NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE (NUS)
Department of Geography

Cluster Hires in Climate Change and Sustainability 
Tenure track: Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Full Professor 
Educator track: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer

The Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore (NUS) is recruiting leading scholars with a commitment to making impactful contributions to research and education in the related fields of climate change and sustainability. We are seeking colleagues with a vision for change and who understand the importance of inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders and researchers, influencing public policy and shaping intellectual agendas.

Join the Department of Geography

This cluster hire will enhance research and teaching capability in the Department. We welcome applications from individuals with experience across the broad thematic reach of climate science, climate impacts and adaptation, human dimensions of climate change and sustainability, applications of geospatial technologies to climate change and sustainability challenges. We seek multiple hires at all academic levels. Indicative areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

Climate Science and Climate Change: including global-regional climate processes; tropical urban climate; urban climatology and climate modelling.

Carbon dynamics: Carbon fluxes, sequestration, accounting and carbon markets; low carbon transitions.

Human Dimensions of Climate Change: climate change impacts, climate and mobility justice, social movements, gendered and racialized dimensions of climate change, transformative sustainability, livelihood security, political ecology, and climate finance.

Climate Adaptation: spanning human adaptations to emergent environmental and climatic risks in the context of multiple stressors; sustainability, adaptive planning processes at one or more of local, regional, national and global scales.

Climate Impacts: examining fundamental terrestrial, freshwater and/or marine impacts.

Resource Security: Water, food and energy security spanning historical, political, social, economic and financial dimensions; sustainable management approaches; local knowledges; extractivism; energy transitions, alternative energy futures; agrarian transformations; oceans and maritime geographies; fisheries; resource conflicts and geopolitics.

Migration, transformation and Environmental Change: migration under environmental change; immobility and place attachment; transformational adaptation and resilience; security implications of climate change; climate and mobility justice.

Environmental Restoration and Conservation: ecological rehabilitation and restoration to protect against climate change and enhance resilience, including urban populations and infrastructure.

Successful candidates will join the dynamic and collegial Department of Geography, which has an international profile as one of the world’s top Geography Departments (5^th in QS ranking 2023) in one of the world’s leading and best-resourced universities. Faculty in the Department are regarded as leading scholars in climate change and sustainability issues, leading interdisciplinary research across several themes, notably Tropical Environmental Change, Politics, Economies and Space and Social and Cultural Geographies. Elements of this research are enabled by the Department’s GIS Unit and excellent laboratory resources. The Department maintains a vibrant research ecosystem that supports NUS’s University-Wide Sustainability Commitment. Faculty in the Department are part of well-developed global networks of research. Within Singapore they maintain active research linkages with the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, the Asia Research Institute, Public Utilities Board, National Parks Board, National Environment Agency, the Centre for Climate Research Singapore and other major universities in the country.

Candidates interested in a tenure track position should possess a PhD in a relevant field. They should also be able to demonstrate expertise in researching and understanding the complexities of climate change and sustainability that impact society. Some experience of teaching is also desirable. They should show promise for or already have a record of excellence in research, evidenced by high-quality publications. Those interested in an educator track position should have a PhD and be able to provide evidence of a strong record of teaching. A commitment to pedagogy is also desirable. All applicants should have a commitment to service that is commensurate with their career stage.

In terms of academic responsibilities, the successful candidates will be expected to:

1. Actively contribute to the Department’s internationally recognized research and teaching activities and commitment to lifelong learning.
2. Contribute to the delivery of the MSc Climate Change and Sustainability and other areas of the Geography programme (a minimum of two courses per year for tenure track and up to four courses per year for educator track).
3. Supervise student research.
4. Undertake service duties commensurate with the level of appointment.

NUS is among the world’s most highly reputed universities and provides a generous and well-resourced environment. For more information on the NUS Department of Geography, please see: https://fass.nus.edu.sg/geog/.

Application Process

Applicants for tenure track positions should submit the following:

1. Letter of interest outlining details of your research experience, and your research plans for the next 3-5 years, teaching philosophy, evidence of teaching experience and teaching feedback; and
2. Curriculum vitae (10 pages max.) with names and contact details of four referees.

For candidates applying for the Assistant Professor position, one of the four referee names must be the name of the main PhD supervisor. Applicants at the Assistant Professor level should have obtained their PhD within the last six years. Prior teaching experience commensurate with the level of appointment is expected for tenured Associate Professor. Full-professors in NUS are expect to be internationally-acknowledged leaders in their field of research.

Applicants for educator track positions should submit the following:

1. Letter of interest
2. Curriculum vitae (10 page max), including details on education (degrees obtained and dates), employment history, past teaching experience relevant to the position, research interests, publications, service accomplishments and the names and contact details of four referees (one of whom must be the main advisor for your PhD)
3. Teaching portfolio
   1. A Preface(maximum 300 words) that makes the case for your appointment. This should be a highly distilled summary of your key contributions to student learning, guided by your teaching philosophy.
   2. A Teaching Statementthat focuses on approach to encouraging student learning. Note that the Teaching Statement should be no more than 3,000 words-long
4. Student and/or peer teaching evaluations (if available).

Applicants should submit their application to geobox13@nus.edu.sg, clearly indicating the track (tenure or educator) and level of post they wish to be considered for.

An internationally competitive remuneration package, including a period of subsidised housing (for non-Singaporean applicants), medical benefits and relocation expenses (where applicable), will be offered to the successful candidate. NUS also provides start-up grants, the value of which is commensurate with experience and position of appointment.

If you would like to discuss your interest in a role prior to application, please contact the Chair of the Search Committee, Professor Paul Kench: pkench@nus.edu.sg

Evaluation of applications will commence in February 2024 and will continue until suitable candidates are found. Shortlisted candidates will be notified soon thereafter, and plans will then be made for the interview process.