Assistant Teaching Professor in Spatial Data Science

Penn State University • Ferguson Township, PA

76d

About The Position

The Department of Geography at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for a non-tenure line faculty position at the rank of Assistant Teaching Professor in Spatial Data Science. The successful candidate will teach and advise students in Penn State’s online geospatial education programs. This is a 36-week, non-tenure line faculty appointment, funded for an initial three-year term with a strong expectation of renewal, contingent on performance and continuing program needs. Penn State offers a clear pathway for professional growth and promotion through its established non-tenure line faculty promotion process. We seek candidates with professional and/or academic experience (ideally both) in spatial data science, with an emphasis on one or more key focus areas, including: cartography, geovisualization, spatial statistics, web mapping, and GeoAI. Experience in higher education, and in particular with online learning, is preferred.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Geography, Spatial Data Science, Geoinformatics, or a closely related discipline by the time of appointment (July 1, 2026).
• Professional and/or academic experience (ideally both) in spatial data science.
• Expertise in one or more focus areas such as cartography, geovisualization, spatial statistics, web mapping, and GeoAI.
• Experience in higher education, particularly online education, is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to graduate teaching and advising in spatial data science topics for Penn State’s online geospatial education programs.
• Teach a total of six courses each year.
• Engage in course development and preparation, course teaching, and program administration tasks as needed.
• Possibly contribute to online program administration and teach on-campus classes.
• Engage in externally-funded research based on candidate expertise and program needs.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Robust retirement plans.
• Generous 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible spouses and children.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree