Assistant Teaching Professor - Horn of Africa Languages and Cultures

Position Description

The Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (MELC) at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington invites applications for an Assistant Teaching Professor for a 3-year, non-tenure track appointment in languages and cultures of the Horn of Africa to begin in September 2024. This is a full-time, 9-month position, renewable pending a review during its third year.

Teaching responsibilities will include courses in one or more languages of the region (such as Amharic, Tigrinya, Somali, Oromo, or Ge’ez). The selected candidate will also have the opportunity to develop courses on the literature, history, or culture of the Horn of Africa region and its global diaspora. The successful applicant will be expected to engage in dynamic teaching; to develop and implement innovative and effective curricula, including digital instructional tools; to assist in program building; and to engage in campus and community outreach. Moreover, there may be opportunities for the successful candidate to help develop specialized curriculum for language for specific purposes (e.g., STEM, medicine, or business). The person hired into this position will collaborate with the University of Washington’s African Studies Program and other units to extend and enrich the Horn of Africa Initiative.

University of Washington faculty engage in teaching, scholarship and service. Our faculty, staff, and students are concerned with the ways that race, gender identity, sexuality, ability, class, and ethnicity intersect and shape the human experience, both within the educational experience and outside of it. Through this work, we encourage all members of the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures to think critically about the world around them.

The base salary range for this position will be $7,200 - $8,300 per month on a 9-month basis ($64,800 – 74,700 annually), commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.

Qualifications

The successful candidate for this position:

• will, by the start of the appointment, have in hand a Master's degree (or foreign equivalent), in African Studies, Linguistics, History, Anthropology, Education, or other relevant fields. A PhD (or foreign equivalent) in these fields is also acceptable.
• will demonstrate advanced skills in teaching one or more Horn of Africa languages, as demonstrated by teaching reviews.

Application Instructions

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but preference will be given to applications received by November 17, 2023. Applicants are requested to submit the following via Interfolio:

• A cover letter that describes the candidate’s suitability for this position and explains how the candidate’s experiences, activities, and goals will lead to success in an interdisciplinary department.
• A C.V.
• A teaching portfolio that includes a statement of teaching philosophy and experience (not exceeding two pages) along with evidence of potential for teaching excellence. The portfolio may include items such as sample syllabi, documentation for courses or student activities, and student evaluations. Evidence of skills and training in curriculum development may be included as well.
• A statement, not to exceed one page, on how their work would contribute to the diversity, equity and inclusivity goals of the department, the Humanities Division and the University (see MELC Diversity statement at https://melc.washington.edu/equity-diversity-inclusion and UW Diversity statement at https://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/).
• Applicants are welcome to contextualize their dossier by providing details that might include experiences, aspects of training, outreach, teaching or research that will contribute to a distinctive professional profile.
• Applicants must be prepared to provide three letters of recommendation, upon request, by December 8, 2023.
• (Optional) A sample of the applicant’s scholarship or other work on the Horn of Africa or the region’s global diaspora.

For more information on the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of Washington please see https://melc.washington.edu

Any questions about application procedures may be addressed to Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at melcuw@uw.edu.