Dual/Partner Careers
We understand that scholars today must consider many issues when deciding to join a new institution. In addition to academic opportunities, they examine such other factors as the region, housing options, and the availability and quality of day care, elder care, school systems, and sports and cultural offerings. If a prospective faculty member has a spouse or partner who would also need a faculty position, this increases the complexity of the decision.
To address this reality, Duke University is open to hiring partners or helping them obtain suitable positions at nearby colleges and universities. For example, the provost has a reciprocal hiring agreement with The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University in Raleigh. When we are hiring a faculty member and his or her partner secures a position at either institution, Duke can provide significant salary support to the other institution for the first few years.
Deans of the schools, department chairs, the Provost, the Chancellor for Health Affairs and many others work together on partner issues, along with Human Resources personnel, department administrators, and relocation specialists.
We are continually considering new ways to assist. We hope candidates will feel free to bring up these needs at a point in the process that suits them, preferably early, so that we can help as much as possible. Candidates may speak confidentially with the Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Faculty Development or with other faculty leaders.
We invite you to view the Faculty Videos of several dual career couples at Duke.
