BOL: Related items

China University of Macau PhD Position 2015 in Bioinformatics, Computer Science

Mon, 22 Dec 2014 00:12:49 -0600

The Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Group at the University of Macau is inviting applications for PhD Position. Applicants will work on a research project focusing on the flexible receptor protein-ligand docking algorithms for computer-aided drug design. The candidate will be working as part of a team in developing novel metaheuristic algorithms and scoring functions for large-scale, highly flexible protein-ligand docking problems. The duration of this PhD position is 2-3 years, starting in August 2015. Remuneration paid to candidate is MOP 11000-14000/month (~USD 1375-1750/month). The applications should be submitted before March 2015.

Study Subject(s): PhD position is award in the field of Bioinformatics/Computer Science.
Course Level: Position is available for pursuing PhD degree level at the University of Macau.
Scholarship Provider: University of Macau
Scholarship can be taken at: China

Eligibility: The ideal candidate would be a master degree holder in Bioinformatics or related disciplines with knowledge in Medical sciences or Life sciences (with GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale or equivalent) . Knowledge in programming (C and C++) and Linux scripting are necessary; experience in molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations or molecular modeling is an advantage. The candidate should be fluent in spoken and written English; preference will be given to applicants with good publication records in relevant areas.

Scholarship Open for International Students: Researchers from China can apply for this PhD position.

Scholarship Description:

The Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Group at the University of Macau is looking for a motivated PhD student in Bioinformatics or Computer Science to work on a research project focusing on the flexible receptor protein-ligand docking algorithms for computer-aided drug design. The candidate will be working as part of a team in developing novel metaheuristic algorithms and scoring functions for large-scale, highly flexible protein-ligand docking problems.

Number of award(s): There is only one PhD position available.

Duration of award(s): The duration of this PhD position is 2-3 years.

What does it cover? Remuneration paid to candidate is MOP 11000-14000/month (~USD 1375-1750/month).

Selection Criteria: Not Known

Notification: Not Known

How to Apply: Send your current CV, your academic transcripts, a letter of motivation and research interests, two letters of recommendations from academic faculty to Dr. Shirley Siu at shirleysiu[at]umac.mo before March 2015.

Scholarship Application Deadline: The applications should be submitted before March 2015.

JNU Neuroscience/Systems Biology/Mathematical modeling JRF Vacancies

Fri, 26 Dec 2014 11:22:20 -0600

School of Computational and Integrative Sciences
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi 110067

Recruitment for Project

Applications were invited from the citizens of India for filling up the following temporary position for the CSIR sponsored Fellowship in the School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067. This position is temporary for a period of two and half years or tenable only for the duration of the project. The requisite qualifications & experience are given below.

Project Title : "Understanding Complex dynamics and Information processing in Brain Networks"
Funding Agency : CSIR

Principal Investigator : Dr. R.K. Brojen Singh

Position : Junior Research Fellow(One post)

Salary : As per CSIR rules and guidelines for JRF.

Qualifications & Experience : M.Sc. in Physics/Mathematics/Biology/B.Tech. In Eng. Physics/Comp. Sc. and desirable CSIR-UGC NET Qualified. Candidates should also have at least one years research experience after M. Sc./B.Tech. in works related to Neuroscience/Mathematical modeling.

Candidates possessing requisite qualifications may apply either on plain paper stating the project title along with CV and send to the following address or send as email attachment (pdf or word format) so as to reach on or before 8 January, 2014.

Dr. R.K. Brojen Singh
School of Computational and Integrative Sciences
Jawharlal Nehru University
New Delhi 110067
Email: brojen@jnu.ac.in, brojen@mail.jnu.ac.in

Zhang Lab

Sun, 28 Dec 2014 12:43:08 -0600

We develop and use integrative bioinformatics approaches to extract biological meanings from experimental data and generate hypotheses for experimental validation. Please explore our website to learn more about our people and our research.

More at http://bioinfo.vanderbilt.edu/zhanglab/

WALK-IN-INTERVIEW for the post of JRF and Project Assistant @ CIFT

Tue, 20 Jan 2015 23:03:20 -0600

Eligible candidates are invited to attend a walk-in-Interview with all relevant documents for the following positions of Project Fellows (on contractual basis) to work in the Project “ Genetic Diversity of Clostridium botulinum in seafood and Development of Lateral Flow Immuno Assay (LFIA) for toxinotyping funded by Department of Biotechnology. The duration of the project is 3 years / co-terminus with the scheme.

