recognized locally and nationally for the depth and breadth of its compensation and benefits program. Our goal is to provide you and your family with a comprehensive health and welfare program as an umbrella of financial security and protection during your employment. For more information, please visit Benefits | Human Resources (rpi.edu).

We welcome candidates who will bring diverse cultural, ethnic, national and international perspectives to Rensselaer’s work and campus communities.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity, Race/Gender/Veterans/Disability Employer.