Position Summary

The Department of Anthropology at Washington State University (WSU) invites applications from cultural anthropologists who conduct health-oriented research among BIPOC/traditionally marginalized or underserved communities, broadly conceived. This is a permanent, nine-month, full-time, tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology position at the flagship campus in Pullman, WA. The university is particularly interested in hiring scholars who are connected to and integrated into BIPOC/traditionally marginalized or underserved communities involved in research, building on WSU’s strong tradition of engaged and applied scholarship. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will begin the appointment on August 16, 2022.

Campus and Program Description

The Department of Anthropology is an academic unit located in the College of Arts and Sciences. Anthropology’s twenty-three faculty conduct research, support courses and mentorship, and provide service at WSU’s campuses in Pullman, Vancouver, and the Tri-Cities. The department offers the BA at WSU’s Pullman and Vancouver campuses, and in its Global campus. Partnering with the School of Biological Sciences, we also offer a BA in Human Biology at Pullman and Vancouver. With faculty and specialties and graduate degree tracks in cultural anthropology, biological anthropology and archaeology, the department offers the M.A. and Ph.D. in anthropology in each of these areas of emphasis, supporting a graduate program with approximately sixty students.

WSU is a Tier I research institution with campuses unified across Washington state. A land-grant university located in the homelands of the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) Tribe and Palus people, and on traditional Cowlitz, Umatilla, and Yakama Nation lands, among others, WSU acknowledges the complications of regional and national history and their intersection with higher education. We work to increase the inclusion and success of historically underrepresented or marginalized students, staff, and faculty. We are committed to excellence through diversity and faculty-friendly policy action, and to cultivating a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive departmental culture. Persons who meet the required qualifications and are of intersectional identities spanning complexes of race, gender, orientation, mental and physical ability, previous employment, and life experience 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 (www.advance.wsu.edu).

Job Duties

The hired individual will be expected to: (i) work collaboratively, respectfully, and productively with other faculty, staff, and students from a wide range of disciplines, cultures, and academic backgrounds; (ii) teach undergraduate and graduate courses related to Cultural Anthropology; (iii) publish quality research in high-impact, peer-reviewed outlets; (iv) develop and sustain an externally-funded research program; (v) recruit and mentor diverse M.A. and Ph.D. students and undergraduate students; and (vi) serve university, professional, and/or public organizations from an ethical and evidence-based position.

Required Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate in anthropology or closely related discipline by the time of hire.
• An active, field-based, health-related research program, including but not limited to medical or psychological anthropology, conducted among BIPOC/traditionally marginalized or underserved communities, broadly conceived.
• A scholar who has a commitment to field research.
• A record of research accomplishment which can be demonstrated by evidence of, or the promise to achieve a record of high impact publications.
• Demonstrated ability and/or potential to establish and maintain an externally funded research program.
• Demonstrated ability and/or potential to successfully teach and mentor students at the graduate and undergraduate levels, in courses focused on cultural anthropology.
• Demonstrated ability and/or potential to support, mentor, and educate individuals identifying with historically underserved or minoritized groups and contribute to WSU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals in research, teaching, mentoring, and/or service (www.wsu.edu/drive-to-25/diversity-recruitment-plans).

Preferred Qualifications:

• A scholar who emphasizes engagement with, and application in the communities they study.
• A scholar who provides context to and/or seeks solutions to health-related community challenges.
• A scholar who has a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• A scholar who complements and extends existing anthropology faculty strengths.
• A scholar who addresses research questions that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries.

The successful candidate will complement and contribute to WSU’s recent efforts to build a network of scholars committed to conducting and applying research on racism, ethnicity, social justice, and structures of inequality in the Americas.

Application Process:

Screening of applications will begin on January 17, 2022, and will remain open until a successful candidate has been identified. To apply, visit wsu.edu/jobs, select your appropriate employment status, and search R-3685 in the search bar. Please be prepared to upload the following documents to your online application:

• Letter of application describing how your experience and training meet the required qualifications listed above.
• Curriculum Vita
• Statement addressing past activities as well as your future plans to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion through research, teaching, professional activity, and/or service. Please provide examples from your own experience, which might include (but are not limited to) activities such as any of the following: mentoring, teaching and curriculum, professional activities, committee, task force or board service, research, scholarship, or creative activity.
• Research Statement. Describe your research experience and your proposed research program at WSU. Address how your work advances understanding of health among BIPOC/traditionally marginalized or underserved communities, reference interdisciplinary and collaborative connections, and, if relevant, inclusion of students and/or stakeholders.
• Teaching and Mentoring Statement. Detail teaching and mentoring experience and strategies. Include a summary of past assessments, if available. Address how you could teach courses in Anthropology relevant to general undergraduate education, as well as disciplinary specialty for majors and graduate students. Discuss experience or training relevant to teaching among and about diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Discuss experience with and methods of mentoring research advisees.
• List of three professional references who can provide independent evaluations of your research, teaching, and inclusive engagement: include names, addresses, e-mails and telephone numbers. References will not be contacted without first informing the candidate.

For questions about the position please contact: Dr. Marsha Quinlan, Search Committee Chair, mquinlan@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.

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 veterans, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

In accordance with Washington State Governor's Proclamation 21.14.2, as a condition of employment, new employees must be fully vaccinated or have an approved medical/religious accommodation at time of hire. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their last shot in a vaccine series. Vaccine or an approved accommodation for new employees will be verified prior to first day of employment. Information regarding vaccine verification and/or requesting a medical/religious information is available at https://hrs.wsu.edu/covid-19/vax-verification/. Please contact HRS at hrs@wsu.edu or 509-335-4521 if you have questions.