TENURE-TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OR POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP TO ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

About Occidental College

Founded in 1887, Occidental is a nationally recognized, private college of the liberal arts and sciences, dedicated to providing a gifted and diverse group of students with a total educational experience of the highest quality -- one that prepares them for leadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent and pluralistic world.

What makes Occidental special? An intellectually rigorous academic environment. Small classroom settings where students collaborate with professors and their peers while pursuing or discovering their passion. A beautiful residential campus that offers students hands-on engagement with the cultural and intellectual resources of Los Angeles. A community open to stimulating conversation and divergent points of view. Some 2,100 students from 46 states and 28 countries choose from 41 majors and minors and participate in one the country’s top undergraduate research programs. Oxy students routinely win top awards and fellowships; its first Rhodes Scholar was named in 1907. Dedicated to excellence and equity, Occidental also is one of the country’s most economically diverse campuses, according to the New York Times. Some 71 percent of Oxy students receive some form of financial aid; 20 percent are Pell Grant recipients; and 19 percent are the first in their family to attend college




TENURE-TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE Medieval or
Early Modern MEDITERRANEAN WORLD
Postdoctoral Fellowship to Assistant Professor


Department of History



POSITION SUMMARY


The Department of History at Occidental College invites applications for a tenure‐track Assistant Professor in
history. The position begins in Fall 2025. The first year of this appointment is as a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow
with a significantly reduced teaching load and the following year the position converts to assistant professor,
tenure-track.

Position

The History Department at Occidental College invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in the
Mediterranean World, 600 to 1500 C.E. Successful candidates situate early modern Mediterranean history in a
transnational context, and depending on the specific candidate might contribute to a range of fields such as
North African, Trans-Saharan, and/or European studies, as well as Medieval and/or Renaissance studies. The
candidate’s work must engage issues of race, ethnicity, religion and/or social justice, and whose background,
expertise, and experiences will contribute to diversifying Occidental’s faculty. Preference will be given to
candidates whose research addresses cross-cultural contact, economic exchange and political economy, empire
and urbanism, or religious cooperation and conflict." Candidates with interest in or experience with digital
humanities and/or public history are also encouraged to apply.

Candidates are expected to teach introductory courses as well as upper-level courses in their areas of
specialization. Candidates will also periodically teach in Occidental’s First-Year Seminar Program. In addition
to providing necessary temporal and geographical coverage, this hire comes at a critical time for the department
as we seek to restructure our curriculum in line with the Occidental Promise’s focus on high-impact, immersive
courses with a community-based learning component.

Occidental faculty are committed teacher-scholars who bring research and creative discovery to life for students
in classrooms, labs, studios, and mentored projects. The Department is also committed to undergraduate
research, regularly mentoring History Department's senior thesis projects, and Occidental’s hallmark summer
research program. The department seeks an innovative instructor, scholar, mentor, and colleague who shares
these commitments to a community-grounded and research-intensive curriculum.

QUALIFICATIONS


Required Qualifications
● Ph.D.in History required, with specialization in the Mediterranean World, 600-1500 CE
● Must have some focus (research or teaching) on race, religion, and/or ethnicity, and must have

background, expertise, and experiences that will contribute to diversifying Occidental’s faculty.

● Must be able to teach introductory courses in the Mediterranean World, as well as upper-level courses in
their area of specialization in the department.

● Must be able to teach First-Year Seminar courses
● Must be able to mentor undergraduate research, including History Department senior theses and summer

research program
● Demonstrated commitment to and excellence in undergraduate teaching
● Demonstrated commitment to working effectively with students from minoritized and marginalized

social groups
● A strong record of scholarly accomplishments appropriate to the level of appointment
● Demonstrated commitment to the four cornerstones of the mission of the College: excellence, equity,

community, and service

Preferred Qualifications
● We welcome applicants whose research area(s) addresses issues such as cross-cultural contact,

economic exchange and political economy, empire and urbanism and/or, religious cooperation and
conflict

● We welcome applicants with interest in or experience with digital humanities and/or public history
● We welcome applicants whose teaching incorporates community-based learning.