Jr. Research Fellow – 2 posts

Fellowship : Rs. 25000/- + 20% HRA pm for Ist & 2nd year and Rs.28000/- + HRA on 3rd year

Qualification : Ist class Masters Degree in Microbiology/Fishery Microbiology/Bio-technology.

Desirable :

1. CSIR/UGC NET/JRF qualified

2. Excellent analytical skills and computer documentation

3. Prior experience in handling microbial cultures and molecular techniques

Project Assistant – 1 post

Fellowship : Rs.8000/- p.m (consolidated)

Qualification: Masters degree in Microbiology/Biotechnology with skill in Bioinformatics

Desirable: Excellent analytical skills in Bioinformatics and computer documentation

Terms & Conditions:

Registration will begin at 8.30 a.m and will close at 11.00 am
Age limit (as on 29.1.2015): Below 35 years for men and 40 years for women.
Age relaxation of 3 year for OBC candidates and 5 years for SC/ST candidates is permissible.
Candidates are required to submit self-attested copies of all the Certificates in support of their claims regarding age, educational qualifications, scheduled caste/scheduled tribe/OBC etc. The original certificates shall be produced for verification before the interview.
Candidates should bring detailed bio-data (in the enclosed format) affixing a recent passport size photograph.
The selected candidate will be recruited on contract basis under ICAR norms. The post is purely temporary and is co-terminus with the project.
The candidates attending the interview should ensure that they fulfil all the eligibility conditions. No correspondence will be entertained from the candidates for selection/test/appointment.
No TA/DA will be paid to attend the interview.
Canvassing in any form will render the candidate disqualified for the post.
The Director’s decision will be final and binding in all aspects regarding the selection to the post.

Venue: CIFT, Matsyapuri.P.O, Cochin Date of interview: 29.01.2015 Time: 10.00 am

http://www.cift.res.in/uploads/userfiles/file/file/srf%20appn.doc

WALK-IN-INTERVIEW FOR PROJECT ASSISTANT @ BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY

Mon, 12 Jan 2015 21:54:10 -0600

BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF BIOINFORMATICS, SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI – 620024

Project title: “Genome-scale metabolic modeling and simulation of rumen methanogens An in silico attempt to methane attenuation”

Funding Agency: University Grants Commission, New Delhi

Tenure of the project: Two years or till the end of the project period.

Position: Project Assistant (1 no.)

Essential qualification: First class M.Sc. in Bioinformatics/Microbiology/ Biotechnology and other related discipline.

Desirable qualification: Experience in an area relevant (Molecular Systems Engineering) to the project.

Fellowship: Rs. 5000 per month as per the UGC norms.

Upper age limit: 28 years

Date of Venue of interview: 22.01.2015, Department of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli -620 024, Tamil Nadu

The above post is purely temporary and will be terminated with three month notice.

The Terms and the condition of the appointment shall be governed according to UGC, Govt. of India. The eligible candidates will bring their original certificates and documents at the time of interview. No TA/DA will be paid for attending the interview.

Dr. P. CHELLAPANDI
UGC-Research Awardee,
Department of Bioinformatics,
School of Life Sciences,
Bharathidasan University,
Tiruchirappalli -620 024, Tamil Nadu

Advertisement: www.bdu.ac.in/adv/PA_UGC_Bioinformatics.pdf

ChromEvol

Jit — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 00:33:11 -0600

Chromosome number is a remarkably dynamic feature of eukaryotic evolution. Chromosome numbers can change by a duplication of the whole genome (a process termed polyploidy), or by single chromosome changes (ascending dysploidy via, e.g., chromosome fission or descending dysploidy via, e.g., chromosome fusion).
Of the various mechanisms of chromosome number change, polyploidy has received significant attention because of the impact such an event may have on the organism.
ChromEvol implements a series of likelihood models for the evolution of chromosome numbers. By comparing the fit of the different models to biological data, it may be possible to gain insight regarding the pathways by which the evolution of chromosome number proceeds. For each model, the program estimates the rates for the possible transitions assumed by the model, infers the set of ancestral chromosome numbers, and estimates the location along the tree for which polyploidy events (and other chromosome number changes) occurred. For further methodological details, see the publications and manual on the Downloads page.

