I applied for a position with the application deadline of April 30 and was contacted for an interview last week. My interview is in mid-July. Can they reasonably expect a candidate to start in September if they make a decision quickly? If so, would it be appropriate to ask for teaching release for the fall semester? Not sure if asking for a january 2016 start-date would be a deal-breaker from their perspective when they are moving so quickly. Thanks in advance.
Edit: this is in Canada.
This may depend to some extent on hiring norms in your field/country.
I would assume that if they are interviewing people in July, it is because they really need someone to start teaching in the fall. (Otherwise they would wait another year and hire for next fall, when there would be more candidates available; I would assume that by this time of year, many people are off the market.) As such, I wouldn't think they'd be likely to go for a deferred start date, or a complete release from fall teaching. A modest teaching reduction is conceivable; you may be able to tell during the interview whether this would seem to be in line with their needs (e.g. if there is one particular class that they really need someone to teach).
The size of the department may also give some indication - a large department is more likely to have some flexibility than a small one.
You might be able to negotiate for classes that require less advance preparation (e.g. introductory courses instead of advanced). You might also be able to get more money for relocation, on the grounds that you're moving on short notice.
But my gut feeling is that you should be prepared to show up and start teaching in September.
It might, it might not. It might mean they are desperate to find someone to teach, but it might also mean they are desperate to fill the position before the university takes it away. For example, the current thinking is that my university is going to impose a hiring freeze any day now. We are currently running a number of searches. As long as candidates are willing to sign a contract, we don't care when they start. In some ways, it would be better if they delayed the start date.
After you have an offer. Then you can ask when they want you to start. At that point asking for a delayed start and/or teaching release is reasonable (at least for US tenure track positions at R1 universities).
If they have interviews in mid-July, they will make decisions in late July at the earliest. Give a week or two to negotiate the details and sign a contract. You're then in a position where a candidate doesn't even have sufficient time to give their two-weeks' notice as is common in the US (with much more time required in other countries if you want to quit your job). You also have to find a place to live and actually move.
This will be no news to your new department. They understand these timeline issues, and I cannot see anything wrong in asking them for their timelines. In particular, I cannot come up with any reason why such a question could possibly be construed in any negative way: after all, it shows that you are serious and are thinking through the practicalities of making the commitment to move. This is better than having a candidate who never seems to care about these issues, possibly because they have no intention of accepting the offer anyway and only wants to use it for negotiations at home.
In other words: Ask whatever questions you have when you're there. They invited you, so they at least think about wanting you to come. They will be more than happy to talk you through the things that aren't clear to you, and they will likely also listen to issues that will present hurdles to you (such as giving your current employer the legally required minimal time for terminating your employment, moving in time, getting ready for classes while moving, etc). None of these questions should catch them off guard.
