The 2023 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 4 research/teaching positions.
Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.To see trending, go to Andrew Spaeth's visualization of previous years' list.
Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? This will serve as the first open thread.
Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread.
link looks like it is to the 2022 list?
ReplyDeletethe link seems to go to the 2022 list
ReplyDeleteFixed, thanks - CJ
ReplyDeleteHere we goooo again!
ReplyDeleteTesting anonymous from Chrome
ReplyDeleteIt works again!
DeleteWow, 80 positions posted by August 1? That is a huge uptick over the norm. Any ideas about what is different this year?
ReplyDeleteMany positions posted from last year, for many reasons, were not filled. And they are relisted.
DeleteAny particular reasons so many positions (more than usual?) went unfilled? It seems like there still would have been a large surplus of candidates after the awfulness of the 2021 season.
DeleteHousing might be one explanation, at least for HCOL areas - I'm aware of several where a person accepted a job and then found that he could not afford a roof over the head with the salary the institution offered to pay.
DeleteI've just refused a position because of this issue. I'm having serious second thoughts about academia. Why would I want to work more hours than most people in the economy for (much) less money?
DeleteNot sure if this is the right place to ask this, but is it normal that so many postings do not specify teaching credit load? So few seem to state it. It seems so highly varied for TT positions..
ReplyDeleteIn previous years, I have seen some schools specify teaching load, but definitely not all. I agree it would be good practice to include, but counting courses can be complicated. A similar topline number (e.g., "3 courses" per semester) might vary considerably from school to school based on how they count labs and potentially lab prep/leading research with students.
DeleteThere are a bunch of positions that priority review begins Oct. 1 - get those applications in!
ReplyDeleteWilliams College held phone interviews this past week for the Experimental Physical Chemistry position.
ReplyDeleteThis blogs comment section has been pretty quiet so far compared to previous years.
ReplyDeleteI previously tried several times in Aug/Sep to post comments but was not successful. Glad to see it is working now!
ReplyDeleteWere you using Chrome? For years it wouldn't work, but started again this summer. Maybe it is still buggy?
DeleteNo, I tried both Chrome and Microsoft Edge this summer on several dates, neither worked. For last year's thread, even Chrome worked for me. Anyway, now Edge works for me this year. I hope the info could be helpful
DeleteFeel like this has been quiet compared to other years. HWS has sent out invites for phone interviews
ReplyDeleteWill we have Faculty Search Status Tracker spreadsheet this year?
ReplyDeleteIf you want one, you should start it yourself and post the link here
DeleteAnyone have any intel on what positions have moved to the phone/zoom interview stage?
ReplyDeletePomona College has sent Zoom interview requests.
DeleteCreighton has begun scheduling Zoom interviews
DeleteTrinity College has sent Zoom interview requests
DeleteCarleton College has been holding Zoom interviews this week.
DeleteHobart and William Smith Colleges were doing zoom interviews this week
DeleteFairfield University started Zoom interviews this week.
DeleteU.S. Naval Academy started contacting for zoom interviews this week
DeleteHanover sent out zoom interview requests
DeleteCarleton College sent out rejection emails
DeleteUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee started inviting on-site interviews a week ago.
DeleteTexas Tech did Zoom interviews a week ago.
DeleteNorth Carolina University at Charlotte sent out Zoom interview invites today
DeleteWhich UC NC Charlotte position?
DeleteSorry about the name, it's
DeleteSorry about the name, it's "University of North Carolina at Charlotte", the Biochemistry position.
DeleteHanover has done zoom for inorganic. zoom interviews for biochem haven't been sent out yet. =)
DeleteAny news from Western Washington University for the biochemistry position?
ReplyDeleteWWU held Zoom interviews for the biochemistry position and sent out in-person interview invitations.
Deletethe UNLV line in the spreadsheet from yesterday doesn't seem to have a working link. could be my own stupidity, though.
ReplyDeletenope, the stupidity was mine. - CJ
DeleteRochester is sending out rec. requests- unclear if these are going to everyone or not
ReplyDeleteI received requests last week. When did you apply? Could be a delay from their system.
