Calvin University invites applications for a full-time faculty member to join the Sociology and Social Work Department to teach social work beginning in July 2027, pending administrative approval. The appointment will be at the rank of assistant professor and may be either tenure-track or Professor of Practice.

REQUIREMENTS 

The university seeks applicants with vibrant Christian faith who are dedicated to integration of that faith with their field of study.

Ideal candidates will hold a PhD in Social Work or a Doctorate in Social Work (DSW); candidates holding a related doctoral degree will also be considered. 

The department seeks a faculty colleague who can contribute to the BSW and MSW programs and may also have opportunities to teach in the Calvin Prison Initiative and/or Adult Degree Completion programs. Candidates should demonstrate excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching, along with the ability and enthusiasm to teach students with varied educational backgrounds across multiple formats, including in-person, online, HyFlex, and hybrid instruction.

Applicants for tenure-track appointments should demonstrate a developing or established record of relevant research and publication. Applicants for Professor of Practice appointments should demonstrate sustained clinical practice and professional engagement.

The university will prioritize candidates with broad interdisciplinary interests, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ability to integrate questions of meaning, significance, and ethics into all course content, and deep commitment to engaging students beyond the classroom.

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES

Faculty members typically teach 24 semester hours per academic year. Faculty are expected to grow in Reformed Christian commitment, to pursue an active scholarly agenda, to teach effectively, and to serve the university, department, students, and the wider community. Candidates will be asked to affirm their commitment to the educational mission of Calvin University as a Christian liberal arts university in the Reformed tradition, affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.  (See Educating for Shalom and Faculty Expectations.) Calvin University provides numerous faculty development opportunities to foster growth in these commitments.

FACULTY RESOURCES

Calvin University stands at the forefront of Christian scholarship across disciplines. The University hosts a number of Centers and Institutes and provides other funding opportunities to support faculty teaching and research, including sabbaticals, grants, course releases, summer research stipends, travel funds, and student research opportunities.

ABOUT THE SOCIOLOGY & SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM 

The Sociology & Social Work Department offers a Bachelor and Master of Social Work (BSW and MSW), a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Criminology, and minors in Sociology, Criminology, Gender Studies, and Urban Studies. We are dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and the mentoring of students. For more details, please visit the department website.

ABOUT CALVIN UNIVERSITY 

Calvin University is a top-ranked national university that equips students to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world. Approximately 3,600 Calvin students study the liberal arts and select from a broad range of majors and professional programs, including a growing portfolio of graduate level offerings. The university is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in a thriving metropolitan region of approximately one million people situated equidistant from Chicago and Detroit. Furthermore, the West Michigan region is ranked by Forbes as the #1 place to raise a family. For more information, please visit http://www.calvin.edu/go/facultyopenings. 

Calvin is building a tradition of diversity and accessibility and welcomes applications from persons whose personal characteristics will further that commitment.  Calvin does not discriminate in the employment of individuals on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex, or age.  Calvin University is an educational agency of the Christian Reformed Church and, in compliance with Title VII and other applicable law, reserves the right to give preference in employment based upon religion. Please note that, while we welcome applications from all qualified applicants, employment opportunities for foreign nationals may be subject to additional eligibility, timing, sponsorship, and funding considerations under current U.S. immigration and visa requirements.

TO APPLY 

Complete the online application process and attach the following:  

• Letter of application that addresses the requirements and responsibilities of the position, including your interest in teaching and scholarship at a Reformed Christian University  

• Full curriculum vitae 

• Three letters of reference 

• An original written statement (250–500 words) addressing the following: 

• description and affirmation of your Christian faith 

• description of how you envision that faith will influence your work as a faculty member at Calvin University 

• confirmation of your support of the stated mission of Calvin University as a Reformed institution 

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Questions can be directed to Stacia Hoeksema, director of the BSW program ([email protected])  or Hennie Schoon, director of the MSW program ([email protected]). 

FAITH and EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT

1. Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.  

2. A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.

DIVERSITY COMMITMENT

Demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.