Summary

This position is a full-time, tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor level, to start August 2020. Applications at the associate professor level may be considered in exceptional cases. The search is for a job candidate whose research focuses on linguistic, cognitive, developmental, sociolinguistic, and/or educational issues associated with the use of minority languages/dialects. In the US, "minority language" refers to languages other than English; "dialect" refers to distinctive variants of English spoken by communities defined by region, racial or ethnic identity, socioeconomic status, or other factors.

This individual will have a primary focus on a specific minority language/dialect or family of related languages/dialects, and an interest in the community in which the languages/dialects are spoken. Examples include Native American languages, distinctive dialects of English such as African American English, and languages spoken among immigrant/refugee populations (e.g., Hmong, Vietnamese). The successful hire might also address these issues in the context of similar issues as they arise in other countries. Specific research interests may relate to social, personal, educational, and/or cultural implications of minority language/dialect experience. We are particularly interested in research that addresses how differences in language background affect educational opportunity, health and well-being, and economic advancement.

The candidate should exhibit scholarly expertise related to minority languages/dialects, mastery of research methods relevant to their specific research area, a demonstrated ability to conduct empirical research in the area, and potential to obtain external research funding.

The main tenure home for this position will be Language Sciences or English with potential joint appointments in other departments as determined by the candidate's background and interests.

This position is part of the Opening Doors Through Language: Access and Equity faculty hiring cluster. The goal of the cluster is to build on existing strengths in language research on campus.by recruiting three new assistant professors whose research programs and teaching expertise addresses language-related issues that influence societal access, disparities, and/or equity. Candidates should have an interest in collaborating with the cluster faculty and with colleagues in schools, centers, and training programs across campus. Tenure homes for the three positions will likely be in Communication Sciences & Disorders, Educational Psychology, English, Language Sciences, and/or Psychology.

Overall, three candidates will be recruited in this Cluster: (1) Assistant Professor, minority languages and/or dialects [PVL 100800; this PVL]; (2) Assistant Professor, sign language research [PVL TBD]; (3) Assistant Professor, computational approaches to language [PVL: 100343]. These positions are part of UW-Madison's Cluster Hiring Initiative (https://facstaff.provost.wisc.edu/cluster-hiring-initiative/), designed to foster innovative, outstanding research programs that will stimulate productive interactions among faculty and students interested in research across the campus and to expand interdisciplinary research.

Principal Duties

The successful candidate will be expected to develop a state-of-the-art research program; supervise undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate research; develop and maintain extramural funding for their research program; teach undergraduate and graduate courses, language-related research methods, and/or other topics related to the candidate's expertise.

Instruction, research leadership, and participation in faculty governance at the department level are expected. University, professional, and community service will also be expected as appropriate. Specific expectations for teaching, research, and service will be aligned with expectations of the tenure home.

Instructions to Applicants

To apply go to http://jobs.wisc.edu/ and search for PVL 100800. To begin the application process, please click on the 'Apply Now' button. Please submit: (1) a brief cover letter; (2) a current curriculum vitae; (3) a statement describing the candidate's research program and a statement summarizing the candidate's teaching experience and philosophy (please include both statements in the same document); (4) up to three reprints/preprints of scholarly work (please include multiple items in the same document). In addition, you will be asked to submit the names and contact information for three references. These references will submit confidential letters of recommendation on your behalf through the application portal.

The deadline for ensuring full consideration is December 3, 2019; however the position will remain open and applications may be considered until the position is filled.

For additional questions, please contact the search committee chair:

Mark Seidenberg, Vilas Research Professor
seidenberg@wisc.edu
608-263-2553