Computer Science | Grinnell College

These are some of the questions we've received about the position, along with our answers. (The answers are mostly from Samuel Rebelsky, department chair.) We have posted them with the expectation that they will also be useful to others. Feel free to send additional questions to CSSearch@grinnell.edu.

Is this a new position or a replacement position?

This is a new position, intended primarily to support growth in the major and to permit some more breadth of offerings.

Will you consider candidates who do not have a Ph.D.?

We will certainly consider candidates who are on track to the Ph.D., but have not yet completed their disseration. College policy requires that tenure-track faculty have completed their Ph.D. (or other terminal degree) by the time of their third-year review.

What courses will the new hire teach?

Grinnell's normal teaching load is five courses over two semesters. We try to make sure that faculty in their first year teach two sections of either CSC 151, Functional Problem Solving, the first course in our introductory sequence, or CSC 161, Imperative Problem Solving, the second course in our introductory sequence. In each semester, we'll pair you with an experienced faculty member who will be teaching another section of that course. Other than that, we will do our best to allow you to teach the courses in our curriculum that you would prefer to teach. As time goes on, we will encourage you to expand into other courses; we're a collegial department and try to work out schedules that balance interests and workload each year. It looks like we'll have room in our schedule for a new course in year two, and the new hire will have the opportunity to design that course to meet their scholarly interests. Finally, as the advertisement notes, every few years each faculty member teaches tutorial, a seminar-style class for first-year students.

How many students are there in CS courses?

We cap our introductory courses at 32 and our mid-level and upper-level courses at 24. Historically, we tended to have 12-18 in our upper-level courses, but current demand means that most courses are at capacity.

What are Grinnell College students like?

Hmmm ... that's an interesting question. By and large, we find Grinnell students a joy to teach. Most of them are taking classes because they want to learn, not because they have to or because they need to check off a box in order to graduate. Almost all of them have multiple interests. We see CS majors doing improv, playing in ensembles and bands, competing on the athletic fields, and more.

Is there financial support for faculty scholarship?

Each faculty member gets a base annual budget of $5,000 to cover supplies, travel, and assistants. An additional $5,000 is available through a competitive process. Summer research students are covered out of a separate budget, as are supplies for those students. New faculty get reasonably generous startup packages. In computer science, each faculty member has their own research lab. Other resources are also available on a case-by-case basis.

Is there interdisciplinary work at Grinnell that could involve computer science?

In general, yes. Faculty in many disciplines use computing as part of their work. Some likely collaborations would like be with our biology faculty who are interested in bioinformatics, our computational chemists, faculty working on the cross-disciplinary data science program, and some of our arts faculty. But others are certainly possible. In the end, it depends on two faculty finding common interests.

What do Grinnell students do after graduation?

Our computer science majors generally go on to do the typical variety of things that CS majors do. Some end up at the "big three" (Google, Microsoft, Amazon). Some end up at startups. A few go on to graduate school immediately after college. Some end up in the financial industry. Some head off to volunteer opportunities at Teach for America or Lutheran Volunteer Corps. Over the longer term, some bring their general thinking skills to other areas. We count physicians, professional comedians, fundraisers, and helicopter pilots among our graduates.

Will you consider candidates in (fill in the discipline)?

If that discipline is reasonably considered with the scope of computer science (and yes, as our ad suggests, we consider a variety of areas within the scope of computer science) and the candidate is qualified to teach a variety of courses in the undergraduate computer science curriculum, then yes, we would consider that candidate.

What is it like living in Grinnell, Iowa?

I should probably let the younger faculty respond to this. Grinnell is a small town, with about 8500 residents (plus about 1600 Grinnell College students). It's affordable. Many faculty live within walking distance of the College. (I think all but one of the CS faculty are within a five-block radius of the College; the other lives about a mile away.) Some faculty choose to live in Iowa City or Des Moines, each of which is about an hour away. Our schools are decent, and the community provides a lot of interesting extracurricular activities. The older faculty in the department all note that we found this a great place to raise our children.

GRINNELL COLLEGE – COMPUTER SCIENCE (AREA OPEN) - TENURE-TRACK POSITION (START FALL 2017).

GRINNELL COLLEGE. The Department of Computer Science invites applications for a tenure-track appointment beginning Fall 2017. Assistant Professor (Ph.D.) preferred; Instructor (ABD) or Associate Professor possible. Research and teaching interests might include, but are not limited to, theory, algorithms, systems, AI, HCI, software engineering, programming languages, CS education, data science, security, databases, graphics, parallel and distributed computing, accessibility technology, or social and ethical issues in computing.

