Further Resources

• Academic Job Market Support Network (LinkedIn) 
• Berkeley Career Center: Academic Job Search Overview
• Berkeley: Hiring from the Committee’s Perspective 
• SERC: Application Process 
• SERC Career Prep: General Resource

• Lehigh University: Academic Job Search Timeline Guide 
• MIT CAPD: PhD Job Search Timeline
• UVA PhD Plus: Typical Job Search Timeline
• Wilfrid Laurier: Academic Job Search Timeline (PDF) 

Academic Job Market Terms 

• Tenure Clock: The probationary period—typically five to seven years—during which faculty must meet institutional expectations in research, teaching, and service in order to earn tenure. 
• Start‑Up Funds: Research support sometimes provided to newly hired faculty, particularly at research‑intensive institutions, to cover expenses such as equipment, lab setup, software, research assistance, or early project costs. 
• Service Expectations: Professional responsibilities beyond research and teaching, including committee work, student advising, peer review, program administration, and participation in departmental or institutional governance. 
• Teaching Load (e.g., 2–1, 3–3): The number of courses taught per academic year, typically expressed as two numbers indicating courses taught in the fall and winter or spring terms (e.g., a 2–1 load means two courses in fall and one in spring). 

Institution Types 

• R1 University (United States): A Carnegie classification indicating very high research activity. R1 institutions emphasize external grant funding, research output, and graduate education, and typically have lighter teaching loads. 
• R2 University (United States): A Carnegie classification indicating high research activity. R2 institutions prioritize research but generally have heavier teaching responsibilities than R1 universities. (See Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education)
• Liberal Arts College (United States): A small, undergraduate‑focused institution emphasizing teaching, close faculty–student interaction, and broad curricular foundations. Research expectations are typically lower than at large research universities, though scholarly engagement may still be valued. 
• Community College (United States): A two‑year institution focused primarily on teaching and workforce development. These colleges offer associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates, with little or no expectation of faculty research. 
• U15 University (Canada): One of Canada’s group of 15 leading research‑intensive universities. The U15 emphasizes research output, graduate education, and grant funding and is often viewed as an imperfect Canadian parallel to U.S. R1 institutions. (See U15 Canada)
• College (Canada): An institution offering a mix of certificates, diplomas, and degree programs, with a strong emphasis on applied learning and workforce development. Many Canadian colleges now offer three‑ and four‑year degrees alongside shorter credentials while maintaining a predominantly teaching‑focused mandate. (See "Canada's Three Types of Colleges")