Associate/Full Professor of Native American Studies: Indigenous North American P

Position overview

Salary range: Off-scale salaries and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience. A reasonable estimated salary range for this position is $119,600 - $198,300, inclusive of the salary scale and off-scale salary components.

Application Window

Open date: September 22, 2025

Next review date: Monday, Dec 15, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Tuesday, Jun 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

In collaboration with UC Online and colleagues throughout the system, the Department of Native American Studies (NAS) at UC Davis is developing a systemwide online minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies. To help further that effort, we invite applications for an Associate or Full Professor to begin on July 1, 2026, after completing the UC procedures for appointment with tenure.

The successful applicant will assume co-leadership of the UC systemwide online NAS minor and be expected to share in the teaching of core courses in the program, as well as contribute to in-person graduate instruction and mentoring. The successful applicant must demonstrate excellence in teaching and research, a commitment to mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, and dedicated innovation in online instruction. We particularly welcome applications from senior scholars with demonstrated campus, community, national, and even international leadership, and publicly engaged research programs that demonstrate deep accountability to Indigenous communities.

Applicants should have PhD in Native American (or American Indian, Indigenous, First Nations) Studies and/or have sustained a clear focus on Native and Indigenous Studies through a related field; and maintain an active research program within Native North America (the continental United States, Canada, Alaska, and/or the northern Pacific). Topical expertise should complement and extend beyond the current strengths and interests of our interdisciplinary faculty.

Applicants must have expertise and experience with developing and offering online instructional programming; that is, intentional and comprehensive online pedagogy that is beyond just pivoting an in-person class onto Zoom due to the pandemic.

Applicants must have a publishing trajectory worthy of immediate tenure in the University of California system and momentum for continued excellence in research. Rank shall be determined by the UC Davis Committee on Academic Personnel. Candidates should have a strong record of creating innovative and impactful teaching experiences online; a solid track record in graduate student mentoring; a commitment to ongoing professional and scholarly development in Native American and Indigenous theory, methodology, pedagogy, and praxis; and active leadership in departmental, university, professional, and/or public service, broadly defined.

Contacts

Questions may be addressed to Search Committee Chair Prof. Beth Rose Middleton Manning, brmiddleton@ucdavis.edu or Department Chair Prof. Liza Grandia, lgrandia@ucdavis.edu.

About Native American Studies at UC Davis

The Department of Native American Studies (NAS) at the University of California, Davis, is one of three PhD-granting programs in this field in the U.S. From its founding in 1969, NAS at UC Davis has embraced and sustained an integrative hemispheric perspective. Located within Patwin homelands, our program acknowledges and supports the sovereignty, rights, and responsibilities of Indigenous nations within their ancestral and traditional lands. More information about UC Davis' Land Acknowledgment as a living and evolving relationship with three federally recognized Patwin tribes can be found at excellence.ucdavis.edu/land-acknowledgement-statement.

In the 2024-2025 academic year, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of our graduate program (MA and PhD), the 31st anniversary of departmental status and the 55th anniversary of our undergraduate academic program (major and minor). Through our graduate program, we also offer a Designated Emphasis (DE) in Native American Studies, which provides NAS faculty the opportunity to mentor students from units across the campus. Since 2020, our department has led an effort with other faculty in the UC system to develop an innovative online program of undergraduate courses in Native American and Indigenous Studies through UC Online.

The NAS Department houses the Native American Language Center, the Indigenous Research Center of the Americas, and the Yocha Dehe Endowed Chair in California Indian Studies. UC Davis is home to the following entities that support and promote Native American/Indigenous issues on campus: the Gorman Museum of Native American Art, the Native American Academic Student Success Center (a.k.a. "the Native Nest"), the Tribal Justice Project (housed in the UCD Law School), the Native American/Indigenous Advisory Committee to the Chancellor, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Project, the Patwin/Native American Honoring Project, the Reimagining the Land Grant University Grand Challenge, the Native American Faculty and Staff Association, and many student organizations including a very active NAS Graduate Student Association. The University of California has also demonstrated a commitment to supporting Native American student tuition through the Native American Opportunity Plan.

More information about the department can be found at: https://nas.ucdavis.edu

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

1. Ph.D. (or equivalent) in Native American (American Indian, Indigenous, First Nations) Studies or a related field, with a clear focus on Indigenous North American (US, Canada, Alaska, northern Pacific) studies
2. Experience designing and teaching at least one fully online undergraduate course (not pivoting an in-person course to online, but intentionally designing an online course).
3. Scholarly record that meets tenure requirements in NAS at UC Davis.
4. At least two years of experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

1. Technical and pedagogical ability to develop and execute online courses that extend and expand our current interdisciplinary undergraduate curriculum
2. Demonstrated commitment to Indigenous community-based partnerships, collaborative public scholarship, and/or reciprocity and relationship to Indigenous communities and movements. This may be shown by experience working on at least one project whose goals were defined by an Indigenous or Tribal community, or whose outcome was designed to directly benefit an Indigenous or Tribal community.
3. Expertise in fields that complement the topical and geographical engagements of our current faculty.
4. Leadership potential for program building, departmental and university service, and systemwide collaborations.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Cover Letter - In addition to sharing their academic qualifications, research, and professional contributions relevant to the position, candidates may also choose to discuss their scholarly work related to Indigeneity, Indigenous community engagement, and/or collaborations with Indigenous organizations and movements. (2-3 pages)
• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Research - 2 page maximum
• Teaching Portfolio - Should include: teaching philosophy and praxis addressing online pedagogy (2 pages); 1-2 course syllabi with links or PDF screenshots of online design; one set of student evaluations, preferably for an online course; link to a video sample of online instruction
• Representative Writing Sample - i.e., an article, a chapter, or a selection from a published book
• Authorization to Release Information Form - required for all applicants. See Employment Disclosure Requirements webpage. Download, complete, sign, and upload the form.

Reference requirements

2 letters of reference required. Please provide two letters of reference from referees familiar with your scholarly, community, and/or pedagogical work. Reference letters are due at the time of application.

Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07317

Help contact: aschwanhausser@ucdavis.edu

About UC Davis

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer. Misconduct is defined by UC policies and includes sexual harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as applicable.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law. UC Davis is smoke and tobacco-free. The university is committed to inclusion and to creating a welcoming environment for all employees and students. See additional information on policies and diversity initiatives on the UC Davis site.

Job location: Davis, CA