Assistant Teaching Professor of Anthropology (Collections Management)
William & Mary
Application
Details
Posted: 09-Sep-24
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
Type: Full Time
Categories:
Academic
Required Education:
Doctorate
Additional Information:
Employer will assist with relocation costs.
Internal Number: F0A46W
The Department of Anthropology at William & Mary, a public university in the Commonwealth of Virginia, invites applications for a three-year non-tenure track Assistant Teaching Professor position beginning August 10, 2025. This full-time teaching faculty appointment carries a service component commensurate with rank, with the possibility of ongoing renewals and a framework for promotion.
We seek an individual with expertise in ethical collections management who can teach courses addressing new and emerging conversations in museum practices, related legal and ethical frameworks, and collaboration with culturally affiliated groups and descendant communities. The successful applicant will be expected to be an effective collections manager and teacher. While the position carries a 3:3 teaching load, one course release per semester is designated for collection management duties, for an overall 2:2 teaching load.
Position Responsibilities: The Assistant Teaching Professor will have a 2-2 teaching load, with courses focused on legal and ethical frameworks for collection management, community collaboration, and informed consent. The faculty member may also teach courses in their area of interest, for example, material culture analysis or heritage management classes. Position responsibilities also include managing the Anthropology Department’s collections in collaboration with other faculty members; the Assistant Teaching Professor will also mentor students in the study and use of these collections. The Department encourages candidates with diverse approaches to and experience with collection practices to apply for the position.
While this is a 9-month academic year position, there is also the expectation of summer collection duties, including work with students. This position will, in addition, receive one month of summer salary, equal to 1/9 of the 9-month base salary, for required summer work. Other opportunities for summer supplemental pay, such as grant-sponsored activities, may be available.
Required Qualifications: The candidate must have a Ph.D. in Anthropology or a related field or be ABD (All But Dissertation) with the expectation of completing the Ph.D. by the time the appointment begins (August 10, 2025). Previous teaching experience in any relevant capacity, e.g., community outreach, public service, or formal academic settings, is required. The candidate must have demonstrated experience with material culture and collections management. Familiarity with applicable laws and regulations, including NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act), is necessary.
Preferred Qualifications: Experience with community engagement and critical heritage studies is preferred. Expertise in material culture analytical methods, records management, and database management is preferred.
The Department of Anthropology at William & Mary is committed to excellence in research and teaching across the four fields of anthropology: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. Our goal is to develop anthropologists who are critically engaged with the communities they study and who contribute to the public understanding of what it means to be human. The faculty of teacher-scholars conducts innovative research and works closely with students to foster critical thinking, professional skills, and intellectual independence. These goals are met, in part, by promoting opportunities for students to engage in research that is both academically rigorous and ethically sound. The Faculty values diversity, collaboration, and interdisciplinary scholarship, placing a priority on creating an inclusive and nurturing environment for students and colleagues. The Department strives to be accessible and engaged, encouraging outreach and participation in both local and global communities.
The Anthropology Department is a four-field department committed to inclusive and engaged anthropology. Working with local and global communities, the departmen...t emphasizes ethical public engagement to address issues such as sustainability, sovereignty, and critical heritage studies. All members of the department work closely with communities around the world on questions of materiality. The department’s collections include archaeological materials, field records, ethnographic objects, and ancestral remains and belongings. Through long-term relationship building, collaborative research, and the integration of community voices, the department has contributed to numerous impactful projects, publications, and educational initiatives, reflecting its commitment to ethically sound practices and community partnerships.
