Research Assistant Professor

Posting Details

Posting Details


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Institution
The University of South Dakota


Working Title
Research Assistant Professor


Posting Number
F01871P


Department
USD-History


Physical Location of Position (City)
Vermillion


Posting Text


The Department of History in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of South Dakota (USD) invites applications for a Research Assistant Professor position beginning in Fall 2026. The successful candidate will participate in grant-funded research projects on Hangzhou Buddhism and strengthen the department's capacities in online teaching. The position may support the expansion of the religious studies minor and contribute to digital humanities initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications
• PhD in History, East Asian Studies, Religious Studies, or a closely related field by the time of appointment (Fall 2026)
• Demonstrated expertise in East Asian history, with specialization in Chinese Buddhism (particularly Hangzhou Buddhism), and regional studies
• Proficiency in Chinese sufficient for research, translation, and editorial work
• Online teaching effectiveness or strong potential for excellence in undergraduate teaching
• Demonstrated experience with digital humanities methods or project experience relevant to GIS, digital archiving, or digital exhibits

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Research expertise in Hangzhou Buddhism
• Degree or formal training in GIS, spatial history, or a related field, with demonstrated experience in spatial analysis, story mapping, or geospatial data visualization
• Ability to work with Taiwanese-language materials
• Experience developing, managing, or contributing to collaborative humanities projects
• Experience with editorial workflows, dataset creation, and the development of digital or public-facing humanities resources

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to:
• Contribute to grant-funded research projects related to East Asian Buddhism, regional religious history, and digital humanities through editorial, digital, and geospatial work
• Teach courses in religion, world history, US history, and/or East Asian history, with an emphasis on online delivery
• Participate in translation projects in medical humanities from Chinese and/or Taiwanese-language materials into English
• Support digital humanities workshops at USD

Application Materials

1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Names and contact information for three references

Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Posting Date
06/02/2026


Closing Date

Open Until Filled
Yes


First Consideration Date
07/03/2026


Advertised Salary

Duration of the Term
9 months


If Other, describe duration

Appointment Percent
100


Tenure Status
Term


Proposed Rank
Assistant Professor


Work Hours

Typical Hours Worked Per Week

Appointment Type
Regular


Scope of Search
External (includes Internal)


If internal, define scope of search

Department Description and Cultural Expectations

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement


USD is committed to fostering a dynamic and welcoming working and learning environment for all. USD provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to ideological, political, or sectarian opinions or perspectives; or race, color, creed, religion, sex, ancestry, disability, national origin or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. USD is committed to the principles of free expression and encourages the timely and rational discussion of topics in an environment that is intellectually and ideologically diverse.

Contact Information