http://www.tau.ac.il/~itaymay/cp/chromEvol/about.html

Address of the bookmark: http://www.tau.ac.il/~itaymay/cp/chromEvol/downloads.html

JRF/RA Structural/Computational Biology at ICGEB

Thu, 29 Jan 2015 11:52:40 -0600

Research Associate and JRF positions in the Structural and Computational Biology Group starting 1st March 2015. Collaborative projects include work on:

a) bioinformatics, systems and computational biology
b) malaria
c) drug discovery
d) genomics
e) microbiology
f) metabolic disorders
g) molecular medicine

Eligibility: Applicants must have one of the following :

1) INSPIRE award for undertakig either PhD or Postdoctoral research;
2) SPM award for PhD;
3) JRF for pursuing PhD from CSIR/DBT/ICMR

Interest and experience in Biochemistry/Bioinformatics/Biophysics/ Chemistry/Genomics/Molecular Biology/ is essential.

Submit curriculum vitae to sb.icgeb@gmail.com by 20 February 2015

Research Associate and JRF positions in the Structural and Computational Biology Group at ICGEB

Mon, 02 Feb 2015 23:00:37 -0600

Research Associate and JRF positions in the Structural and Computational Biology Group starting 1st March 2015. Collaborative projects include work on:

a) bioinformatics, systems and computational biology
b) malaria
c) drug discovery
d) genomics
e) microbiology
f) metabolic disorders
g) molecular medicine

Eligibility: Applicants must have one of the following :

1) INSPIRE award for undertakig either PhD or Postdoctoral research;
2) SPM award for PhD;
3) JRF for pursuing PhD from CSIR/DBT/ICMR

Interest and experience in Biochemistry/Bioinformatics/Biophysics/ Chemistry/Genomics/Molecular Biology/ is essential.

Submit curriculum vitae to sb.icgeb@gmail.com by 20 February 2015

JRF / Project Assistant Recruitment at Shillong – Bioinformatics Centre (DIC)

Sat, 07 Feb 2015 06:00:23 -0600

3 Vacancies at Bioinformatics Centre (DIC) For M.Tech/M.Sc. Degree Candidates. Apply Before 15th February,2015

Bioinformatics Centre (DIC) invites applications for the following posts:

Job Number: 01
Job Designation: Junior Research Fellow (JRF)
Number of Vacancy: 02 (Two)
Educational Qualification:
M.Tech/M.Sc. in Life Sciences/Botany/Zoology/Biochemistry/Biotechnology/Bioinformatics.
Desirable Qualification:
Aptitude for Bioinformatics and Computer Programming/Next generation sequencing data analysis.

Job Number: 02
Job Designation: Project Assistant
Number of Vacancy: 01 (One)
Educational Qualification:
Graduation in Science.
Desirable Qualification:
Experience of working in a Life Science/Plant Biotechnology Lab.

Place of Work: Shillong

How To Apply For Opening:
The applications through email bicnehu@gmail.com or post must reach the undersigned within 15 days from the date of publication of this advertisement.

Last Date To Apply: 15th February,2015

Contact Address: Bioinformatics Centre (DIC),Shillong-793022

Advertisement Details: Employment News (31 January – 6 February) Page 28

Bioinformatics PhDs - Cover Letter

Martin Jones — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 12:48:52 -0600

Overview
The reception your cover letter will receive is more varied and unpredictable than the other elements of your application packet. Some readers, especially at large research universities, will skip it entirely, and focus instead on more direct indicators of your academic achievements and potential: the CV, letters, and writing sample. Most often, however, your cover letter works in tandem with your CV, and represents your best opportunity to communicate directly with your target audience prior to an interview.

The cover letter should not simply repeat the information contained in the CV; rather it should elaborate and frame the aspects of your academic training and background that you want search committee members to have uppermost in their minds as they consider your candidacy. At a minimum, it should contain a clear statement of your research and teaching interests, and how your qualifications match the requirements of the job description. Many disciplines have their own conventions and protocols for application materials including the cover letter. Be sure to show a draft of your letter to your chair or the department's placement advisor.

