Faculty interview prep for the job talk and teaching demo

AI can help you rehearse. Practice explaining the work you would lead, the class you would teach and the support you would need.

Practice a faculty job talk

What universities say they’re looking for

01 Explain one contribution at useful depth

“Make sure you spend enough time explaining the problem and why it’s hard.” (opens the source)

Fredo Durand, MIT EECS faculty member · MIT EECS, Undated

Give a mixed audience a way into one result. Connect it to a question you would pursue in the role.

Faculty interview practiceHow would you turn a research seminar into a job talk?Example

02 Teach the check you want students to make

“Staff are expected to clarify to students how GenAI can and cannot be used in their assessments” (opens the source)

UCL Teaching & Learning, Assessment guidance for teaching staff · UCL Teaching & Learning, Undated

Set the task and make clear which sources and tools students can use. Check each student’s evidence.

Faculty interview practiceCan students verify a source in a short teaching demo?Example

03 Plan the first independent research project

“How is your work distinct from your mentor’s?” (opens the source)

Renata Torres da Costa, Author of the Rutgers iJOBS workshop recap · Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Sep 14, 2026

The Rutgers recap poses this question about a research statement. Bring the same distinction to a discussion about your first study.

“What do you need in a startup package?” (opens the source)

Nicole Yunger Halpern, NIST physicist and University of Maryland adjunct assistant professor · Quantum Frontiers, Caltech IQIM, Jan 4, 2026

Identify what the first study needs and what you could defer if the resources change.

Faculty interview practiceCan the first research project start?Example

04 Give students research they can own

“Use your research to engage undergraduates and embrace the science of education.” (opens the source)

Bob Kao, Professor of Biology at Heritage University · Harvard Mignone Center for Career Success, Undated

Give each student a research decision they can own and a check they can repeat.

Faculty interview practiceWhat can a student own in one term?Example

05 Choose evidence for the advertised role

“Teach and help administer one or more large core subjects in the department.” (opens the source)

MIT EECS, Department guidance for the Lecturer role · MIT EECS, Undated

This MIT EECS Lecturer guidance names core-course responsibilities. Check the advertised duties before you choose an example.

“attempting to use AI during your actual interview” (opens the source)

University of Bath, Bath guidance on unacceptable AI use at interview · University of Bath, Undated

Bath allows practice questions and feedback. Its guidance lists live AI as unacceptable and asks candidates to use their real experiences.

Faculty interview practiceWhich evidence fits the advertised role?Example

Sources

Fredo Durand, MIT EECS faculty member, at the time. MIT EECS, “Faculty job talks: tips from the faculty”, Undated. Open the source. Checked against the published text.
UCL Teaching & Learning, Assessment guidance for teaching staff, at the time. UCL Teaching & Learning, “Three categories of GenAI use in assessment”, Undated. Open the source. Checked against the published text.
Renata Torres da Costa, Author of the Rutgers iJOBS workshop recap, at the time. Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, “iJOBS Workshop: Applying to Research-Intensive Faculty Jobs”, Sep 14, 2026. Open the source. Checked against the published text.
Nicole Yunger Halpern, NIST physicist and University of Maryland adjunct assistant professor, at the time. Quantum Frontiers, Caltech IQIM, “Nicole’s guide to interviewing for faculty positions”, Jan 4, 2026. Open the source. Checked against the published text.
Bob Kao, Professor of Biology at Heritage University, at the time. Harvard Mignone Center for Career Success, “The View from the Search Committee, October 2026”, Undated. Open the source. Checked against the published text.
MIT EECS, Department guidance for the Lecturer role, at the time. MIT EECS, “EECS Lecturer Positions, revised November 2026”, Undated. Open the source. Checked against the published text.
University of Bath, Bath guidance on unacceptable AI use at interview, at the time. University of Bath, “AI in recruitment: guidance for job applicants”, Undated. Open the source. Checked against the published text.

Last reviewed Nov 11, 2026