Grinnell College is a highly selective undergraduate liberal arts college with a strong tradition of social responsibility. In letters of application, candidates should discuss their potential to contribute to a college community that maintains a diversity of people and perspectives as one of its core values. Review of applications will begin on October 21, 2016. Please visit our department website at http://www.cs.grinnell.edu and our application website at https://jobs.grinnell.edu/postings/1691 to find more details about the job and submit applications online. Candidates will need to upload a letter of application, curriculum vitae, transcripts (copies are acceptable), a teaching statement, a description of scholarly activities, and a statement about ways in which they can support diversity in the department, the College, and the discipline. Candidates must also provide email addresses for three references. Questions about this search should be directed to the search chair, Professor Samuel A. Rebelsky, at [CSSearch@grinnell.edu] or 641-269-3169.

Grinnell College is committed to providing a safe and inclusive educational and work environment for all College community members, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, religion, disability, creed, or any other protected class.

Further information is available at http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/prospective-faculty/overview.

These are some of the questions we've received about the position, along with our answers. We have posted them with the expectation that they will also be useful to others. Feel free to send additional questions to CSSearch@grinnell.edu.

Will you consider candidates who do not have a Ph.D.?

We will certainly consider candidates who are on track to the Ph.D., but have not yet received their degree. College policy requires that tenure-track faculty have completed their Ph.D. (or other terminal degree) by the time of their third-year review.

What courses will the new hire teach?

Grinnell's normal teaching load is five courses over two semesters. We try to make sure that faculty in their first year teach two sections of CSC 151, Functional Problem Solving, the first course in our introductory sequence. In each semester, we'll pair you with an experienced faculty member who will be teaching another section of that course. Other than that, we will do our best to allow you to teach the courses in our curriculum that you would prefer to teach. As time goes on, we will encourage you to expand into other courses; we're a collegial department and try to work out schedules that balance interests and workload each year. It looks like we'll have room in our schedule for a new course in year two, and the new hire will have the opportunity to design that course to meet his, her, or zir scholarly interests. Finally, as the advertisement notes, every few years each faculty member teaches tutorial, a seminar-style class for first-year students.

The Computer Science Department will be hiring a new tenure-track faculty member to start in Fall 2015. The official job posting appears below. If you explore our department, you'll find that Grinnell's CS department is an energetic and exciting place where we balance and connect our teaching and scholarship.

If you have questions about the position, please send them to CSSearch@grinnell.edu. You may also want to look at recent questions and answers.

GRINNELL COLLEGE – DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE (AREA OPEN) – TENURE-TRACK POSITION (START FALL 2015)

GRINNELL COLLEGE. Tenure-track position in the Department of Computer Science, starting Fall 2015. Assistant Professor (Ph.D.) preferred; Instructor (ABD) or Associate Professor possible. Area open; possibilities include, but are not limited to, systems, theory, algorithms, AI, HCI, software engineering, programming languages, CS education, data science, databases, graphics, parallel and distributed computing, or social and ethical issues in computing. Grinnell College is a highly selective undergraduate liberal arts college. The College's curriculum is founded on a strong advising system and close student-faculty interaction, with few college-wide requirements beyond the completion of a major. The department of computer science prides itself on an innovative, internationally recognized curriculum that includes a multi-paradigm introductory sequence, encourages faculty-student research, and emphasizes workshop-style learning. Further information is available at: http://www.cs.grinnell.edu. The teaching schedule of five courses over two semesters will include introductory, mid-level, and advanced courses; every few years one course will be Tutorial (a writing/critical thinking course for first-year students, oriented toward a special topic of the instructor's choice).

In letters of application, candidates should discuss their interest in developing as a teacher and scholar in an undergraduate liberal arts college that emphasizes close student-faculty interaction. They should also discuss how they might contribute to a college community that has diversity—of people, personal and educational experiences, and disciplinary perspectives—as one of its core values. To be assured of full consideration, all application materials should be received by November 8, 2014.

Please submit applications online by visiting our application website at https://jobs.grinnell.edu. Candidates will need to upload a letter of application, curriculum vitae, transcripts (copies are acceptable), a teaching statement, and a description of scholarly activities, and provide email addresses for three references. Questions about this search should be directed to the search chair, Professor Samuel A. Rebelsky, at [CSSearch@grinnell.edu] or 641-269-3169.

Grinnell College is committed to establishing and maintaining a safe and nondiscriminatory educational environment for all College community members. It is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in matters of admission, employment, and housing, and in access to and participation in its education programs, services, and activities. The College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, creed, or any other protected class.