Q&A: How to find a faculty position in Ecuador

I recently received the following question by email, so I thought it’d make for a good Q&A:

Hi Eva, My name is XX and I am currently a postdoctoral researcher working at YY. I came across some of your blogposts online and your career path caught my eye, particularly the part where you were able to become a professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. If you don‘t mind me asking, would you be able to let me know how you went about applying for and then getting a professor position in Ecuador? And how did you navigate the experience of having to work in a Spanish-speaking environment? I am also interested in exploring professor positions in Latin America and would appreciate any advice you may have. Thanks, XX

Here’s what I answered:

Dear XX,

Thanks for reaching out to me through my blog!

In my case, I found my position in Ecuador at a time that the country was hiring a fair number of people with PhDs, as the government had put a target of having 70% of university professors having a PhD – so at that time, it was a great opportunity.

Right now, most universities in Ecuador only hire when they have an opening, through a process of merits and opposition.

Let me know if you have any particular questions for me.

Best regards,

Eva

For anybody wondering, I hope this helps!