Assistant Professor of Old Norse Studies

Position overview: The Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle, seeks a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in Old Norse studies to begin September 2024 and will have a 9-month service period.

This position will perform teaching and research on Old Norse literature and Viking and Medieval Norse studies that emphasize interdisciplinarity. Complementary specializations could include such disciplines as: archaeology, art history, environmental humanities, folklore, gender studies, geography, history, linguistics, media theory, memory studies, paleography, philology, race and ethnicity studies, religion, runology, or textual studies. Scandinavian Studies maintains strong research and teaching partnerships with programs across the university including, Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies; Global Literary Studies; Textual Studies; and the Translation Studies Hub.

The successful applicant will be expected to build interdisciplinary collaborations with pre-modernist colleagues in other departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. Scholarship, teaching, and service should align with the University of Washington’s DEIJA priorities and our department’s mission to support the learning of less commonly taught languages and literatures. This position will be expected to investigate the global and transcultural Old Norse world that we endeavor to share with students.

Applicants will be expected to provide high quality teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, contributing to ongoing curricular development. The successful candidate will be expected to supervise and mentor graduate students, engage broadly in the life of the department, and demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting the success of students from underrepresented groups in academia, creating welcoming and respectful learning environments and promoting access and opportunity. The successful candidate will be expected to present a record of high-quality and impactful publications and/or evidence of a defined research agenda, which could include public-facing scholarship.

Washington State Law requires that this ad list a binding salary range. The base salary range for this position will be $7,778-$10,000 per month ($70,000-$90,000 annually), commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of labor prevailing wage determination.

Qualifications

Qualifications: Applicants should hold a Ph.D. or foreign equivalent in Scandinavian languages and literature or a related field by the start of the appointment. Applicants must have the ability to teach Old Norse at undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as some knowledge of modern Scandinavian languages, and demonstrate a record of teaching and/or research in Old Norse studies.

Application Instructions

Required application materials:

Please submit an electronic application with:

• Cover letter (not to exceed 1,000 words)
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
• Research statement describing present and future projects (not to exceed 1,000 words)
• Statement of teaching effectiveness (not to exceed 500 words)
• Diversity statement outlining how the applicant would contribute to the University’s diversity, equity, and inclusivity goals (as articulated in the UW Diversity Blueprint: http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/) (not to exceed 500 words)
• Names and contact information for three individuals willing to provide letters of recommendation

Finalists will be asked to submit:

• Three letters of recommendation
• An article-length writing sample (not to exceed 10,000 words)
• A teaching portfolio that shows evidence of teaching excellence. The portfolio could include sample syllabi, lecture videos, website links, or digital tools

Applications must be submitted electronically through Interfolio.

Review of applicants will begin after 1 December 2023. Position is open until filled. Contact Dr. Olivia Noble Gunn with questions regarding this position (ogunn@uw.edu).