Assistant Professor - Department of Anthropology

About the role

The Department of Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for a tenure-track position at the level of Assistant Professor in Language and Wellbeing, expected to start on September 1, 2027. The Department is seeking a linguistic/cultural anthropologist with a strong record of research that addresses how language plays an integral role in shaping wellbeing.

Areas of focus

We understand wellbeing to include physical and mental health as well as other aspects of human flourishing, especially in relation to social, environmental, economic, and/or political systems. Areas of focus may include but are not limited to:

• Biocultural approaches to health and wellbeing
• Climate change / climate justice
• Effects of emerging media and technology
• Healing and belonging in structurally disadvantaged communities
• Multispecies relations
• Relationships between science, medicine, and society

Qualifications

• A PhD in anthropology or a closely related field is required at or before the time of appointment.
• Applicants should offer evidence of ethnographically grounded research, an innovative theoretical approach, clear plans for future scholarship, and demonstrated excellence in teaching.
• Must be able to teach a large introductory course in linguistic anthropology, a small undergraduate methods course specializing in language and culture, as well as teach and mentor graduate students.
• Regional focus is open.
• The ideal candidate will value and strengthen links across the sub-fields of anthropology.
• Current or previous external funding, or experience seeking external grants is a plus.
• Under exceptional circumstances, candidates at other ranks may receive consideration.

About the department

The Department of Anthropology at UMass Amherst values integrating research and education to address issues of public concern for the common good. We encourage applicants who would contribute to our department's strong record of using community-based research as the basis for cross-disciplinary collaboration, including through the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science; Demystifying Language Project; Energy Transition Institute; The Ethnography Collective @ UMASS Amherst; Health, Environment, and Arts (HEART) initiative; Institute for Social Science Research; and the Five College Program in Culture, Health, and Science.

Pay

The University of Massachusetts Amherst expects to pay within an approximate range between $79,350 and $123,484 for this position. The specific pay for this position will be determined by the University based on consideration of all relevant factors, including faculty rank and required relevant certifications, when and if it decides to extend an offer of employment.

Schedule

This full-time tenure-track position starts on September 1, 2027. The teaching load is 2-2.