DeleteApplied 10/1
DeleteNow that we are through the peak priority dates, I am wondering if/how the applicant numbers have changed this year?
ReplyDeleteAny word from Vassar College? Their applications were due 9/15.
ReplyDeleteVassar was doing Zoom interviews last week.
Deletewomp womp, thanks.
DeleteBoston University is requesting additional materials from candidates (their initial application was pretty lean and did not request a full research statement)
ReplyDeleteIs it the open area, or syn org position?
DeleteAny word from Middlebury specifically the Inorganic position?
ReplyDeleteThey’re doing zoom interviews this week.
DeleteAny word on Washington and Lee University?
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard back either
DeleteAny word from Bowdoin ?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone heard anything back from UMich yet?
ReplyDeleteUMich has sent on-site invitations
DeleteWas there a round of phone interview?
DeleteThat was super fast, perhaps it was a pre-selected candidate
DeleteHow can we check the status of the recommendation letters? Thanks.
DeleteI think you are able to track most of the letters, you can log back in the account where you applied for the job, then click "update referees" or "Reference request".It will show if the letter is invited or completed. Depending on which system the school is using, it might be their own website or a platform like "AcademicJobsOnline" or "Interfolio". Good luck!
DeleteAgreed. If you are specifically asking about UMich, I don't know either.
DeleteIt has been a month since the deadline, so it is not surprising that they are already inviting interviews.
Delete3 weeks is fast for on-sites, when considering the time it takes for a search committee to even meet (which can be 1-3 weeks in its own right), followed by generating a short-list, followed by interviewing the short-list, followed by shortening the short-list. So yes, it is fast for inviting on-sites.
DeleteHaha. It seems many people are interested in UMich. It's a great place but it's open area. I guess they must have received almost the most competitive candidates from every area of chemistry. Unfortunately, I was not one of them.
DeleteBest luck to everyone
^^ Well said. I was not selected either, but it does sting somewhat less when it's open area and not in your specific sub-discipline of chemistry. You are never quite sure what they're looking for.
DeleteDoes the University usually send out all the interview invitations at the same time?
ReplyDeleteMy guess Yes in most situations after dl, because I was usually given a series of time slots.
DeleteBut I do get an invitation before dl last year, which I think it was not at the same time for every candidate.
Hope it helps
We have occasionally sent a single top candidate an on-campus invite after the first week of Zoom interviews, particularly if there were only a few candidates left to interview in the second week. The remaining invites come at one time. This is purely a logistical matter - if we can get even one candidate scheduled, we have more dates free to schedule the remaining candidates without running into holidays and/or other on-campus interviews.
DeleteA reminder that commenters are not obligated to answer any questions that might reveal their identity, such as participation in on-site interviews at specific universities.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone heard from Keck?
ReplyDeleteAny word from Virginia Tech?
ReplyDeleteUniversity of Mary Washington?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone heard from Utah, Stanford, or Rochester?
ReplyDeleteStanford has started sending out zoom interview requests
DeleteThank you
DeleteAny news from Princeton? Has anyone received requests for reference letters?
ReplyDeleteI received requests for letters in late September. I think they have a delay between application and letter request.
DeleteThank you.
Deletetheir application automatically requests letters a few days after you submit it
DeleteMaryland requested letters
ReplyDeleteMD College Park?
DeleteYes
DeleteSame here. Has anyone not received the request? I am asking because I am trying to understand whether the request is for everyone.
Delete(I also applied last year, received the request after a few weeks, but nothing else)
It does seem like it could be automated but delayed. I submitted on 10/10 and the request came on 10/20.
Deletesame for me, submitted 10/10, letters requested 10/20
DeleteUSF is scheduling zoom interview.
ReplyDeleteUF is requesting letters (it seems to be for selected candidate, but I am not sure)
Re: UF - "An email will be sent to your references, requesting them to upload their confidential letter to the submission packet." So they might have an automated request that is delayed slightly. FWIW I submitted on 10/19 and letters were requested on 10/21.
DeleteCould you specify which position at USF is scheduling zoom interviews? Org/ Biochem/Bioinorg, open, or Phys/Inorg?
DeleteYes, it's organic. sorry I did notice there are other searches going on there.
