Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology

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Closing Date:

Type of Position:

Faculty - Tenure/Tenure TrackNo

Job Type:

RegularYes

Institution Name:

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land grant institution, classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the nation’s top 2 percent of universities with the highest level of research activity. The University of Arkansas works to advance the state and build a better world through education, research, and outreach by providing transformational opportunities and skills, fostering a welcoming climate, and nurturing creativity, discovery, and the spread of new ideas and innovations.

The University of Arkansas campus is located in Fayetteville, a welcoming community ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The growing region surrounding Fayetteville is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and one of the nation’s strongest economies. Northwest Arkansas is also quickly gaining a national reputation for its focus on the arts and overall quality of life.

As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions, you should review before applying for the opening.

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Department:

Department of Anthropologyhttps://anthropology.uark.edu

Summary of Job Duties:

The Department of Anthropology in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology to start in August 2027. This is a standard nine-month faculty appointment.

We seek applicants with broad training in cultural anthropology who specialize in the Middle East and whose theoretical and geographic expertise complements and expands current department strengths. Preferred areas of scholarship include, but are not limited to, medical anthropology, new media technologies/popular culture, or political economy. The successful candidate will develop courses that will expand our undergraduate and graduate curricula and should be prepared to teach an upper-level undergraduate lecture course in History of Anthropological Thought as well as two courses focused on the Middle East per academic year. We especially welcome applications from candidates who are committed to building ties with programs and units across the College and the University, such as The King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies, the Arkansas Humanities Center, the Medical Humanities minor, or other interdisciplinary programs.

Candidates must have completed their Ph.D. in anthropology by May 31, 2027 (Spring 2027) and are expected to have an active research program focused on the Middle East. Previous teaching experience as instructor-of-record at the college level is preferred.

This is an in-person position. Most university classes are offered face-to-face, and extensive in-person engagement in such activities as office hours, student advising, and departmental, college, and university committee meetings is essential to advancing student success and departmental effectiveness.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

About the Department:
The Department of Anthropology at the University of Arkansas currently has 14 tenured or tenure track faculty, spanning the subdisciplines of cultural anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology. For more information see the Department webpage: https://anthropology.uark.edu/.

Duties will include:
• 40% Teaching or Professional Performance
• 40% Research/Scholarly and/or Creative Activities
• 20% Academic Service Activities

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in anthropology from an accredited institution of higher education conferred by May 31, 2027 (Spring semester 2027)

• An active research program focused on cultural anthropology of the Middle East, with the potential to involve undergraduate and graduate students

• Areas of theoretical and geographic expertise that complement and expand existing faculty strengths

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong record of successful publication and external funding in the candidate’s theoretical and/or geographic areas of expertise

• Theoretical focus on, but not limited to, medical anthropology, new media technologies/popular culture, or political economy)

• Teaching experience as instructor-of-record at the college level in cultural anthropology or a related field

• A demonstrated ability to develop innovative undergraduate and graduate classes that complement and expand the current offerings in cultural anthropology

• Strong evidence of the ability to be an active, involved, and collegial member of a collaborative faculty team both on campus and in relevant national service organizations

Additional Information:

This position is a Designated Research Position and is regulated by the Arkansas Research Education Protection Act of 2025.  Prior to issuance of an offer of employment, the University is required to request and obtain additional information about an applicant’s background and, if required, conduct an additional review of that background information.

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.Cover Letter/Letter of Application, Curriculum Vitae, List of three Professional References (name, email, business title), Other (see special instructions for details)Proof of Veteran StatusDr. Kirstin Erickson, associate professor, [email protected]

All application materials must be uploaded to the University of Arkansas System Career Site https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/UASYS  

Please do not send to listed recruitment contact.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Completed applications received by October 30th 2026, will be assured full consideration. Late applications will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position.

For additional inquiries, please contact the search committee chair, Kirstin Erickson, at [email protected].

• To apply, please submit:
• A curriculum vitae,
• A cover letter/letter of application that specifies your teaching, research, and service accomplishments/interests
• An article/chapter-length writing sample (published or publishable quality)
• A list of three professional references (name, title, email address, and phone number) willing to provide letters of recommendation if requested during the application process. Letters of recommendation will be requested only for candidates selected for individual interviews.
• Additional materials may be requested at a later date.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Pre-employment Screening Requirements:

Criminal Background Check, Sex Offender Registry

The University of Arkansas is committed to providing a safe campus community. We conduct background checks for applicants being considered for employment. Background checks include a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check. For certain positions, there may also be a financial (credit) background check, a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) check, and/or drug screening. Required checks are identified in the position listing. A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication or adverse financial history information alone shall not disqualify an applicant in the absence of a relationship to the requirements of the position. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

The University of Arkansas seeks to attract, develop and retain high quality faculty, staff and administrators that consistently display practices and behaviors to advance a culture that embeds equal opportunity, educational excellence and unparalleled access for all.

The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sex, sexual preference, or pregnancy. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University’s Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.

All Application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Constant Physical Activity:

N/A

Frequent Physical Activity:

N/A

Occasional Physical Activity:

N/A

Benefits Eligible:

Yes