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How to hire a science faculty member

Science faculty member hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring science faculty members in the United States:

  • There are a total of 13,219 science faculty members in the US, and there are currently 30,806 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a science faculty member is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per science faculty member on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Bozeman, MT, has the highest demand for science faculty members, with 7 job openings.

How to hire a science faculty member, step by step

To hire a science faculty member, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a science faculty member:

Here's a step-by-step science faculty member hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a science faculty member job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new science faculty member
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a science faculty member do?

A science faculty member teaches the science subject and facilitates laboratory activities. They can work in elementary schools, high schools, and even colleges and universities. Their responsibilities typically include developing lesson and coursework plans, preparing teaching materials, conducting quizzes and examinations, establishing guidelines, and monitoring the students' academic progress, assisting them when necessary. Moreover, as a science faculty member, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with the faculty staff and keep a safe and healthy classroom environment for the students.

Learn more about the specifics of what a science faculty member does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your science faculty member job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a science faculty member for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect science faculty member also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list shows salaries for various types of science faculty members.

    Type of Science Faculty MemberDescriptionHourly rate
    Science Faculty MemberPostsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.$18-60
    ProfessorA professor is a teaching professional who provides instructions to students on various academic and vocational subjects in colleges, universities, and vocational schools. Professors design curriculums for courses and ensure that they meet college and department students... Show more$42-134
    Adjunct ProfessorAdjunct professors are instructors who are employed on a contractual basis, commonly in part-time positions. They teach courses in the same manner as full-time professors do, but they are free from some of the duties of those fully employed university instructors or in tenure-track positions... Show more$21-105
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Philosophy
    • Social Work
    • Physiology
    • Scholarship
    • Anatomy
    • Science Courses
    • Professional Development
    • Curriculum Development
    • Colleges
    • Mathematics
    • Course Content
    • Organic Chemistry
    • Ethics
    • Syllabus
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Used blackboard online to manage students tests, grade papers and assign materials.
    • Develop lectures for review of anatomy and physiology as well as in depth pathophysiology lectures pertaining to certain medical conditions.
    • Attend meetings and suggest ideas for club improvements and involvements within the math and science field
    • Plan and conduct botany, ecology, and biochemistry education programs for the college student.
    • Supervise the content, design, and delivery mechanism of mathematics and sciences courses for adult learners.
    • Supervise articulation agreements with other colleges.
    More science faculty member duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your science faculty member job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A science faculty member can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, science faculty members' average salary in wyoming is 52% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level science faculty members 69% less than senior-level science faculty members.
    • Certifications. A science faculty member with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a science faculty member's salary.

    Average science faculty member salary

    $70,683yearly

    $33.98 hourly rate

    Entry-level science faculty member salary
    $39,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 23, 2026

    Average science faculty member salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Pennsylvania$90,417$43
    2Illinois$89,423$43
    3Rhode Island$88,130$42
    4New York$84,076$40
    5Virginia$83,710$40
    6Utah$80,237$39
    7Massachusetts$78,881$38
    8Maine$76,035$37
    9Florida$75,597$36
    10Maryland$74,076$36
    11North Carolina$71,401$34
    12Oregon$69,677$34
    13Arizona$69,626$33
    14California$68,787$33
    15New Mexico$68,488$33
    16Minnesota$62,317$30
    17Michigan$60,895$29
    18Colorado$60,867$29
    19Texas$56,804$27
    20Missouri$54,957$26

    Average science faculty member salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Atrium Health Floyd$209,977$100.9511
    2Kaiser Permanente$205,597$98.849
    3UT Health East Texas$190,564$91.62
    4Baylor College of Medicine$185,229$89.051
    5The University of New Mexico$173,259$83.30122
    6Johns Hopkins University$172,139$82.76148
    7Franklin University$166,441$80.021
    8Palmer College of Chiropractic$163,922$78.812
    9Colorado State Express$156,664$75.32
    10UT Health San Antonio$152,987$73.55
    11Pratt Industries$147,373$70.85
    12Pace University$144,304$69.3810
    13UMiami Health System$135,957$65.36241
    14University of Pennsylvania$118,710$57.07403
    15University of Idaho$117,575$56.5342
    16Rutgers University$113,341$54.49340
    17Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center$113,140$54.3928
    18New York University$113,137$54.3922
    19Syracuse University$98,353$47.2937
    20UC Santa Barbara$94,810$45.58
  4. Writing a science faculty member job description

    A job description for a science faculty member role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a science faculty member job description:

    Science faculty member job description example

    Arcadia University is a top-ranked private University in Greater Philadelphia that provides an educational experience that is values-based; rooted in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI); and places students at the center. The Institute of International Education has ranked Arcadia first nationally in study abroad for 10 of the last 12 years, and the Princeton Review has ranked Arcadia among the "Best in the Northeast" for seven consecutive years. The University's Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs are nationally ranked in their respective categories by U.S. News & World Report , which also ranks Arcadia among the top 25 percent in its category and cites Arcadia for being among the "most innovative" and "best value" colleges. Approximately 3,700 students study at Arcadia, with 2,300 undergraduate students choosing from more than 65 fields of study. Arcadia promises a distinctively global, integrative, and personal learning experience that prepares students to contribute and lead in a diverse and dynamic world. Through its community of practice, Arcadia has made facilitating a safe and welcoming environment a priority by developing and implementing anti-Black Racism Initiatives (ABRI) on campus and in its surrounding communities. Visit www.arcadia.edu.

    Our belief and experience is that there is strength in diversity and we are committed to building a welcoming and inclusive environment for students and employees alike. We are a community built on varied experiences and perspectives that benefits from open-minded discussion and cultural humility. Guided by our University's values, we are committed to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and we are working towards dismantling anti-Black racism/white supremacy and other forms of interpersonal and systemic discrimination and oppression.

    We welcome candidates who can contribute through their research, teaching, service, and/or lived experiences to the diversity and excellence of the academic community. The successful candidate will include a statement of interest demonstrating examples of ways they will incorporate our values in their teaching and scholarly work through application, methodology, content, and/or inclusion of students from diverse backgrounds pursuing research/creative work.

    The number of part-time instructors hired by the department varies from semester to semester, depending upon the needs of the program. When a position is available, qualified applicants may be contacted for an interview and asked to submit further documentation. While there may not be immediate openings, the hiring manager will review applications when openings do occur.

    COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement:

    Arcadia University requires all employees to be "up to date" with COVID-19 vaccines by your employment start date. This would include either:

    • A full primary series of a FDA-approved vaccine and all of the boosters for which they are eligible in accordance with current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations.
    • Or you received the full primary series of an FDA approved vaccine in the last 5 months and are therefore not eligible to receive a booster vaccine. After the 5 months conclude, you will need to receive a booster vaccine or will no longer be "up to date".

    Arcadia will consider requests for exemptions from the vaccination policy due to medical conditions or religious belief. You will be required to provide proof of vaccination at the time of hire and/or on your first day of employment. Our vaccination protocols are subject to applicable laws and will be updated from time to time to reflect evolving conditions and federal, state, local, and other applicable health and safety guidelines.

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find science faculty members for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your science faculty member job on Zippia to find and attract quality science faculty member candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with science faculty member candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new science faculty member

    Once you've found the science faculty member candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a science faculty member?

Recruiting science faculty members involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

Science faculty members earn a median yearly salary is $70,683 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find science faculty members for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $18 and $60.

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