University of Virginia, Department of Religious Studies

Assistant Professor, General Faculty - Department of Religious Studies

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia invites applicants for an Assistant Professor, General Faculty teaching position in Buddhism, with a preference for expertise in Buddhism of South Asia, the Himalayas, Inner Asia, or Southeast Asia. The successful candidate will offer courses that fit into one or more of the thematic pathways of the Religious Studies major: Religion, Literature, and the Arts; Religion, Ethics and Philosophy; and Religion, Politics, and Global Perspectives. Courses will ideally include Introduction to Buddhism, an introduction to Buddhism in the candidate's area of geographic specialization, and thematic courses in Buddhism.

The successful candidate should demonstrate deep familiarity with Buddhist thought and practice. They should have knowledge of relevant research languages, as well as experience in Asia engaging with one or more Buddhist cultures coupled with an ability to translate such experience and expertise into a curriculum suitable for undergraduate audiences. To this end, the Department is especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute, through their teaching, mentorship, and service to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.

The successful candidate should have received a Ph.D. prior to beginning the job in the Fall of 2023. This is a three-year, tenure-ineligible teaching appointment with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon available funding, satisfactory performance, and need for the position. It is teaching-focused, with a course load of 3/3.  Screening of applications will begin on December 12, 2022, and applications will be accepted until January 15th, 2023.  The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment. 

To Apply:

Please apply through Workday, and search for R0042078. Complete an application online with the following documents:

• CV
• Cover Letter, including a teaching statement (up to 4 pages)
  • In the teaching statement within the cover letter we encourage applicants to discuss how their commitment to academic excellence is interwoven in their approaches to fostering an inclusive learning environment, inclusive approaches to teaching and mentoring, and affirming diverse perspectives and viewpoints.
• Contact information for at least 3 references
• Syllabi for two courses, one for an introductory course in Buddhism and one for a thematic course in Buddhism

​Upload all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission.  Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searching 'Find Jobs'. 

UVA is located in beautiful Charlottesville with easy access to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the eastern shore and the nation's Capital. Charlottesville is one of the best places to live; outdoors, vibrant town with culture, music, restaurants, excellent schools, etc. Opportunities for excellent clinical, and laboratory-based research and teaching pursuits working within the collegial work environment are available.

UVA assists faculty spouses and partners seeking employment in the Charlottesville area.  To learn more please visit https://dualcareer.virginia.edu/  For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community please see http://www.virginia.edu/life/charlottesville and https://embarkcva.com/.

For more information on the benefits available to faculty at UVA, visit https://provost.virginia.edu/subsite/faculty-development and hr.virginia.edu/benefits.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education: Ph.D. or terminal degree. ABD may be accepted.
Experience: None
Licensure: None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements and guidelines for employment at UVA.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.