There is no perfect or even preferred style of cover letter save that tone should be that of a confident professional. Departments aren't interested in hiring graduate students (they already have enough of those). They are looking for serious scholars/teachers who will make interesting, congenial, and productive colleagues. While it is probably not a good use of your time to tailor your letter for each opening, you will probably need at least two base versions that emphasize different elements (You would not want to use the same cover letter to apply to Oberlin as UC Irvine). You may want to customize the letters for the three to five jobs most attractive to you.

Your cover letter should not exceed a page and a half or two at the most. No one will read a four-page letter, and your apparent inability to communicate your credentials in a concise manner is not to your advantage. Every line of your letter should serve a demonstrable purpose. Some people have gotten excellent jobs with a brief, boilerplate letter containing no more than a short intro, a paragraph on their research, and a couple of sentences on their teaching. Others use letters that discuss in very specific terms how they, their research, and their teaching would "fit" within the existing department and institutional setting. The choice of style is up to you, and should reflect what makes you feel most comfortable and most positive about your credentials.

There are, however, circumstances where a longer, more annotated version is more likely to be helpful. The issues you should take into account when making this decision are:

    The size of the department/institution
    The extent to which your research is mainstream and its significance readily apparent
    The extent to which your qualifications diverge from those mentioned in the job ad
    The extent to which the institution to which you are applying differs from UC Berkeley and the relative importance of teaching versus research
    Unusual circumstances or career paths

Size matters. The larger the department, the less detailed your letter needs to be. If there are already six people working in your sub-field, they can assess and translate the significance of your work to others in the department. If, however, you will be the only history of science person or the only physical anthropologist in the department, the search committee and others will likely need more help from you to understand the import of your work. Remember, if they are searching for your specialty they are understaffed in your area, and even if there is more than one person in your sub-field she/he may be on leave or otherwise uninvolved in the search.

Similarly, smaller departments are more likely to be concerned than larger ones about the specific courses you are prepared to teach. If there are certain core courses your position needs to cover, make it unambiguously clear that you are prepared to do so even if you haven't taught them already.

As a rule of thumb, the more your profile diverges from the specifics of the job description (or the norm, such that it exists), the more likely you will want to say more about why you are nonetheless a strong candidate. By doing so you can turn a question mark into an advantage. Highlight your strengths, and if you have time perform a little research on the department (see below) so you can explain how you would add to the department in ways that they might otherwise not have considered. Job descriptions are not always etched in stone. If you're very interested in the job, call the department and ask to speak to someone on the search committee. If that's too intimidating, call the departmental assistant or secretary. They can at least tell you if it’s a new position or replacement which in turn can indicate whether they really need someone who can teach The Politics of Southern Africa or if Middle Eastern Politics would do just as well. They may well be willing to sacrifice a course in an area that the ad specified in order to get the extra teaching experience or innovative research that you have to offer, but only if you give them the opportunity and explain what they'd get in return.

If you've taken an unusually long time to finish because you spent three years learning a new language in order to prepare for two years of original research or some other factor that enriches what you have to offer as a teacher or a scholar, let them know about it. Learning a new language, for example, is an indicator of your commitment to serious scholarship. Think of a way to put a positive valence on an aspect of your CV that you believe is likely to raise questions or doubts.

As hard as it may be for not-yet-employed-but-soon-to-be academics like yourselves to believe, there are some individuals and departments that are intimidated by you and your institutional pedigree. There are many fine schools and departments that are convinced that every Berkeley graduate student is only interested in a position at Harvard, Princeton, or (hold your nose) Stanford. If it is a small liberal arts college, they may also assume that you view teaching and advising undergraduates strictly as a necessary evil. Ergo, why interview someone who will either look down their nose at us, and/or desert us for greener pastures as soon as their third book has been published and Yale comes calling. They often don't seem to realize that Berkeley graduate students are sincerely interested in a wide range of academic settings for a variety of reasons personal and professional, and, perhaps more to the point, Yale rarely "comes calling." An even greater burden of proof exists if a quick scan of your CV reveals that your all of your experience in higher education has occurred in a large, elite, research-oriented setting. How can you overcome this potential obstacle especially if you're very interested in a school that you have reason to believe may be suspicious of Berkeley PhDs?

It's probably not advisable to write in a cover letter that they shouldn't be intimidated by lil' old you (i.e., "I'm really not very good; in fact, my advisor says I'm her worst graduate student in twenty years."), but there are ways to indicate a sincere interest in their department. One means is to do a little research, and briefly discuss how you might fit into the department and the institutional community-at-large. There are numerous articles written by faculty about the search process that state explicitly the positive impact it can have on their impression of a candidate to see evidence that that he/she has taken the time to learn something about them. Researching a department and its associated programs/research centers has never been easier. Virtually all colleges and universities are online, and their web addresses can be easily located using Education/Universities link.

