Sociologist

The Department of Sociology at Cornell College invites applications for a tenure-track (Assistant Professor) position to begin August 2027.

We seek an individual committed to excellence and innovation in undergraduate education with an emphasis on experiential learning, inclusive pedagogical approaches, and active engagement of students. The successful candidate will have an applied or public sociological focus and expertise in some of the following areas: race, ethnicity, and social inequalities; gender and sexuality; social policy; medical sociology; public health; criminology; or related areas.

The teaching load is 6 courses per year including SOC101 Sociological Thinking, some combination of core courses such as Fundamentals of Community and Public Health, Research Methods, Social Theory, or Senior Seminar, courses in the College’s Ingenuity Core Curriculum, and courses in the candidate’s area of expertise which contribute to the Sociology major/minor, the Community and Public Health major, and other interdisciplinary majors/programs such as Gender Sexuality, and Women’s Studies; Pre-Social Work; or Race, Ethnicity, and Social Justice. In future years, there may be an opportunity to teach off-campus courses.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Sociology. Related fields such as Community Health, Public Health, Social Work, Criminology/Criminal Justice considered with substantive academic background in Sociology. 
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• 2 years teaching applied or experiential courses and mentoring students, experience in applied sociological work outside of academia, and/or building relationships/working with community partners.

Cornell’s One Course At A Time academic calendar is divided into eight 3½ week blocks in which students take and faculty teach a single course. Full-time faculty teaching load is 6 block courses during the academic year with the other 2 blocks reserved for professional development, course preparations, or travel to academic meetings; further opportunities for summer teaching and research supervision may also be available. 

Candidate will be expected to participate in service to their department and to facilitate their department’s support of the college’s Ingenuity core curriculum.   The college encourages interdisciplinary interests among its faculty and the development of teaching strategies that capitalize on our distinctive academic calendar. One Course At A Time allows us the freedom to take students off-campus without impinging on other course commitments. In addition, class size is limited to 25 students, and upper-level courses are often smaller.

About Cornell College 

Cornell College is a national liberal arts college committed to excellence in teaching and the creation of a welcoming community in which all individuals are respected and included. Our innovative curriculum includes a focus on the essential abilities of writing, quantitative reasoning, and intercultural literacy as well as experiential learning. The One Course At A Time approach fosters strong student engagement and close faculty-student relationships while allowing faculty freedom to design and carry out their classes, on campus or off.

Founded in 1853, Cornell was the first college west of the Mississippi to graduate both men and women.  Academic immersion, real world experience requirements through Ingenuity in Action, and unparalleled flexibility attract an ambitious student body from around the world.

Cornell’s picturesque hilltop campus is a National Historic District and was the first campus listed in its entirety on the National Register of Historic Places. Mount Vernon is a small, college-centered town in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor, home to nearly half a million people. It has two additional National Historic Districts and a classic Main Street a short walk from campus. Mount Vernon attractions include boutique shopping; walking paths; a dedicated sledding hill; and 13 annual festivals and events including Chalk the Walk, Chili Cookoff, and Magical Mount Vernon. 

Cornell College offers a competitive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, HSA and FSA accounts, a TIAA 403(b) retirement account, and tuition remission and exchange for employees and dependents. We also offer life insurance, disability insurance, travel insurance, and accident insurance.

Interested applicants should submit the following materials through Cornell College’s online application system:

• A letter of application/cover letter
• Current Curriculum Vitae
• Graduate transcript(s) (may be unofficial)
• Teaching statement, describing teaching interests, experience, and philosophy, including examples of inclusive pedagogy
• Names and contact information for a minimum of three references. Formal letters will be requested at a later date.

Applications received before November 11, 2026 will be given full consideration, and review will continue until the position is filled.

For more information about the department, please visit the departmental website.

Any questions can be directed to Tori Barnes-Brus, Department Chair and Professor of Sociology at tbarnesbrus@cornellcollege.edu.

Cornell is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from underrepresented groups. Cornell complies with Iowa’s Smoke-free Air Act. Cornell utilizes E-Verify and requires the satisfactory completion of a background check.