Open Rank Professor in African American Studies

Who We Are

The Department of African American Studies at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), a Carnegie-classified R2 institution in the mainstream of American Catholic higher education, seeks outstanding applicants for a tenure-line position in African American Studies who value its mission and share its commitment to inclusive excellence and the building of a just society.

LMU is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) and is recognized by the State of California as a Black-Serving Institution (BSI). These designations reflect the university's continuing commitment to supporting student success, belonging, and thriving within a diverse academic community. As a Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount University, LMU values faculty who engage students as whole persons and pursue scholarly work that promotes justice, equity, and the Common Good.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to LMU's teacher-scholar model. A teacher-scholar conducts research and creative work that contributes to the larger body of knowledge while setting an example for the importance of lifelong learning. A teacher-scholar at LMU is dedicated to (1) teaching a diverse student body in a transformative learning environment, (2) developing a thriving portfolio of research and mentoring students, (3) participating in service activities at the academic, professional, and/or community levels, and (4) working toward greater equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility for all in the profession.

For more information about our current faculty, please visit Join Our Faculty.

Appointment Type and Details

The position is a tenure-line faculty appointment. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in Africana/Black Studies or a closely related field by the position start date of August 2027.

Position Responsibilities

The Department of African American Studies invites applications from established and exceptional emerging scholars to fill a tenure-line position. We seek a scholar with expertise in teaching and research in the discipline of African American Studies whose work engages one or more of the following areas: history, law and policy, Black social movements, community organizing, political thought, or related fields.

Candidates should have experience teaching lower- and upper-division courses in African American Studies and be able to offer courses that would readily fit into our African American Studies curriculum. Candidates must have experience in or demonstrated capacity for departmental leadership, academic programming, curriculum development, and mentorship of faculty colleagues and students. For established scholars, the position may include assuming Department Chair duties.

Preference will be given to associate or full professors, but candidates with PhDs in hand by July 2027 will be given full consideration.

Faculty responsibilities include maintaining an active program of scholarship, teaching and advising undergraduate students, and contributing to department and university service. Department tenure-track faculty members typically teach on a two-year 2-2-2-3 course rotation (4-unit classes) within a 40% research, 40% teaching, and 20% service model. Faculty in these positions will be encouraged to contribute to the LMU Core Curriculum, for example by developing a First-Year Seminar and/or courses that incorporate Interdisciplinary Connections.

The Department of African American Studies values collaborative, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged approaches to teaching and research. We seek candidates who are excited to teach and mentor a diverse student body in Los Angeles and who will contribute to LMU's teacher-scholar model through excellent undergraduate teaching, an active research agenda, and innovative forms of student engagement, including collaborative and community-based learning.

How To Apply

The application deadline is October 1. Questions regarding this position may be directed to Jennifer Williams, Chair, Department of African American Studies, at Jennifer.Williams@lmu.edu 

The following application materials must be submitted online through the LMU Employment website:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Research statement
• Teaching Statement
• Writing sample of a book chapter or article

The cover letter should address current research and research trajectory, teaching experience and proposed curriculum, leadership and programmatic experience, and service interests. The teaching statement should address the candidate's pedagogical approach, share examples of activities and assignments, address how they foster inclusion and access in the classroom, and generally demonstrate their teaching and student mentorship experiences. The teaching statement should not exceed two pages. Candidates who progress to the Zoom or campus visit stage may be asked for additional materials, such as sample syllabi.
 

Candidates who advance in the search will be asked to provide transcripts and letters of recommendation at a later stage.

Only electronic applications submitted through the LMU employment portal will be considered. Note: Workday allows a maximum of five uploaded documents (5 MB each).

Across their application materials, candidates should address their commitment to and any past and/or potential contributions to advancing LMU's mission and promoting the success, sense of belonging, and thriving of students from a variety of lived experiences. Candidates may address these commitments in relation to their scholarship, teaching, mentorship, advising, and/or service, as appropriate to their experiences and future goals. Relevant examples may include fostering inclusive and accessible learning environments, supporting equitable educational outcomes, engaging multiple perspectives and ways of knowing, mentoring students from varied backgrounds, or pursuing scholarship and service that contributes to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, justice, and/or accessibility.

LMU is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing an environment free from discrimination and harassment as defined by federal, state, and local law. We invite all persons in the full diversity of their being, life experience, and beliefs to apply.

Reasonable expected salary range: $86,000 to $104,000. Hiring salary will be commensurate with job related qualifications, experience, knowledge, and skills.

#HERC# #HEJ#

Please note that this position may not be eligible for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

LMU is committed to providing equal access to employment opportunities and ensuring a comprehensive recruitment and selection process for all applicants.

Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any stage of the application, interview, or selection process may contact Human Resources at hr@lmu.edu or by phone at (310) 338-2723. Applicants who use relay services or other assistive communication technologies are welcome to utilize those services when contacting Human Resources.

When contacting Human Resources, please include the job posting number, title of the position and department for which you are applying. Applicants are not required to disclose the nature of a disability or provide medical information when requesting an accommodation during the recruitment process.

LMU will work with applicants in a timely and interactive process to identify and provide reasonable accommodations consistent with applicable federal and state law.