DeleteIf I ask for an additional visit with my spouse, but I may still not sign the offer, is that not a good practice or unethical? I appreciate any thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI recently got an off-season offer, I felt that it's just so-so and difficult to negotiate for more after discussing for more than one month. This is my only offer from my late last cycle. I've already sent out a lot of applications this year, I want to buy myself some time until at least I have an idea what kind (initial) interviews I could get.
Maybe also ask the senior faculty in your current department?
DeleteIt is reasonable to visit again with your partner if they have not already visited before signing an offer. HOWEVER, since you have been negotiating for over a month, I would expect this to buy you max 2 weeks and the expectation that you will have a decision immediately after that visit.
DeleteThank you for the suggestions. I think I will still try to ask for another visit although I might not sign the offer...
DeleteIt seems many places automatically request letter some time (days to weeks) after submission and the requests are not targeted to a selected pool?
ReplyDeleteHow many faculty applicants does a liberal art college get typically for a chemistry faculty job ?
ReplyDeleteDependants on the reputation of the PUI, if the PUI is "research" or teaching focused, where it is localized, when the position was posted and for how long. For example, we are a North-East bottom second tier rural mid-size state comprehensive college with programs in the liberal arts, sciences, social sciences, and professional studies. We are mainly a teaching college but some of us have active research projects in collaboration with local R1 institutes. I participated to several search and witnessed many more. We posted our position by late September, opened for two months. Overall we get between 100 to 150 applicants for TT-assistant professor position.The numbers of applicants were similar for positions in biochem., orgo., or p. chem. Usually, 40% of the applicants are immigrants on visa or green card holders, 50% are American and 10% are international candidates. Most applicants are young Post-Doc, ABD PhDs, and visiting assistant prof but there is always a 30% of older folks who are assistant or associate prof from other colleges or R1 institutes (most likely not getting tenure) as well as a few mid or late career scientists from industry. The applicant pool is usually around 40% male and 60% female. It would be great if other PUI Post-Doc, faculty and staff could chip in.
DeleteTo add anecdata: Midwestern SLAC: 50-75, depending on whether or not you count the applicants that send CVs but not the rest of the supporting documents, or have letters sent but never actually apply. And then there are the ones that rule themselves directly out in their cover letter - "Dear sirs..." or "your prestigious research institution" or "looking forward to mentoring your graduate students" or talking up your amazingness in physical chemistry (and how you (an ABD!) can "transform" our program)...when it's clearly a synthetic organic search. Now we're around 35 not-immediately-ruled-out-applicants to argue about.
DeleteMore anecdata from a SLAC in the Southeast: 30-50 applications depending on the subfield.
DeleteRochefeller supposedly should have invited phone interviews. Has it happened?
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard back from them either
DeleteYes
DeleteHow useful is a K99 or K22 in Chemistry job search? Can it be valued as good as a Nature/Science paper?
ReplyDeleteIs it common?
I think both would increase your odds, but neither guarantees a job. Hope these two recent surveys help:
Deletehttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj2604
https://elifesciences.org/articles/54097
Thanks for sharing. I am interested in this, too. However, the two shared surveys are mostly in biomedical field. Are there any more specific about CHemistry? My feeling is that K is less common in chemistry, so not sure how it is valued.
DeleteI was trained in fundamental chemistry, but transitioned into biomedical field during postdoc. I've been on the market for both chemistry and biomedical. However, my limited feedback is that chemistry departments thought I should go to bme, while bme departments thought my research is too chemistry... I just got a possibly fundable score for k99 but would have to hold off faculty search. So, I am considering what to do, so also interested in the discussion of this topic.
a NIH/NSF stamp of approval this person is faculty material of course is a giant plus and its >> than a nature/science/cell paper, and no its not common at all - they have a funding rate of 14%.
Deletethe posted researches are claiming one do not need a k99 to get a faculty position but did not disclose how many K99 awardees actually transition into a faculty position from my quick keyword search - I think the number is 90%. it doesnt strictly guarantee a job but its darn close.
