Who we are

Why Rensselaer? Join Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's dynamic global community of changemaker including 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.

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. STS features a wide range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary researchers, including historians, sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists, and media studies scholars. 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.

Nestled on a beautiful 275-acre campus in upstate NY, Rensselaer is home to five schools, 32 research centers, three makerspaces, an observatory, one of the world’s fastest supercomputers, and an IBM Quantum One computer - the first university-based quantum computer in the U.S. 

Are you ready to change the world? Apply now!

Job Details

The Department of Science & Technology Studies (STS) in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seeks a Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in the area of environmental sustainability, climate change, and society. The person hired for this position will teach required and elective undergraduate courses that support Rensselaer’s pathway, minor, and major in Sustainability Studies. This position is 60% teaching, 20% research, 20% service. Courses associated with this position include “Environment and Society,” “Community Engagement in a Changing Climate,” and “STS and Sustainability Senior Project,” among others.

QUALIFICATIONS
Minimally, applicants must have a Ph.D. or foreign equivalent in Science and Technology Studies or a related field, such as Sociology, Anthropology, History, Geography, or Environmental Studies.
Candidates must be able to present evidence of effective teaching. Applications should demonstrate, through accomplishment, promise of academic, scholarly and/or research achievement.

Candidates with the following are preferred: the successful candidate will extend the STS Department’s research portfolio in the areas of environmental sustainability, public policy, and climate justice. We seek a scholar whose research and teaching are grounded in Science and Technology Studies (STS) and who will contribute to the STS Department’s broader commitments to socially engaged STS and design of alternative futures. Priority will be placed on scholarship that considers perspectives from marginalized communities, as well as pedagogical practices that value diversity and inclusivity.

A Lecturer must demonstrate expertise and/or experience in a specific academic course subject, academic discipline area, and must have had prior substantive teaching experience and/or experience as a practicing professional at a senior level.

A Sr. Lecturer must also have attained a significant level of scholarly and/or research activity and/or funding.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Applicants must be skilled communicators in multiple settings and methods, including teaching, presenting, writing, and electronic communications, and be proficient in current electronic devices and personal computing technology

Preferred Knowledge, Skill, and Abilities

We seek a scholar whose research and teaching are make connections between Science and Technology Studies (STS) and Sustainability Studies. Priority will be placed on scholarship that considers perspectives from marginalized communities, as well as pedagogical practices that value diversity and inclusivity.

Starting Salary/Rate

Expected hiring range:

• Lecturer: $50,000 - $67,000 per 9-month academic year
• Sr. Lecturer $67,500 - $74,460 per 9-month academic year

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, including contact information for three (3) professional or academic references. Please be ready to upload:

• CV
• Cover letter
• Statement of teaching (including evidence of effective teaching)
• Statement of research or scholarship interest
• Diversity statement 

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

Job posted on December 17, 2024.  Applications received by January 21, 2025 will receive 1st consideration

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. 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.