The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Davidson College invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in Computer Science at the rank of Assistant Professor, beginning July 1, 2027. Candidates must possess a Ph.D. in Computer Science or a closely related field by Fall 2027.
We seek candidates with a strong commitment to improving access to computer science for all students, enthusiasm for teaching all levels of undergraduate students, and an independent research program that involves undergraduate researchers. The department welcomes applicants whose scholarship expands the expertise of our current faculty and opens new research opportunities for our majors in areas including, but not limited to, natural language processing, quantum computing, computer architecture, and AI safety/ethics. The successful candidate will teach an upper-level elective in their research area while also supporting our core curriculum.
Davidson is an undergraduate-only institution, with small class sizes and extensive student-faculty interaction, and is consistently ranked among the nation's top liberal arts colleges. Faculty teach four courses in their first year and five courses per year thereafter. Many of our faculty members teach special topics or independent study courses that simultaneously support their research and help recruit summer research students. The department works together to design course schedules, regularly finding opportunities to lighten faculty workload by assigning them the same course across different terms or multiple sections of the same course within a single semester. The department also encourages faculty to develop and teach courses that reach across disciplinary boundaries, including in the Writing program and those that satisfy the College’s Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.
A decade after the major was established, computer science at Davidson is a mature program with strong foundations. Our major comprises a small core of required courses and a set of electives in a wide range of topics, adaptable to faculty interests and expertise. A recent curricular refresh streamlined the prerequisite structure, and there is significant student support outside the classroom. Nearly three-quarters of our majors took their first programming course here, and women make up roughly 30% of the program overall. That reflects deliberate work: we use research-informed teaching and assessment methods, we revise our courses frequently, and we share what we learn with one another.
Our faculty are active researchers; our work has been supported by external funding from sources including the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National Humanities Center and the Ethereum Foundation. We collaborate with partners at R1 institutions and national research laboratories, serve on international conference program committees, and have been invited to give keynote and plenary talks in our fields. Students are active partners in research activities and they publish, present, and receive awards at top-rated computer science research conferences. There is generous internal funding for student research, with additional opportunities through the Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
We also value engagement beyond the classroom and the lab. The department hosts a weekly Math/CS Coffee series that brings in outside speakers, alongside alumni and graduate school panels, sessions on studying abroad and navigating the major, and purely social gatherings like board game nights, picnics and escape-room outings. Students sustain an active hackathon group and an affinity group for those from underrepresented backgrounds.
We look forward to welcoming a colleague who will share in this work in the classroom, in research, and in the life of the department and the wider college. Applications must be submitted online at https://employment.davidson.edu. Please include the following items:
· A curriculum vitae.
· A cover letter (1–2 pages) which addresses your professional interests and aspirations and how these align with the job description and the mission of our department and institution.
· A teaching statement (2–3 pages) that reflects on your teaching experiences and aspirations, particularly in mentoring and supporting a diverse undergraduate student body. We are also interested in your approach to inclusive teaching: how you address barriers that prevent students from feeling welcome and accessing opportunities in computer science, and how your past experiences and training have informed this approach. We invite authentic expressions of your perspective, recognizing that applicants may have varying levels of experience and come from a variety of educational backgrounds. While we welcome whatever you choose to share, we do not expect you to reveal any aspects of your identity or disclose personal hardships in your statement.
· A research statement (2–3 pages) that describes your previous work, current interests, and future plans in a manner that is accessible and engaging to a general computer science audience, and includes ideas for one or more potential undergraduate research projects. Please also describe how you would mentor and integrate undergraduate students with a diversity of lived experiences, particularly those with no prior research experience in computer science, into your projects.
· Unofficial graduate transcripts.
· Contact information for three references. Reference letter submission instructions will be sent to email addresses provided by you. At least one reference letter must specifically and substantially address your interests and experience in teaching and mentoring.
Applications completed by Monday, October 5 will receive full consideration, though the position will remain open until filled.
Davidson is a highly selective, nationally ranked, residential liberal arts college located in Davidson, North Carolina, near Charlotte. We seek to hire talented faculty and staff who are committed to achieving excellence within an inclusive community where diverse backgrounds and perspectives are valued.
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