I guess K99 is less common in chemistry than in bio/medical departments
DeleteIMHO, landing an academic job is a complex problem. I think an independent grant like K22 is better than a training grant like K99 because whether you can get a K99 or not really depends on who your adviser is. Well, same goes for a paper in Nature/Science, and of course a well-connected big shot advisor can help you go very far even without either grant of a N/S paper.
DeleteI don't think grants are that important to the eyes of search committees at top 30 schools, but maybe a game changer for those lacking funds. Look at the statistics in the eLife paper. 19 people with funds did not land a job (>35%). I am pretty shocked that someone with funding and >1000 citations did not get an offer. I think this person might only applied to a few top schools.
Back to OP's question, whether to wait or not really depends on your goal. I think you should apply this year regardless of funding unless you target top schools exclusively. IMHO, you need a N/S paper more than a K99 for top schools. If you already had one, you should apply, otherwise you can wait and build a strong portfolio for next cycle. In any case, I don't think anyone can predict the outcomes. Luck plays an important role too! The more you apply the better your odds, especially bioinformatics and big data are trending topics now. You might just get lucky!
To 2:42 pm, I do agree with you that a grant is very helpful. Acceptance rate may not be a good indicator as it is 7.6% for Nature in 2017. They haven't published the numbers after 2017, but I think it is probably lower now. But can you say a Nature or Science paper really better than a JACS paper? I think what matters most is the work itself. How it advances the field and get recognized is more important than where it was published.
DeleteI agree that a K99 depends on who your adviser is to some degree. However, not everyone in a big lab gets a k99. Perhaps, at least you can demonstrate you are one of the best of the ~30 people in your lab. In addition, I think who your adviser is (as well as where your phd is) also have great influence in faculty job searches.
DeleteI've also heard that top 30 schools do not care about grant that much. I've also heard that private schools care less about grants than public schools (I'm not sure it is true, but most top 30 are private).
There are about 2-300 k99 a year, most of them are in medical schools, bme etc. The number in Chemisty departments is less, it can make you stand out if you have one (I really hope we could have awards similar in chemistry field).
Is there any updates from BU besides the material requests?
ReplyDeleteAccording to last year's status tracker, they did not start contacting until late November to early December. I guess you can sit tight for a little while.
DeleteLast year, the first round of on-site interviews actually started before Thanksgiving and were posted on calendars.
DeleteIs the material requesting for open area, or syn org position?
DeleteI got a material request for the open area search
DeleteThey have started scheduling zoom interviews for the organic search
DeleteThanks for the update!
DeleteWomp womp was hoping I’d be able to deserve a zoom interview
DeleteAny news from GWU?
ReplyDeleteHaven’t heard anything yet.
Deleteno word from GWU yet
DeleteHas anyone heard from Rice, Oregon State, Ohio State or Rochester?
ReplyDeleteno word from Oregon State
DeleteNothing for me from Oregon State or Rochester
DeleteQuestion from a first time chemjobber: how many % of R1 schools have phone/zoom interviews before onsite, in previous years and last year? Thank you.
ReplyDelete1. No one knows the true percentage.
Delete2. I would guess it's greater than 90%
Thank you, Chemjobber, for running this blog and answering the questions. I just like to know if it is > or < 50%.
DeleteHas anyone heard from West Chester University?
ReplyDeletethe West Chester Priority date is not until 11/1, unlikely anyone will hear from them for a while still
DeleteAnyone heard back from UCSD?
DeleteAnyone hear from University of Oregon yet?
ReplyDeleteTwitter of a professor at Oregon shows that the review of applications is currently ongoing. I suppose it is the materials position
DeleteAnyone heard back from UC, San Deigo?
ReplyDeleteThe most recent review date was Oct 16th, so I guess there are a few more weeks to wait.
DeleteAny information regarding the Miami OH biochemistry search?
ReplyDeleteFor the analytical position, zoom interviews are ongoing. Since they are the same department, I would think they may have the same timeline.
DeleteAuburn University has sent out Zoom invites for the Biochemistry position today
ReplyDeleteUIUC said they would send a link to enter the reference information, but I haven't received it after several days. Do they only send to a selected pool instead?
ReplyDeleteI submitted on 10/20 and also haven't received it...
