Visiting Assistant Professor of Digital and Computational Studies

Bates College • Lewiston, ME

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Digital and Computational Studies (DCS) Program at Bates College is seeking a one-year Visiting Assistant Professor to begin employment in July 2026. This position is primarily focused on undergraduate teaching and student engagement, with responsibilities limited in scope and focused on teaching and mentoring students during the appointment term. Visiting assistant professors are not typically assigned ongoing administrative or committee responsibilities, but are expected to attend relevant faculty and departmental meetings and engage collegially in academic life. The teaching load is five courses per academic year, which can be structured as a 2-3 across two semesters or a 2-2-1 across two semesters and the Bates Short Term. DCS at Bates is an interdisciplinary program that connects computer science, data science, and digital studies with various other fields on campus, teaching students to design, build, and critically analyze digital and computational tools and algorithms. Bates provides resources such as professional travel funding, structured mentoring programs, the Digital Media Studios for audio and visual media, and the Viz Lab with Extended Reality studios and 3D printing. Bates College is a residential liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine, committed to educational access and racial justice, with a strong emphasis on faculty scholarship, creative work, and pedagogical innovation.

Requirements

• Completed Ph.D. in Data Science, Computer Science, or a related field (e.g., Digital Humanities, Applied Mathematics, Computational Neuroscience, Computational Social Science) by July 1, 2026.
• Demonstrated ability and interest in teaching introductory information and data literacy courses in R (DCS 105).
• Demonstrated ability and interest in teaching introductory programming courses in Python (e.g., DCS 109D).
• Demonstrated ability and interest in teaching upper-level applied computing and/or data science courses within the DCS curriculum based on area(s) of expertise.
• Evidence of interest in interdisciplinary teaching.
• Evidence of interest in critical science and technology studies.
• Evidence of interest in teaching undergraduate students.
• Evidence of supporting a diversity of students in data science, computer science, and related disciplines with a range of prior programming experience (including none).

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated success in teaching and/or supporting marginalized, first generation, and historically underrepresented students.

Responsibilities

• Teach five courses per academic year, potentially structured as 2-3 across two semesters or 2-2-1 across two semesters and the Bates Short Term.
• Provide excellence in undergraduate teaching and student engagement.
• Mentor students during the term of the appointment.
• Attend faculty meetings and departmental meetings related to teaching.
• Engage collegially in the academic life of the department.

Benefits

• Opportunities for professional travel funding
• Structured mentoring programs for faculty
• Access to Digital Media Studios (equipment and expertise for audio and visual media)
• Access to Viz Lab (Extended Reality studios and 3D printing)
• Support for pedagogical development and innovation through the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree