Job Opening at Brandeis University

Assistant Professor and Mandel Chair in Jewish Education

Deadline: August 31, 2019

Submission Site: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/14208

The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor beginning in academic year 2020-21, to hold the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Chair in Jewish Education. This position is subject to budget approval, and will be shared between the Mandel Center and a department appropriate to the candidate’s scholarly background. We seek an outstanding junior scholar, with a deep commitment to teaching and to the impact of scholarship on teaching and learning in the field.

The responsibilities of the successful candidate will include:
– To pursue a robust program of research in Jewish education, to publish broadly, and to help build the field of scholarship in Jewish education nationally
– To participate actively in and assume responsibilities within the intellectual community at the Mandel Center and within a particular department appropriate to their background
– To teach two courses per year within one or more departments at the University, at either the graduate or the undergraduate level
– To serve on University or departmental committees as appropriate.

Candidates should hold a doctorate in Education, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Jewish Studies, Religious Studies or a related field. (In cases where the candidate does not yet hold the doctorate, a letter from the primary doctoral advisor affirming that the candidate will complete the doctorate by July 2020 will be accepted.) Candidates should have a record of scholarship appropriate to their career stage as well as a clear proposed research agenda in Jewish education, and should be able to demonstrate evidence of successful teaching. Candidates should be comfortable moving between the academy and the field of practice, and between Jewish and general education, and should aspire to effect positive change in the field of Jewish education through the production of scholarship in various forms (e.g., peer-reviewed articles and books, but also popular articles, blog posts, workshops, etc.). Ideal candidates will have a research interest in one or more aspects of the study of teaching and/or learning; scholarly background in one or more areas of Jewish studies; facility in one or more Jewish languages; and a deep understanding of one or more Jewish educational settings (day schools, supplementary schools, camps, heritage tourism, academic Jewish studies, etc.).

Applicants should submit a cover letter of 2-3 pages that includes (a) a discussion of past and future research, (b) a discussion of teaching experience and plans, and (c) a discussion of how their experiences and interests might effect positive social change either within the Brandeis community or beyond it. Applicants should also submit a CV and one writing sample. Further materials may be requested later in the process. Only online applications will be accepted, via Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/14208. First consideration will be given to applications received by August 30, 2019.