POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
For full consideration applications should be submitted by November 15th, 2022
The Department of Native American Studies invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor specializing in Native American/Indigenous literature and literary studies, to begin on July 1, 2023. We welcome applications from inter-multi-, trans-disciplinary scholars with another major area of research and teaching such as Indigenous religious traditions/belief-systems/wisdom traditions or another intellectual trajectory that would complement the current strengths of our faculty. Preferred geographic focus: North America (inclusive of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico) and/or the U.S./Mexico borderlands. We encourage applications from candidates who are themselves creative writers as well as scholars; who consider the community impacts of their research through a program of publicly engaged scholarship; and whose work encourages creative production and language revitalization through the promotion of writing in Indigenous languages.
Successful candidates will be expected to teach in the field of Native American and Indigenous literature and literary studies, other subjects that complement departmental offerings, and share in the teaching of required courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Graduate mentoring is an important component for all our faculty. Additionally, this position carries the responsibility of supervising and mentoring graduate students chosen as Associate Instructors to teach NAS 005 Introduction to Native American Literature (a course that fulfills the lower division writing requirement for the campus).
Qualifications
By the time of appointment, applicants should have earned a PhD (or equivalent) in Native American or American Indian Studies, American Studies, Ethnic Studies, English, Comparative Literature, or a related field. Successful candidates should have a record of innovative and effective teaching experience centered in Native American and Indigenous literature and literary studies. They should also show promise in graduate student mentoring; a commitment to ongoing professional and scholarly development in Native American and Indigenous literature and literary studies; and active participation in departmental, university, professional, and/or public service, broadly defined.
Application Instructions
Candidates should submit the application packet online at: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/apply/JPF05188
- Cover letter (2-3 pages)
- Curriculum vitae
- Research statement (2 page maximum)
- Teaching portfolio that includes: a statement of teaching philosophy, 1-2 proposed or current course syllabi, and one set of student evaluations
- Statement of contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion (2 page maximum). Ideally, this statement should also speak to lived Indigenous experience and community connections, with a description of past and/or potential contributions through teaching, mentoring, research, and service to Native American and Indigenous Studies and/or communities. More information about how to prepare diversity statements is available at: https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/guidelines-writing-diversity-statement
- Writing sample (the length of an article or chapter)
- Contact information for three referees willing to submit letters of reference if requested at a later date
Questions may be addressed to Professor Liza Grandia, chair of the search committee at: lgrandia@ucdavis.edu
About NAS at UC Davis
The Department of Native American Studies at the University of California, Davis, is one of three PhD-granting programs in this field in the U.S., and the only one with a hemispheric perspective. Located on the lands of the Patwin peoples, our program acknowledges and supports the sovereignty and rights of Indigenous nations over their ancestral and traditional lands.
In 2019, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our undergraduate academic program (major, minor, and systemwide online minor in development) and the 20th anniversary of our graduate program (MA and PhD). Next year marks the 30th anniversary of our departmental status. Through our graduate program, we also offer a Designated Emphasis (DE) in Native American Studies, which provides NAS faculty the opportunity to mentor students from units across the campus. The NAS Department houses the Native American Language Center, the Indigenous Research Center of the Americas, and the Yocha Dehe Endowed Chair in California Indian Studies. Finally, UC Davis is home to the following entities that support and promote Native American/Indigenous issues on campus: the Native American Academic Student Success Center (a.k.a. “the Native Nest”), several undergraduate student organizations, the NAS Graduate Student Association, the C.N. Gorman Museum, the Tribal Justice Project, Native American/Indigenous Advisory Committee to the Chancellor, the NAGPRA Project, and the Patwin/Native American Honoring Project. The University of California has also demonstrated a commitment to supporting Native American student tuition through the Native American Opportunity Plan. Additional information can be found here.