South Midwest HERC

About Us

Located in an urban environment on a 300-acre tree-lined campus, Rice University is a private, comprehensive research university located in the heart of the dynamic Museum District in Houston, TX, the most diverse city in the country and home to vibrant Latinx, Asian-American, Black, LGBTQ+, and international communities. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the metro area is characterized by a robust civil society with top elected positions in the region held by a diverse group of officials--left, right, and center, and including Asian-American, Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ leaders. Rice offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across eight schools and has a student body of approximately 4,500 undergraduate and 3,900 graduate students. The university's undergraduate population has no racial majority. Rice consistently ranks among the top 20 national universities and the top 10 in undergraduate teaching (US News & World Report); its endowment ranks among the top 20 of US universities.

We welcome the fullness of diversity to Rice. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Also, in our candidate pools, we seek to attract greater representation of women, scholars of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and others who have historically been underrepresented. We aim to attract applicants from a wide range backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a staff varied in thought and experience; and to maintain an environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our community.

Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants must attach one document and attach it under the document section of the application materials. The one document should be in a PDF format and labeled by last name, and first name. Please note that the applicant tracking system does not convert attachments in Word format successfully.

Candidates must submit one PDF in this order:

• a cover letter (maximum two pages)
• a current CV
• a research proposal for the period of the fellowship (four pages maximum)
• a dissertation abstract (one-page maximum)
• writing sample (either a published piece or a work being prepared for publication, 30 pages maximum)
• a statement briefly outlining how the applicant intends to direct their research, teaching, and/or service, now or in the future, to address an equity problem evident in their discipline, in higher education more broadly, or in the larger society (four pages maximum)
• the names of two professional references with their email addresses (the selection committee will request references from finalists)
• the names of up to two Rice university faculty with whom the applicant would like to work during the fellowship period (applicants are strongly encouraged to contact potential faculty mentors and to secure their permission to list them as potential mentors)

Candidates may also submit:

• an optional statement elaborating on how collaboration with Rice University faculty (preferably the mentor or mentors named above) will help to facilitate the completion of the proposed research project within the period of the fellowship (one page maximum)

The application deadline is Wednesday, May 21st.

Position Summary:

Rice University is pleased to invite applications for its Emerging Leaders Postdoctoral Research Fellowship program. The fellowship is open to scholars of exceptional potential who have earned the PhD within the last five years, and whose professional trajectory shows great promise for thoughtfully addressing equity issues in their respective disciplines through their research, teaching, and/or service.

These residential fellowships are for one year. In addition to focusing on the completion of a research project, fellows will propose, organize, and carry out an event, workshop, performance, or some other service related to their area of expertise that contributes to the work of the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence (with the agreement of their sponsoring mentor and department, fellows may also choose to meet this requirement by offering a course that aligns with the university's Analyzing Diversity general education requirement).

Recent PhD graduates without current university affiliations would be appointed to a Postdoctoral position. Applicants with a current university affiliation intending to take a leave of absence from their position would be appointed as a Research Fellow.

The Emerging Leaders Fellowship program offers:

• a Research Fellow or postdoctoral position
• a mentored relationship with one or more Rice University faculty members committed to helping to advance the fellow's research project to completion
• structured collaborative relationships with the community of professionals and scholars in the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence committed to assisting fellows in developing their university leadership capacity
• membership in the Rice University Academy of Fellows (for postdoctoral positions as applicable)
• The standard program stipend is $75,000 with benefits. National standard stipends for postdoctoral appointments in a few research areas are above that level. Postdoctoral scholars appointed in such areas may receive augmentation from their department. Fellows on leave from their universities may bring additional fellowship or university support to meet their ordinary yearly salary.

Workplace Requirements:

• This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in-person on-campus. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.
• Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8am to 5pm with an hour's lunch
• Frequent evening and weekend work
• This is an exempt position and is not eligible for overtime pay. During some weeks, employees will be required to work more hours to meet their job responsibilities.

Salary: 75,000

Minimum Requirements:

• Candidates should have completed or will soon complete a PhD in any discipline or interdisciplinary field.
• Skills:
  • Proven ability to conduct original and collaborative research
  • Demonstrated commitment to or strong promise for thoughtfully addressing inequities in their discipline, or inequities in the larger society through their discipline
  • Enthusiasm for leadership, assisting team members and creating a collaborative working environment
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as oral presentation skills
  • Strong understanding of manuscript and peer review process
  • Organization and time management skills
  • Knowledge of modern research methods, data collection and analyses
  • Knowledge of the principles and techniques of the subject discipline
  • Writes scholarly papers based on ongoing research and submits them to journals for publication
  • Able to work in a collaborative environment
  • Able to work independently and professionally with minimal supervision and direction

Essential Functions:

• Documents, analyzes, and maintains research data
• Assists with proposal development to obtain research funding
• Mentors, oversees, and/or trains junior research team members, such as PhD candidates
• Publishes and presents research findings at national and international conferences
• Supports project management and collaboration across institutions or disciplines
• Designs and implements research protocols; adapts new procedures, methods or instrumentation relative to research procedures
• Provide academic services (i.e. teaching classes) to the department as required
• Supports the programmatic activities of the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.