A second way to address fears of imminent flight is to provide evidence of ties to the area, the university, or lifestyle.   If you are from the Midwest, have family nearby, or even if you just spent an enjoyable summer there, add a line about it and your desire to return to your cover letter for Purdue or Wayne State. If you did your undergraduate work at a similar type of institution, draw their attention to that link. Don't assume that they will notice where you got your BA on your CV, and make the connection.

If you are applying to small, liberal arts colleges, don't just list the courses you've taught with a line of boilerplate about how important you take your teaching responsibilities to be. These days, a good, small college has a list price of about $30,000 a year, and close contact with people like you is one of their key selling points to parents and potential students. You are expected to be more than a lecturer, and your ability to convey your recognition of that fact and a sincere interest in working closely with students matters. Advising, participating in non-academic activities, watching your students grow and mature inside the classroom and out (and having an influence on that process) can be among the most rewarding aspects of the profession. If you value these broader elements of being a professor, let them know. In particular, if your own experience has been limited to large universities, think about describing an episode where you had a positive impact on the development of a student and the satisfaction you derived from helping him or her. At many small colleges, and large universities (including Berkeley) as well, one of the most significant pedagogical trends is fostering greater student involvement in faculty research. If you can articulate how this might occur for you and their students in a brief but thoughtful manner, it can alleviate some of the concerns occasioned by your Berkeley background.

Your letter typically will have four segments: the introduction, research, teaching, and the closing.

Introduction
Be sure to identify the position you are applying for by rank and sub-field in the first sentence or two. It is not uncommon for departments to be engaged in more than one search in a given year, and large departments may have more than one in your sub-field. If it is an open rank position and you are applying as an assistant professor, in most cases you and your record of accomplishments will not be directly compared with those of more experienced candidates applying for it at the associate or full professor level. Rather, applicants are assessed based on where they are in their career path, and you have every chance of successfully competing against them.

If you have finished, mention it up front. If not, state when you expect to file - no later than June 2003. Many readers will view your optimistic prediction with a skeptical eye, and anything you can say that makes the claim appear more credible (e.g., "I have written and my chair has reviewed four of the six chapters.") can help mitigate their concerns. You can put such a statement in the introduction or wait until you discuss the dissertation itself.

If your discipline holds its annual meeting in the summer or early fall (i.e., before application deadlines) and you had an excellent conference interview, make reference to it in the cover letter including the names of the faculty with whom you spoke. By the time people actually start to read files, months may have passed and even the strongest of impressions can fade. But they can be rehabilitated and revived, especially if you can remind them of a specific strength, ability, or issue that seemed particularly salient during the interview.
Research
Unless you are applying to a school that cares only about your teaching (increasingly rare), a description of your research generally follows next. The challenge here is not simply to describe your research, but to frame it in terms of your sub-field and discipline. The search committee, hasn't lived, eaten and breathed Post-Edwardian Hermeneutics for the past five years the way you have. And they haven't been there every step of the torturous process like your friends and significant others. So forgive them for not immediately recognizing your research at first blush for the path-breaking work that it is.

Departments want to know that in hiring you, they are adding someone who will make a future contribution to the discipline and enhance the reputation of the department. However, they are often ill-equipped to understand exactly how that will be true in your particular case. Many disciplines are sufficiently broad that leading or cutting-edge research in one sub-field is barely intelligible to those in others. In addition, when you became a candidate for the short list, your file will be read by department members outside your specialty, and, oftentimes later on in the process, by individuals outside your discipline as well. You need to describe the forest in which your tree resides, and explain why it matters in terms of the broader trends and issues within your discipline. Obviously, if your work is focused on one of the classic conundrums of your field, much less in the way of providing perspective is necessary than if you are addressing an emergent issue or employing an unconventional approach.

If your research is particularly novel or cutting-edge, any markers of broader acceptance by other, more established scholars or scholarly organs in your field can ameliorate possible concerns about its relevance and potential importance. In discussing your work, note the recognition it has received in the form of competitive grants, awards, publications in refereed journals, and/or presentations at major conferences.

