Assistant Professor of Medieval Literary and Cultural Studies - University of Oregon

Department: English
Rank: Assistant Professor
Annual Basis: 9 Month

Application Deadline

Nov. 30, 2024, open until filled

Required Application Materials

Submit the following materials, which may be packaged into a single PDF or submitted as individual documents:  
• Cover letter (maximum 2 pages, single-spaced) that demonstrates qualifications, current and future research trajectories, teaching experience, and other relevant information
• Curriculum vitae, including the names of three references
• Research writing sample of no more than 30 pages
• Teaching statement (maximum 2 pages, single-spaced) that describes your approach to teaching, prior teaching experience, and mentorship experience
• Statement (maximum 1 page, single-spaced) addressing contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching, research, and mentorship
 
Applicants selected for interviews may be asked for full teaching portfolios and contact information (or confidential document delivery links) for three references.

Position Announcement

The University of Oregon’s Department of English invites applications for a tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in Late Medieval Literature and Culture to begin September 2025. The new faculty member will join an intellectual community with an established reputation in Medieval Studies as well as strengths in environmental studies, folklore, digital humanities, and comics studies.

Candidates can expect to teach 5 courses per year across three 11-week quarters; introductory, mid-level, and advanced undergraduate, as well as graduate-level seminars, with options to teach in summer courses. Expectations of teaching include mentorship of MA and PhD students and directing undergraduate and graduate theses. We especially encourage applicants committed to coursework that encourages undergraduate inquiry and research, supports graduate research and professional development, and speaks to diverse student populations. The department has an established mentorship program and mentorship resources are also available from the Office of the Provost for faculty at all stages of their career. We actively welcome applicants from communities historically marginalized and currently underrepresented in the academy.

Preferred subspecialties might include: 

• Digital humanities 
• Disability studies 
• Drama/performance studies 
• Environmental studies 
• Folklore 
• Global medieval studies 
• Race/ethnicity 

Department or Program Summary

The Department of English has thriving undergraduate and graduate communities and offers degrees at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels, as well as an English minor and additional minors in Comics and Cartoon Studies; Digital Humanities; Disability Studies; and Writing, Public Speaking, and Critical Reasoning. The Department also has close ties to the interdisciplinary Medieval Studies program, which offers an undergraduate major and a minor with faculty from departments across campus, and to the Folklore & Public Culture Program, which offers degrees at both the Bachelors and Masters levels.

Minimum Requirements

• PhD at the time of appointment in English, Medieval Studies, or related field
• Commitment to productive research and scholarship
• Evidence of a research agenda in late Medieval British Literature and Culture
• Experience teaching at the college level

Preferred Qualifications

• The ability to fill in teaching our Old English classes is desirable but not required.

About the University

The University of Oregon is one of only two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities and holds the distinction of a “very high research activity” ranking in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO enrolls more than 20,000 undergraduate and 3,600 graduate students representing all 50 states and nearly 100 countries. The University of Oregon is guided by a diversity framework that involves a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion or all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. In recent years, the university has increased the diversity of its student body, as well as campus-wide efforts to build a welcoming, inclusive community for our student body. The UO’s 295-acre campus features state-of-the art facilities in an arboretum-like setting within the traditional homelands of the Kalapuya people. The UO is located in Eugene, a vibrant city of 177,000 with a wide range of cultural and culinary offerings, a pleasant climate, and a community engaged in environmental and social concerns. The campus is within easy driving distance of the Pacific Coast, the Cascade Mountains, and Portland.

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit https://hr.uoregon.edu/about-benefits.

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy (including pregnancy-related conditions), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, familial status, citizenship, service in the uniformed services (as defined in federal and state law), veteran status, expunged juvenile record, and/or the use of leave protected by state or federal law in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed here.

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