Assistant Professor - Department of Anthropology

Title:

270-NN_FACULTY - Assistant Professor

Business Title:

Assistant Professor - Department of Anthropology

Additional Titles:

Location:

WSU PULLMAN CAMPUS

Employee Type:

Faculty

Job Family:

Faculty - Academic - Not OT Eligible

Position Details:

Position Summary

The Department of Anthropology at Washington State University seeks to hire a cultural anthropologist who conducts health-oriented research and collaborates with, is embedded in, and seeks to benefit members of systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups within Canada, the US, and/or Mexico. The position is a permanent, full-time, nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor position based on the Pullman campus. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will begin the appointment on August 16, 2023.

WSU is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive university community. The university recognizes that fostering an inclusive environment for all, with particular attention to the needs of historically and systematically marginalized populations, is vital to the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of our institutional mission. Towards continually strengthening this commitment, we seek candidates whose research, teaching, and/or service has prepared them to be an integral contributor to the continued advancement of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access here at WSU. The university is particularly interested in hiring scholars who are deeply connected to and integrated into the communities that they study, as a means to build on our strong tradition of engaged and applied scholarship at WSU.

Therefore, the Department of Anthropology seeks innovative and engaged candidates who conduct meaningfully collaborative, health-oriented research with systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups within Mexico, Canada, and/or the US, and who can likewise work collaboratively with faculty and students in anthropology and across the WSU system to advance meaningful partnerships with, respect for, and understandings of these communities. Given the needs of the department, institution, and its constituencies, the research profile for our ideal candidate is a scholar with:

• fieldwork that is substantively and meaningfully collaborative, which demonstrates significant partnership and engagement with, and attention to the goals/needs of systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups within the US, Mexico, and/or Canada, and which ideally derives from the researcher having spent considerable time in the community

• a health-oriented research agenda that addresses topics of importance to, and developed in partnership with members of systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups

• a research stance that recognizes and addresses the historical and current situation and status of systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups, and a commitment to share this information with our students in courses and other forums

Summary of Duties:

Responsibilities include: (1) maintaining an active program of community-engaged, health-related scholarship with systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups within Canada, Mexico, and/or the US, including pursuing external funding; (2) engaging in collaborative work inside and outside of the discipline, especially with systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups; (3) teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in cultural anthropology; (4) recruiting, advising and mentoring diverse graduate and undergraduate students, including recruiting and retaining students from systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups; and (5) providing service to the department, institution, and profession, including outreach to broader communities.
Required Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate in anthropology or an appropriate, related discipline by the time of hire

• An active, community-engaged and collaborative, health-oriented research program with systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups within Canada, Mexico, and/or the US

• A commitment to ongoing and sustained field research with a health focus

• Demonstration of, or potential to achieve a record of research accomplishment

• Demonstration of, or potential to establish and maintain an externally funded research program.

• Demonstration of, or potential to successfully teach and mentor students at the graduate and undergraduate levels

• Demonstrated ability and/or potential to support, mentor, and educate individuals identifying with systematically excluded, historically underserved and/or minoritized groups and to contribute to WSU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals in research, teaching, mentoring, and/or service (https://www.wsu.edu/drive-to-25/diversity-recruitment-plans ).

To Apply:

Please be prepared to upload the following documents to your online application:

• A cover letter addressing how your experience, training and approach meet the qualifications for this position.

• Curriculum vitae

• Teaching and Mentoring Statement. Detail teaching and mentoring experience and strategies, including experience or training relevant to teaching among and/or about diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Discuss experience with and/or methods of mentoring advisees.

• Research/Scholarship Statement. Describe your health-oriented research experience and your proposed research program at WSU. Address how your community-engaged, collaborative research program advances scholarship involving systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups; reference interdisciplinary and/or collaborative connections; and, if relevant, inclusion of students and/or stakeholders.

• Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement. Statement addressing past activities as well as future plans to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion through research, teaching, professional activity, outreach and/or service. Please provide examples from your own experience.

• Names, addresses, and contact information of at least three references who can address your history of and potential for excellence in research; engagement with systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups; teaching; and service (letters will be requested at a later time).

For information regarding this position, contact Search Committee Chair Dr. Anne Pisor at [email protected].

Land Acknowledgment

Washington State University acknowledges that its locations statewide are on the homelands of Native peoples, who have lived in this region from time immemorial. Currently, there are 42 tribes, 35 of which are federally recognized that share traditional homelands and waterways in what is now Washington State. Some of these are nations and confederacies that represents multiple tribes and bands. The University expresses its deepest respect for and gratitude towards these original and current caretakers of the region. As an academic community, we acknowledge our responsibility to establish and maintain relationships with these tribes and Native peoples, in support of tribal sovereignty and the inclusion of their voices in teaching, research and programming. Washington State University established the Office of Tribal Relations and Native American Programs to guide us in our relationship with tribes and service to Native American students and communities. We also pledge that these relationships will consist of mutual trust, respect, and reciprocity.

