Assistant Professor of Japanese

Department of World Languages and Cultures (WLC) at Utah State University invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in Japanese.

For this teaching-centered faculty position, we seek to hire an individual with experience in teaching, research and  professional practice.  This position is located on the Logan campus, but will also provide instructional support to USU’s statewide students and campuses. The individual will report to the WLC department head. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2024. Responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to:

  • Teaching a full range of classes in Japanese  (3/3 class load);
  • Service for the department, college, and university;
  • Mentoring students inside and outside regular teaching hours. 

Minimum Qualifications: PhD in Japanese language, education, or related field (to be completed by July 1, 2024)

  • Native or near-native Japanese language proficiency
  • Good English communication skills
  • Demonstrated ability to teach all levels of Japanese language, literature, and culture
  • Demonstrated ability to conduct scholarly research and publish results of research
  • Evidence of teaching and professional excellence in Japanese language teaching.
  • Previous experience teaching undergraduate Japanese classes and the ability to develop new courses for students of Japanese.
  • Abilty and willingness to pursue program development.
  • Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Willingness to foster ongoing bilateral exchange programs with  Japanese partner universities

Preferred Qualifications:.

  • Commitment and experience working with students from diverse backgrounds.
  • Familiarity with the North American higher education system.

Required application documents:

1. A current and complete CV.

2. A cover letter addressing how the applicant meets the qualifications and responsibilities of the position. The letter should describe relevant experience, training, and teaching philosophy as they relate to the requirements of this position.

3. The names and contact information for three references who may be consulted or contacted for confidential letters of recommendation.

4. A short description/overview of sample Japanese classes that the applicant has taught.

5. Examples of previous class syllabi, lower division language courses preferred

Please upload .doc, .docx, or PDF files. If you are working on Google Docs or Mac files please be sure to save under .doc or PDF for file to upload correctly.

Note. Applications must be submitted online, but questions regarding the position can be addressed to the committee chair (ann.roemer@usu.edu). 

The Department and College

The recently formed World Languages and Cultures Department explores our connections to the  peoples and communities around the world through language and culture. We are a unique and diverse department and believe an essential part of becoming an educated person is understanding oneself and how we connect with people around the world. We offer programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Linguistics, and Intensive English, as well as Arabic Studies, Asian Studies, and Latin American Studies. Our department also is home to the Master in Second Language Teaching program. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is committed to fostering interdisciplinary scholarship and creative activity, and increasing curricular and research coverage of areas that intersect with principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The College’s faculty actively undertakes research projects that reach into every aspect of the modern world, creating understanding and effecting change in important ways.

The University

Utah State University (USU) was founded in 1888 and is Utah’s land-grant and space-grant university. USU is one of only 146 research institutions in the U.S. classified as R1 “very high research activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. As one of the two premier research institutions in Utah, USU provides a high-quality education at an affordable price. With its main campus in Logan, the university serves approximately 27,500 students, including 24,255 undergraduates and 3,171 graduate students. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for 25 years.

USU’s statewide system features three residential campuses, 30 total campus locations, and 23 Extension education centers. The university employs 903 full-time faculty members, 124 executive administrators, and 1,649 full-time support staff. USU offers 115 undergraduate majors, as well as 91 master’s and 42 doctoral degrees. Learn more about USU.

A core characteristic of USU is engagement with communities and people in economic development, improvements to quality of life, and human capital. Through the practical application of knowledge, the University and its faculty engage and share expertise with the state, nation, and world, preserving the historical land-grant tradition of partnering with communities to address critical societal issues in the interest of the public good.

The USU main campus is located in beautiful Logan, Utah, a city of over 50,000  people situated in a picturesque mountain valley about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. Outstanding recreational opportunities abound in the nearby mountains and proximate region.

USU is sensitive to the needs of dual career couples and provides a Dual Career Assistance program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment.

USU endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access in all aspects of employment to qualified persons with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Human Resource office at 435-797-0122 or submit a request at hr@usu.edu.


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