DeleteMaybe they will request letters a few days after the deadline, not after submission.
DeleteI just got it this morning
DeleteRight, just delayed for a few days. Not surprising during this busy season. Not sure when they request letters from the referees.
DeleteAny news from Marshall ?
ReplyDeleteMarshall had Microsoft Teams interviews the week of October 24.
DeleteAny update on University of Houston or Wake Forest?
ReplyDeleteThese "any update on..." posts are making it more difficult to scroll the thread looking for actual news...
ReplyDeleteThey can have their uses and encourage people to actually note if they heard anything. The comments of "not heard" are much less useful. However, "Find in page" for the date or school is simple enough to use even on my phone so it isn't difficult to see new posts.
DeleteI think it has been mentioned somewhere else in this thread, but if someone created a spreadsheet like this one from last year, then this would be an effective way to collect and organize the chatter: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1in3HYdE5xbiLoAOMwkdL4_I-UkjJDXJctt9AaLdGPz0/edit#gid=0
DeleteAny news from Mississippi (organic), Kansas State (synthetic) and Duquesne (organic)? The priority dates were almost a month ago.
ReplyDeleteOk, fine. I (Tori Barber, Postdoc at MIT, @vbarber820 on twitter, a real person looking for a faculty job) made a status tracker sheet (based on Sean's very good template from last year). Occasionally, I'll scroll the open thread and add info from there but I can't guarantee I'll do it in a timely manner. Unlike Sean (hats off to that guy) I will not be converting comments on the sheet to rows; the sheet is open to edit. Please enter confirmed information (when you have it) in the appropriate location, and do not abuse this resource. If things go south or become toxic or unmanageable, I will simply delete the google sheet and it will be ruined for everyone, so be cool and help your fellow job searchers by using it appropriately. As a note: if you are signed into google keep in mind that people may be able to see your additions to the sheet. If you wish to remain anonymous, you might prefer to open the sheet in incognito mode. Good luck, and please don't make me regret making this:
ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zZf5I43l4jXVUWsIUZVo7UeA9vrIszitGdkYA9XUBgY/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you, nice work! As long as we stick to anonymously entering data on this sheet with no side discussions (that's for this thread), then it should be a very useful resource...
DeleteThank you!
DeleteAwesome!! Thanks a lot! Perhaps you should put this as a service on your CV :D
DeleteThank you! This is extremely helpful.
DeleteAny information about the Furman University search? Have they progressed to scheduling in person interviews?
ReplyDeleteFurman has scheduled in person interviews.
DeleteThank you!
Deleteany info on the Swarthmore PChem search?
ReplyDeleteHow do departments usually contact candidates to schedule phone/zoom interviews (or other business)? Is it by phone or email? I got spammed a lot recently by phone because I got too excited whenever a new number is calling.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience it is always email.
DeleteI gotten a few phone calls
DeleteMost typically email. IF they were calling, they would leave a voice mail.
DeleteI would say about 50% of the notifications of an interviews I've gotten have come as a phone call first and followed up by email. The rest, email only
DeleteHas anyone heard back from UC Riverside??
ReplyDeleteThe priority date isn't until tomorrow, so they probably haven't even looked at aps yet. I'd give it until Nov. 15 at the earliest.
DeleteAny news on the Denison, Swarthmore, and Keck Science search?
ReplyDeleteSwarthmore has been updated in the tracker sheet, suggests they sent out in person requests on 10/8
DeleteFor the anonymized research statements a few schools require, is it okay to mention my research accomplishments to contextualize my proposals if I do not include references? I'm not sure what "anonymous" means in this context. A hiring committee would be able to figure out who I am by cross-referencing my publications in my CV with what I say I did in my research proposal, but that information is not explicitly included in the statement.
ReplyDeleteI would say yes, absolutely. Typically, the don't want you to mention names of universities, advisors, journals, or funders. But do not in any way suppress your science—either planned or already accomplished.
DeleteAnyone heard back from lewis and clark, CSU Dominguez hills, Keck/scripps/claremont?
ReplyDeleteAny word from MIT?
ReplyDeleteWhat could happen to your application if your recommendation letter used a wrong institute name?