SALARY RANGE


Expected for Academic Year, nine-month appointment: $82,500

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on
factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies
with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS


Application Submission Materials

Submit a complete application package electronically to be considered by the search committee. An application
includes the following:

● Cover Letter (2 -3 pages) should describe the candidate’s education, current scholarship, teaching
experience. The cover letter will also address the candidate’s commitment to the field of Mediterranean
Studies, and their commitment to teaching in a diverse liberal arts environment.

● Curriculum Vitae
● Research Statement (2-3 pages) should describe the trajectory of the candidate’s research and writing

agenda for several years. The statement should identify the primary questions guiding the candidate’s
research; comment on research methodology; and discuss the research’s implications for Mediterranean
Studies and other adjacent fields.

● Writing Sample should showcase the candidate’s current or recently completed research project. The
writing sample should fit within the long-term research trajectory described in the research statement.
The writing sample may consist of an excerpt from the candidate’s dissertation; an academic article
manuscript; a book manuscript; or a recent publication, whether it be an academic article, edited
collection, or an excerpt from a published monograph. (20 pages)

● Teaching Philosophy Statement (1 page) should discuss the candidate’s teaching experience, preferred
pedagogical practices, and demonstrated commitment to, past evidence of, and future plans for creating equitable
opportunities for learning and mentoring, especially for underrepresented students.


● Commitment to Inclusive Excellence Statement (1 page)
o This statement provides the candidate’s unique perspective on their past and present

contributions to and future aspirations for promoting justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity in
their professional career. This should include their demonstrated commitment to, past evidence
of, and future plans for creating equitable opportunities for learning and mentoring, especially

for students from marginalized and minoritized groups. The candidate may also speak to how
their research and/or service promotes justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity. The purpose of
this statement is to help the department identify candidates who have professional experience,
intellectual commitments, and/or willingness to engage in activities that could help the College
contribute to its mission in these areas.


● Three letters of recommendation

Please direct all questions about the position to: Professor Marla Stone at mstone@oxy.edu

Application Deadline

To be assured full consideration, application materials must be received by midnight Eastern time (9:00 pm
Pacific time) November 10, 2024.

You will upload your application materials to Interfolio, http://apply.interfolio.com/152534

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


This search is part of Occidental’s new multi-year Mellon Faculty Diversity Initiative (MFDI). The initiative
aligns with the College’s Equity and Justice agenda by enabling us to hire a cluster of Arts and Humanities faculty
whose work focuses on race and ethnicity, and whose background, expertise, and experiences will contribute to
diversifying Occidental’s faculty. The successful candidate will join the fourth MFDI cohorts to add a total of
nine positions in the Arts and Humanities. As part of the MFDI program, the members of the cohorts will be
provided enhanced mentoring, professional development, research funds, and a greatly reduced teaching load in
the postdoctoral year, prior to transitioning to a tenure-track appointment in the second year.

Occidental is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or
applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
pregnancy, breastfeeding or related medical condition, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status,
physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic characteristic or information, military and
veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. Occidental is strongly committed to
increasing the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum, and to fostering an inclusive, equitable,
and just environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. Candidates who can
contribute to this goal through their teaching, research, advising, and other activities are encouraged to identify
their strengths and experiences in this area. Individuals advancing the College’s strategic equity and justice goals
and those from groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding
are particularly encouraged to apply.

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Moving expense reimbursement (up to $5000, taxable
according to current IRS regulations), start-up funds, and a one-course reduction of teaching load in the first year
are provided. A comprehensive benefits package is available that includes: excellent health, dental, life, and
retirement benefits; tuition benefits for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and dependents; additional extras
including use of gym facilities and the College Library. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit
https://www.oxy.edu/offices-services/human-resources/benefits-information.

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment, including those with criminal histories, in a manner
consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance
Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.
Occidental College is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with
qualifying disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the
application or employment process, please contact Human Resources (hr@oxy.edu).