Assistant or Associate Professor of Practice in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Position Title:

Assistant or Associate Professor of Practice in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Appointment Type:

Faculty

Job Description:

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities : 

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University in Ames, IA is seeking qualified candidates to serve as Director of the Start Something LAS Academy.

This Professor of Practice position leads a program designed to help students explore future careers as innovators and entrepreneurs in their workplaces and in their communities and empower students to discover, develop and deploy their entrepreneurial and innovative talents. The position provides leadership for curricular and co-curricular programming, enabling high-impact learning experiences that foster developing entrepreneurial and innovative mindsets and skills for students from across the wide range of academic programs represented in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Responsibilities include annually recruiting a cohort of students, teaching courses, leading and executing relationship building activities with program partners and stakeholders, and assessing the program impact and direction. The overarching goal of these responsibilities is to ensure the success of a vibrant, high-quality program that facilitates creativity and networking for students and mentors. Students will work individually or in teams, creating entrepreneurial ideas and develop them together with a team of mentors, drawn from alumni and community volunteers with the appropriate expertise.  Guest lectures, networking events and short workshops will complement the course work and experiential learning.

As Director of the Start Something LAS Academy, the Director will represent the college on various university committees focused on innovation and entrepreneurship and will be the point of contact for the Entrepreneurship minor for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences students pursuing the minor.

This position supervises a team of student workers and a part time staff position, while working closely with a committee of faculty and staff from the college who support the academy.

The successful candidate will shape, champion, and oversee the Start Something LAS Academy experience through the ability to demonstrate a high degree of creative latitude and attention to detail, displaying the leadership qualities to be successful in growing a strong team and network, and the skill to engage university and community partners, including the recruitment and retention of students and mentors.

This position will require occasional evening and weekend programming commitments.

This part-time term faculty position is an 80% full-time equivalent (FTE), 9-month position with an initial 3-year term. This position will include 2-months of summer assignment.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an on-going basis without sponsorship.

Required Minimum Qualifications : 

Assistant level

• Master’s degree

• 3 years of experience related to entrepreneurship

Associate level

• Master’s degree

• 6 years of experience related to entrepreneurship

Preferred Qualifications :

•  A record of entrepreneurial activities as owner or partner in a business, professional, corporate or non-profit setting

•   Experience with leading a team and engaging multiple stakeholders

• Experience projecting, developing, and managing a program budget and allocations

• Experience with innovation and entrepreneurship education program management

• Experience in curriculum design and deployment of course-based and experiential learning activities for students

• Experience leading a team executing outreach, event, and relationship management

Department/Program & College Description : 

The Start Something LAS Academy is a two-year program which offers an intense experiential learning opportunity for a selected group of students enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Start Something LAS Academy is part of the Start Something network, connecting innovation and entrepreneurship offerings across the university tailored to fit the unique needs and interests of students in each college.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is Iowa State’s core with programs in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. The college is committed to student success, helping students acquire the intellectual depth and breadth to become knowledgeable, inquisitive and creative citizens and leaders, ready to address the challenges of the 21st century. College faculty lead internationally renowned research programs and teach approximately 50 percent of all undergraduate student credit hours at Iowa State University. The college offers nearly 50 baccalaureate degrees in addition to master’s and Ph.D. degrees.

Proposed Start Date:

July 1, 2024

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

May 15, 2027

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

09 Month Work Period

Time Type:

Part time

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following: 1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter
3) Contact Information for Three References If you have questions regarding this position, please contact Erin Wilgenbusch at or call . Why Choose ISU?
Iowa State Faculty enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program

Original Posting Date:

May 21, 2024

Posting Close Date:

June 3, 2024

Job Requisition Number:

R14752

About Iowa State University

Iowa State University is classified as a Carnegie Foundation Doctoral/Research University-Extensive, a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), and ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top public universities in the nation. Over 36,000 students are enrolled and served by over 6,200 faculty and staff (see Ames, Iowa is a progressive community of 60,000, located approximately 30 minutes north of Des Moines, and recently voted the best college town in the nation (see Iowa State University is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity and strongly encourages applications from all qualified applicants, including women, underrepresented minorities, and veterans. ISU is responsive to the needs of dual career couples, is dedicated to work-life balance through an array of policies, and is an NSF ADVANCE institution. Iowa State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status and will not be discriminated against.

Connections working at Iowa State University