Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Spanish

The School of Languages, Cultures, and Race, within the College of Arts and Sciences at Washington State University invites applications for a permanent, full-time, nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Pullman, WA, with a specialty in Spanish. We seek applicants whose research and teaching demonstrate foundational knowledge of critical debates within Latin American literature with a specialization in the literatures and cinema produced in Mexico or Central American countries. The successful candidate must have a strong academic background in the literary canon written in Spanish and in new literary trends in order to teach both introductory courses –in which students are initiated and trained in the critical analysis of literature and in the study of literary movements— and capstone seminars on specific themes, authors, or genres of the faculty member’s choice. Our expectation is that the new colleague will excel at teaching and mentoring students from a broad range of backgrounds and lived experience, including first-generation students. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will begin the appointment on August 16, 2024. 

Job duties: 

• Teaching 2/2 in-person courses in a combination of Spanish language and Latin American/Spanish literatures and cultures with instruction in both Spanish and English.

• Conducting original research, which will be reflected in annual refereed publications and scholarly conference presentations.

• Serving on school, college, and university committees and participating in the shared governance of SLCR.

• Participating in Spanish program meetings and curriculum development.

This workload of position is 40% teaching, 40% research, and 20% service.

Required Qualifications: 

• Ph.D. in Spanish (or equivalent) by the start of the appointment.
• Native or near-native fluency in Spanish and in English.
• Specialization in Mexican or Central American literature, film, and culture, and a demonstrated record of research within these fields.  
• Ability to teach as a generalist within a Spanish program (courses on Latin American or Peninsular Spanish literature, film, and culture).
• Proven and successful experience teaching Spanish language, composition, conversation, and Latin American literature and culture in Spanish in a college or university.
• Demonstrated record of or potential for commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access efforts

Salary/Benefits: $65,000-$71,630 per nine-month academic year

In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate’s current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.  WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts.

For a more detailed summary of benefits offered by WSU for Faculty visit: https://hrs.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-Benefit-Overview-for-Faculty-and-AP.pdf. Find total compensation information here: https://hrs.wsu.edu/managers/recruitment-toolkit/total-compensation/.

Applicant Instructions:

Visit wsu.edu/jobs, select your appropriate employment status, and search R-10079 in the search bar. Applicants must upload the following required documents to their online application. External candidates, please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of your application. Internal candidates, please upload all documents in the “Resume/Cover Letter” section of your application.

• A cover letter addressing qualifications for this position and describing how your research and teaching interests match the job description.
• A current Curriculum Vitae.
• Two refereed publications within the field of Mexican and/or Central American literature, film, and culture (one in Spanish and one in English).
• Teaching statement that describes your teaching experience and philosophy, which may incorporate experience from formal or informal teaching and mentoring opportunities.
• Research/Scholarship statement that outlines your scholarly work and includes your future plans. 
• Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement that includes your demonstrated and or potential for contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts through scholarship/research, and/or teaching/mentoring, and/or service/engagement. There may be some overlap with your research and teaching statements.
• Names, addresses, and contact information of at least three references who can address your history of and potential for excellence in research, teaching, and service (letters will be requested at a later time).

Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Vilma Navarro-Daniels (navarrod@wsu.edu).

Application Deadline: Interested candidates must submit completed applications by Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

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.

About WSU, Pullman, CAS, and the School of Languages, Cultures, and Race: 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 and 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.

WSU acknowledges that its locations statewide are on the homelands of Native American peoples, who have lived in this region and have been caretakers of the land from time immemorial. The Morrill Act of 1862 established our land-grant institution by providing public and federal lands that are traced back to the disposition of Indigenous lands, 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. And as a land-grant institution, WSU is deeply committed to the land-grant mission, its Memorandums of Understanding with Native tribes in the region, and a tradition of service to society. To read the full WSU land acknowledgement, please see https://wsu.edu/about/wsu-land-acknowledgement/.

The selected candidate will join an inclusive academic unit formed in 2018 by the merging of the Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures and the Department of Comparative Ethnic Studies. The SLCR offers the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Humanities, Social Sciences, and Foreign Languages and Cultures (in Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish). Also, Professional Second Majors in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. In addition, we have minors in Film Studies and in Global Studies. Finally, the SLCR offers a Ph.D. in American Studies and Culture. For more information about the School of Languages, Cultures, and Race, please visit: https://slcr.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 (http://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 hrs@wsu.edu.