Job Information
Montana State University Assistant Professor of Psychology - Science of Learning in Bozeman, Montana
Position Details
Position Information
Announcement Number FAC - VA - 25042
For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Lyn DiFranco
Business Operations Manager
(406) 994-3803
lyn.difranco@montana.edu (%20lyn.difranco@montana.edu)
Classification Title
Working Title Assistant Professor of Psychology - Science of Learning
Brief Position Overview
The Department of Psychology is hiring a tenure-track assistant professor in Psychological Science, focusing on the Science of Learning. Candidates should have a strong publication record and a Ph.D. in Psychology or a related field by the start date. Responsibilities include developing a research program, supervising PhD students, securing external funding, and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses. The role also involves contributing to the department’s research themes and participating in university service activities.
Faculty Tenure Track Yes
Faculty Rank Assistant Professor
Position Number 4A3521
Department Psychology
Division College of Letters & Science
Appointment Type Faculty
Contract Term Academic Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE 1.0
Benefits Eligible Eligible
Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.
Contract Type MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type Open
Position Details
General Statement
The Department of Psychology at Montana State University ( MSU ) invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in Psychological Science with research specialty focusing on the Science of Learning, broadly construed. Successful candidates will have a consistent record of peer-reviewed publications related to the science of learning. The department has 12 Psychological Science faculty at MSU with strong research in the department’s four cross-cutting themes: attention, memory, and thought; equity, diversity, and disparities; health, resilience, and well-being; and motivation and emotion. The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in Psychology or related field by start date, will develop and maintain an active research program, contribute to PhD student supervision and growing the PhD program, demonstrate the commitment and capability to attract external funding, and show potential for excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring.
Duties and Responsibilities
The faculty position to be filled is a full-time tenure track appointment with primary responsibilities in research and teaching. The successful candidate will become an integral part of the Psychology program, with duties to include teaching required undergraduate courses, to accommodate sustained growth in majors and anticipated future growth; developing a nationally recognized research program with potential for extramural funding and participating in professional and university outreach and service activities.
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
Ph.D. in Psychology or related field by start date.
Published peer-reviewed psychological research on the science of learning
High-quality, original research publications in psychology, with the potential to build a nationally-recognized, externally-funded research program.
Demonstrated potential to effectively teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate psychology students.
Evidence of scholarly and professional achievements commensurate with experience.
Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
Research expertise that complements one or more of the department’s four cross-cutting themes: attention, memory, and thought; equity, diversity, and disparities; health, resilience, and well-being; and motivation and emotion.
Commitment to continually supporting, promoting, and building a whole community, which includes people of many backgrounds.
Commitment to continually supporting and helping students from all backgrounds to succeed.
Have effective interpersonal skills including the ability to collaborate successfully with faculty, staff, and students.
The Successful Candidate Will
Be a dynamic scholar with clear potential to establish a funded research program that fosters participation by undergraduate and graduate students;
Have excellent written and oral communication skills;
Have the ability to mentor students in psychology; and
Have an appreciation for individuals from all backgrounds, especially the ability to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed.
Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
Required applicant documents:
Curriculum Vitae
Cover Letter Addressing Each of the Required and Preferred Qualifications
Research Statement (max 3 pages)
Teaching and Mentoring Statement (max 2 pages)
Service Statement (max 1 page; e.g., your past, current, and intended service/outreach to the students, department, university, profession, and/or community)
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
The Program
The Department
The department currently has 12 Psychological Science faculty serving approximately 660 undergraduate majors, over 100 psychology minors, and 15 Ph.D. students. Faculty typically teach two courses per semester. MSU has many opportunities for collaborative work both within and outside the department, including with the Center for Faculty Excellence, Office of Student Engagement, Department of Education, MSU Extension, the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity, the Montana Engineering Education Research Center, the Montana IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, the American Indian and Alaskan Native Clinical and Translational Research Program, the MSU Sleep Laboratory, and the Western Transportation Institute.
Faculty in the Psychology department are committed to continually supporting, promoting, and building a whole community, which includes people of many backgrounds, as evidenced by faculty who are engaged in community-based participatory research with Native American and rural communities and involvement in campus-wide programs helping graduate and undergraduate students from all backgrounds to succeed.
The College
Montana State University values all perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building a whole community, which includes people of many backgrounds.The College of Letters & Science ( CLS ) at Montana State University encourages individuals interested in advancing the University’s Strategic Plan goals to apply. CLS is committed to developing a faculty, staff, and student body which values the expression of differences in ways that promote excellence in research, teaching, and service/outreach engagement, and institutional success. In keeping with this commitment, the College encourages applications from candidates from all backgrounds. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
CLS , the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics and social sciences.
Building on the great strength of our traditional disciplines, the college provides exciting opportunities for faculty and students at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry. CLS is dedicated to supporting student success, discovering and disseminating new knowledge, and providing an atmosphere in which discovery and learning are integrated and valued. CLS is at the confluence of intellectual tradition, discovery, and innovation.
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies 1
Desired Start Date August 2025
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on November 28, 2024; however, applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.
Special Instructions
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.