Tenure-track Assistant Professor of Eastern European and/or Central European Literature and Culture

About the role

The Department of Russian and East European Studies (REES) at the University of Pennsylvania invites applications for a tenure-track position in Eastern European and/or Central European Literature and Culture. We are a collaborative and interactive area studies department, combining social sciences and humanities among its faculty members, that seeks to advance understanding of the societies and cultures of a complex region of the world.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to interdisciplinary research and collaboration through the breadth and depth of academic pursuits at Penn and the proximity of resources on our contiguous green urban campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Promote and encourage curiosity, intellectual engagement, and discovery among all students and faculty.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Eastern European and/or Central European Literature and Culture.
• Mentor and support a diverse student body.
• Direct graduate and undergraduate research.

Requirements

• Deep training in one or more literatures and cultures of Eastern and/or Central Europe, broadly conceived, other than Russian literature and culture.
• Native or near-native capability in the relevant languages.
• Familiarity with Russian language, literature and culture welcome, but not required.
• Clear evidence of establishing a high-quality, productive, and original research agenda, appropriate to career stage.
• The ability to teach at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and mentor and support a diverse student body.
• The ability to direct graduate/undergraduate research.

Qualifications

• Deep training in one or more literatures and cultures of Eastern and/or Central Europe, broadly conceived, other than Russian literature and culture.
• Native or near-native capability in the relevant languages.
• Familiarity with Russian language, literature and culture welcome, but not required.
• Clear evidence of establishing a high-quality, productive, and original research agenda, appropriate to career stage.
• The ability to teach at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and mentor and support a diverse student body.
• The ability to direct graduate/undergraduate research.

Skills

• Ability to engage in the literatures and cultures of more than one Eastern European or Central European society, taking these terms in the broadest possible sense to include locations in the Baltic and Balkan regions in addition to those in between.
• Interest in research and teaching that reaches across national and linguistic borders.

Benefits

University, School, and departmental resources that support our efforts include but are not limited to: the Offices of the Vice Provost for Faculty and Vice Provost for Research, PennGlobal, the Wolf Humanities Center, Wellness at Penn, the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Innovation, the Penn Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, and Penn Human Resources.

Pay

The starting salary for this position is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Schedule

The start date for this position is July 1, 2027.

Contact Information

Candidates are expected to have a PhD by the time of appointment, which is July 1, 2027. Review of applications will begin on October 15 and continue until the position is filled. Please contact Alina Yakubova (yakubova@sas.upenn.edu) with questions regarding the application process.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.