As a land grant institution, we also recognize that the Morrill Act of 1862 established land-grant institutions by providing each state with “public” and federal lands, which are traced back to the disposition of Indigenous lands. In 1890, Washington State received 90,081 acres of Indigenous Lands designated to establish Washington State University (see data ). Washington State University retains the majority of these lands to this day. We acknowledge that the disposition of Indigenous lands was often taken by coercive and violent acts, and the disregard of treaties. For that, we extend our deepest apologies. We owe our deepest gratitude to the Native peoples of this region and maintain our commitment towards reconciliation.

For a listing of Tribes and Nations whose Homelands are in Washington State, please see https://wsu.edu/about/wsu-land-acknowledgement/ .

About WSU, Pullman, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Department of Anthropology

Washington State University is a land grant, multiple-campus, Research 1 institution. This position will serve on the Pullman campus, which has an enrollment of around 20,000 students, about 30% of whom are multicultural (see https://wsu.edu/about/facts/ ) and about 30% are first-generation to College (see https://first.wsu.edu/ ). Pullman is located in southeastern Washington on the homelands of the Nimíipuu (Nez Perce) Tribe and Palus people. Located 80 miles south of metropolitan Spokane, Pullman is also a quick drive away from the scenic Idaho panhandle and Moscow Mountain. The rolling hills of the Palouse offer a wide range of activities and a true four-season climate. The area provides ample opportunity to enjoy the cultural and academic hub of both Washington State University and the University of Idaho, in the neighboring town of Moscow, Idaho. For more information about the region, please see https://pullmanchamber.com .

Encompassing more than 30 departments, schools, and research institutes on five campuses statewide, the College of Arts & Sciences is the heart of WSU. Together our 730+ faculty and staff deliver more than 50% of WSU’s total undergraduate and graduate instruction, including the vast majority of WSU’s core curriculum. We also drive annual research expenditures of more than $26 million, with wide interdisciplinary strengths in public and community health, environmental change, equity and social justice, and data and technology at the boundaries. As Arts & Sciences begins its 10th anniversary as a unified college, we seek to lead a reimagining of WSU’s land-grant mission for the 21st century, expanding the boundaries of creativity and discovery while simultaneously recognizing more completely our obligations to Native and Indigenous peoples. For more about the College of Arts & Sciences at WSU, please see https://cas.wsu.edu .

The Department of Anthropology is an academic unit located in the College of Arts and Sciences. Anthropology’s twenty-three faculty conduct research, support courses and mentorship, and provide service at WSU’s campuses in Pullman, Vancouver, and the Tri-Cities. The department offers the BA at WSU’s Pullman and Vancouver campuses, and to its Global campus, and teaches courses in support of a minor and certificate in American Indian Studies. Partnering with the School of Biological Sciences, we also offer a BA in Human Biology at Pullman and Vancouver. With faculty and specialties and graduate degree tracks in cultural anthropology, biological anthropology and archaeology, the department offers the M.A. and Ph.D. in anthropology in each of these areas of emphasis, supporting a graduate program with approximately sixty students. For more about the Department of Anthropology, its faculty, graduate students and programs, please see https://anthro.wsu.edu/ .

Washington State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Educator and Employer. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veteran, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

WSU is committed to excellence through diversity and faculty-friendly policy action, including partner accommodation and NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation programs ( https://www.advance.wsu.edu/ ). WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or [email protected] .

Additional Information:

Area/College: College of Arts and Sciences
Department Name: Department of Anthropology
City, State, Zip: Pullman, WA 99164-4910
Department Link: anthro.wsu.edu/

Salary Range/Benefits: $68,000-$73,000 – commensurate with experience and qualifications, and accompanied by an excellent benefits package. Please see https://hrs.wsu.edu/employees/benefits/ .

FTE: 100%
Tenure Track: Yes

This is a permanent position.
Screening Begin Date: Formal screening of applications has begun and will continue until the position is filled.
Background Check: This position has been designated by the department to require a background check because it requires access to children or vulnerable adults as defined by RCW 74.34, engages in law enforcement, requires security clearance, interacts with WSU students in a counseling or advising capacity, has access to personal identifying and/or financial information, unsupervised access to university buildings/property, or other business-related need.  A background check will not be completed until an initial determination of qualification for employment has been made.
Required Documents:

Please be prepared to upload the following documents to your online application:

• A cover letter addressing how your experience, training and approach meet the qualifications for this position

• Curriculum vitae

• Teaching and Mentoring Statement. Detail teaching and mentoring experience and strategies, including experience or training relevant to teaching among and/or about diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Discuss experience with and/or methods of mentoring advisees.

• Research/Scholarship Statement. Describe your health-oriented research experience and your proposed research program at WSU. Address how your community-engaged, collaborative research program advances scholarship involving systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups; reference interdisciplinary and/or collaborative connections; and, if relevant, inclusion of students and/or stakeholders

• Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement. Statement addressing past activities as well as future plans to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion through research, teaching, professional activity, outreach and/or service. Please provide examples from your own experience

• Names, addresses, and contact information of at least three references who can address your history of and potential for excellence in research; engagement with systematically excluded, historically underserved, and/or minoritized groups; teaching; and service (letters will be requested at a later time)

For information regarding this position, contact Search Committee Chair Dr. Anne Pisor at [email protected].

Time Type:

Full time

Position Term:

9 Month - Summer

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EDUCATOR AND EMPLOYER. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veteran, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or [email protected] .