Black and Indigenous Feminist Futures Institute Postdoctoral Research Associate

As part of the Black and Indigenous Feminist Futures Institute, sponsored by the Mellon Foundation and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the UVA Department of Women, Gender & Sexuality seeks to hire a Post-doctoral Research Associate whose work engages the intersection of Black and Indigenous Feminist Studies. We seek a candidate who will have received their Ph.D. degree between August 2020, and August 2024.  This position is expected to be in person, however hybrid and remote options are possible.

The Black and Indigenous Feminist Futures Institute (BIFFI) strives to promote interdisciplinary research, scholarship, and cultural production that elevates intersectional feminist Black and Indigenous Studies. BIFFI achieves these aims through a “Fellows-in-Residence” program that hosts elders, artists, scholars, organizers, and practitioners at UVA; Summer Institutes that offer intensive instruction in intersectional feminist Black and Indigenous theories, methods, curricular design, pedagogies, and community building work; and by establishing the first “Black and Indigenous Studies Certificate Program” in the US South.

This Postdoctoral Research Associate is part of BIFFI’s mission to further our understandings of Black feminist and Native/Indigenous feminist scholarship and praxis, and to enhance the career trajectory of an underrepresented scholar whose work engages intersectional approaches to decolonial studies and emerging abolitionist scholarship. This appointment is renewable on an annual basis contingent on satisfactory performance and the continued availability of funding. Any renewals past the third year are also contingent on the approval of the Office of the Vice President for Research.

The BIFFI Research Associate will carry out transformative, cross-disciplinary research; provide program support to BIFFI, such as assisting with programming and BIFFI events; participate in professional development activities that lead to a tenure track position; and teach one course per year on “Black and Indigenous Feminisms.”

We welcome applications from scholars across the humanities and social sciences. Ideal candidates’ research and teaching will resonate with the central themes, analytics, conversations, and concerns in Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies and related fields. Do research in connection with justice-oriented social movements and/or community-based initiatives related to body, gender, sexuality, ecologies, race, and indigeneity.

Minimum Requirements
Education: Doctoral degree received between August 2020, and August 2 2024.

Preferred Experience and Skills

We are especially interested in scholars who:

• Tend to intersections of Black and Native/Indigenous feminisms, queer, trans and disability studies, and Black/Indigenous or Afro-Indigenous futurisms

• Attend to geographies in the Global South(s)

• Use collaborative and/or innovative research methodologies such as art, storytelling, land-based pedagogies, performance studies, etc.

• Do research in connection with justice-oriented social movements and/or community-based initiatives related to body, gender, sexuality, ecologies, race, and indigeneity

In addition to salary and benefits, the BIFFI will provide a research fund allocation for the Research Associate and full research, teaching, and administrative support.

Physical Demands
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job occasionally requires local and regional travel to attend in-person meetings with research team members, and walking some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Application Instructions: Apply Now . Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile, search Find Jobs and then R0057758. Complete an application online and include the following documents:

• Cover Letter

• CV

• Contact Information for 3 references

• One writing sample

• One proposed syllabus for the course WGS 4500 “Black & Indigenous Feminisms”

Review of applications will begin on March 1st but will remain open until filled.

Submit all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field, alternatively you can merge your materials together and submit as one. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile. Applications that are missing materials will not receive full consideration.

For questions about the position, please contact Tiffany King at [email protected] .   For questions about the application process, please contact Margaret Weeks .

The University of Virginia, i ncluding the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.