It is also important to mention where you expect your research to go after the completion of your dissertation and the publications that will flow from it. They, especially at research-oriented institutions, want to know at least in broad terms where you expect to go from here. They want to see evidence of a scholarly agenda that extends beyond the dissertation. You don't need to have pages written or titles blocked out, but you need to tell them in a paragraph, (two at the most) about what questions intrigue you, and how you expect to go about finding the answers to them. These questions for future research may have been generated by the findings of your dissertation, unusual data uncovered during your fieldwork, or interesting side issues that you were forced to put off in order to keep your dissertation taut and focused. Think twice about mentioning future projects that appear entirely unrelated to your current work. Departments will want you to be firmly established in one area before you go off into another.

The relative importance of teaching versus research is a continuous and not a discrete variable. Even schools that emphasize teaching in their job listing will generally want evidence of scholarly engagement and publishing potential. It is a very competitive market for students out there, and virtually all institutions are under pressure to sell themselves via the quality of their faculty to the limited number of good students in the applicant pool. A good marker for the relative importance of teaching versus research is the teaching load. An institution with a 3-2 teaching load (a total of five courses taught per two-semester year) will expect more in the way of and value research more highly than one with a 3-3 load.

If you work in a capital-intensive area, mention your track record of gaining grants and other sources of external funding.
Teaching
In a similar fashion, the more the institution you are applying to diverges from Berkeley and the more your profile differs from the job description, the more expansive you should be in talking about your teaching and what you have to offer their students. If you have won a teaching award at Berkeley, don't make them wait until they read your CV to discover that fact.

For letters sent to large universities where you will be expected to teach large, lecture courses and graduate seminars, little is needed except to convey that you have the necessary experience and/or background. Since the dominant pedagogical style is the same as that found at Berkeley, it will be assumed that you will be able to do the same for them.

If you have TA'd some of the courses that (based on the job description) you would be expected to offer, let them know. If you have not had that opportunity, but your fields and research fall within the domain of the job description, you may want to add a line about how well prepared you are to teach such courses based on your training and research.

If your profile does not correspond exactly to the description found in the job announcement, but you believe that you could nonetheless teach the required courses, explain the basis for your confidence. What strength would you bring to the department that would more than make up for your "otherness"? Departments may decide that they don't "need" another conventional European historian if you can convince them that you can handle the core courses and offer something new that they don't currently cover as well. In this case especially, think about doing some research so you can speak in more specific terms about how you would fit into and enhance the department's offerings. Help them visualize how you would strengthen them as a department.

Small colleges will want to know that you are able to teach on a more intimate basis and are prepared to take the time to do it well. If you give them three generic lines about how "important" you consider your teaching responsibilities, don't expect much of a positive response. Spend a couple of paragraphs describing your teaching experience and philosophy, and how you would take advantage of the opportunity to create you own courses.

If you've had the opportunity to design and teach your own course, tell them, briefly, how you went about it and the choices you made. Don't just say you're a good teacher, tell them why. Look over your teaching evaluations and pick out one or two consistent strengths to highlight. Drawing on your experience, talk about how you engage students and enhance their skills (especially writing) and intellectual development.

For good, small colleges, the quality of the teaching offered to students is their stock-in- trade. Even the most research-oriented, small colleges take teaching undergraduates very seriously. You need to demonstrate that you take it seriously as well, and can talk about it using more than vague generalities and shop-worn cliches.
Closing/Enclosures
Wrap it up quickly. If you are going to be traveling for any significant portion of the job search season be sure to let them know how they can contact you (email, cellphone and/or a Pacific Bell message center account are particularly good options).

Before closing, include a sentence where you list the materials you have enclosed (e.g., CV, dissertation abstract, transcripts, teaching statement/portfolio, writing samples, etc.) and are having sent separately (letters of recommendation). You will often be assembling multiple packets at the same time (as in midnight October 14th, midnight November 14th, etc.) for jobs that ask for different combinations of enclosures. In addition to telling them what they should have received, it serves as a handy list for you to check before sealing the envelope.

Should you send a writing sample, even if they haven't asked for one? Unless the norm in your discipline is to never send more than they ask for, if you've been smart and have already run off thirty copies at two cents per page (that's only sixty cents for a thirty page chapter) by all means send it. That way it's in the file should someone become interested in you and want to read more.