ReplyDeleteThis may sound stupid, but I have been attaching the same letter from one of my references to different positions on interfolio. I realized the letter used the salutation of the first place I applied : (
This happened to my friend who applied last year. Turned out it did not matter, she still got interviews from the schools she submitted the letter to with a wrong institute name. It happened to a few of her cover letters too. I guess schools know that everyone is applying to a lot of places and it happens.
DeleteA few years back I spelled a school's name wrong in my cover letter and still made it to the Zoom interview stage...
DeleteThank you for sharing your experience. That makes me feel much better
DeleteHello friends! Looks like someone accidentally shuffled some stuff around on the tracker this afternoon. To fix it, I reverted to a previous version from around 2:15 pm this afternoon. If you entered info between then and now, you will need to enter it again. In the future, if you accidentally break the tracker sheet, feel free to shoot me a message by twitter or email so that I know to fix it; no judgement!
ReplyDeleteThat was probably me. I was copying two columns to do some data plotting for fun, and my preschooler decided it was play tackle time. Thumb slipped on my phone. Didn't realize the error until right before you fixed it. Lesson learned to not open the document around my wild child.
DeleteOops! No harm done, it was an easy fix.
DeletePSA to use filter views under Data>Filter views>Create new temporary filter view. Great way to mess with the sheet without making edits to it.
DeleteIn same vein, please do not make major changes to the spreadsheet including how the sheet is sorted- it is preferable for new data to appear at the bottom of the sheet. I've reverted to a version from noon today- if you added data between then and now it has been lost and will need to be reentered. a reminder that google sheets are easily searchable without the need to edit. If you want to sort or otherwise play around with the spreadsheet, please just save a copy and do it there.
DeleteFilter views do not make edits to the sheet (https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9308952?hl=en), but you changed it so we can't do them anymore :( Please re-enable them if possible.
DeleteAny word from Princeton?
ReplyDeleteI heard Princeton scheduled on site interviews, no phone interviews were made. Others might know more I didn’t get in
DeleteThat was fast.
DeleteIt would surprise me if they already progressed to this stage, but I could be wrong. Princeton moves slowly. For example their open search last year didn't do phone interviews until December and on campus interviews until January
DeleteCan we please stop changing the way in which schools are sorted in the status tracker? It's causing confusion. Perhaps we can come to agreement here on the best way to sort and agree to keep it that way? Personally I'd vote for either sorting by priority date, or just having people add entries to the bottom.
ReplyDeleteAgree, just have people add schools to the bottom. It is easy enough to search for specific schools on your own.
DeleteSecond
Deleteive reverted to an old version before the sorting was changed. please add entries to the bottom. if sorting is changed ill revert again; this potentially means losing data, so please don't do it.
DeleteOMG, why do people do that. Tori, could you please put a note in red on the top of the sheet?
DeletePlease re-enable filter views (they don't affect what anyone else sees)
Deletehttps://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9308952?hl=en
Filter views are not disabled, I'm not sure why you aren't able to use them and don't have time to find out. if you want to do more with the spreadsheet than is allowed you are welcome to save a copy.
DeleteAs I mentioned when I started the sheet, I do not have the time or the inclination to moderate or continuously monitor the sheet.
I agree. let's just add schools to the bottom. then we can simply check the updated one. no need to scroll up/down.
Deleteplease don't sort,filter anything...
PLEASE STOP SORTING THE SHEET. THIS IS EXTREMELY ANNOYING. Whoever is doing this is making things difficult for everyone, especially me (when this happens I get messages asking me to fix it- whoever is doing this is making more work for me). I am once again reverting the sheet to an earlier version from before it was sorted. Do not do this again. Seriously.
DeleteAnyone know what's going on with the UNC-Asheville searches?
ReplyDeleteHave most of the applications due on 10/1 moved to the interview stage? There seem to be only a small portion based on the tracker sheet. Maybe most people who got the interviews are not using this site?
ReplyDeleteIf you check the sheet from last year you'll see that many Oct 1 searches don't move forward until later than now.
DeleteDo research universities have a second round of search if the first candidates turn down the offers?
ReplyDelete