Assistant Professor, Tenure-Track – Library and Information Science, University of Washington, (Seattle, WA)

Posted November 30, 2022

Description

The University of Washington Information School (iSchool) is accepting applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor level starting September 1, 2023, contingent upon funding approval. 

The successful candidate will be a creative, collaborative, and forward-thinking scholar of Library and Information Science, who demonstrates excellence in research and education, and joins the rest of our faculty in forging a more just and sustainable future. 

As an interdisciplinary unit, we encourage our faculty to explore information-based approaches to understand and address systemic challenges and to make social impact. This search is specifically focused on attracting candidates that can contribute to our research and teaching portfolio in Library and Information Science (LIS). Research areas of interest include knowledge organization and representation, intellectual freedom and community engagement in libraries and archives, and the design, delivery, and assessment of ethically-informed information systems sensitive to the needs of diverse communities. These topics may have applications in a variety of settings such as digital humanities, cultural analytics, digital repositories or public information infrastructures, and informational justice through libraries and archives. 

The position will be an Assistant Professor whose expertise and strong research trajectory in these areas can contribute to fostering a more informed, just, and equitable society through libraries, archives, and the wider information world. The successful candidate will be encouraged to augment the educational mission of the iSchool’s highly-ranked MLIS degree program in preparing future information professionals to responsibly develop and use information technologies. 

The iSchool is committed to the values of equity, diversity, inclusion, tribal sovereignty, and accessibility. We welcome individuals who are excited by, able to thrive in, and eager to contribute to our interdisciplinary environment that respects a wide variety of research and practice traditions, and that embraces innovation in research and methods.  

The position is a full-time 9-month tenure track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of September 1, 2023. All University of Washington faculty engage in teaching, research, and service. This position will be expected to: 

• Conduct high-quality research 
• Seek and acquire extramural funding for research
• Engage with the University of Washington Information School’s strategic commitments to one or more of the following areas:
  • (1) promote equity in health & wellbeing
  • (2) encourage environmental sustainability and resilience
  • (3) foster a more informed, just, and equitable democratic society.   
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in their area of specialization, as well as advance our Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) curriculum. 
• Perform service that furthers the mission of the Information School and the University of Washington more broadly. 

Qualifications

Applicants must have a PhD (or foreign equivalent) in Information Science or a relevant field by date of appointment.

About the iSchool

The UW Information School is dedicated to hiring faculty who will enhance our inclusion, diversity, equity, access, and sovereignty (IDEAS) mission and vision through their research, teaching, and service. As information systems and institutions serve increasingly diverse and global constituencies, it is vital to understand the ways in which differences in gender, class, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, national and cultural boundaries, national origin, worldview, intellectual origin, ability, and other identities can both divide us and offer us better ways of thinking and working. The Information School faculty are committed to preparing professionals who work in an increasingly diverse global society by promoting equity and justice for all individuals, actively working to eliminate barriers and obstacles created by institutional discrimination. 

The successful candidate will join a broad-based, inclusive information school, whose faculty members pursue their scholarship, teaching, and service across multiple degree programs, with particular emphasis on this position contributing to the Masters of Library and Information Science degree program. The University of Washington is an institution that encourages inclusive research and community outreach, situated between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, in the city of Seattle, on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. Seattle is a rapidly growing, dynamic, and diverse metropolitan area with a leading technology sector and vibrant civic sector. Applicants may find further information about the Information School at: ischool.uw.edu.

How to Apply

For more information and to apply, please go to the following link: https://apply.interfolio.com/116585

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Preference will be given to applications submitted by December 15, 2022. Selected candidates will be invited for phone interviews and campus visits.

Application packages should include the following elements (please note the strict page limit for each component): 

• CV
• Letter of intent [1 page]
  • Introduce your research agenda, and use this space to explain how your research will complement and extend research and teaching expertise at the UW iSchool. 
• Research statement [3 pages]
  • Give an in-depth description of your current research agenda, major research contributions to date, and future research plans including potential topics and avenues of research funding.  
• Teaching statement [2 pages]
  • Describe your approach to and experience teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level. Where appropriate, please include any experience designing courses, instructional materials, or curricula in Library and Information Science.  
• Diversity statement [1 page]
  • See extended details below
• Two sample publications or scholarly works that exemplify your current research agenda 
• Names and contact information for three references. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for letters of reference. 

Please contact Dr. Nicholas Weber, LIS Tenure Track Search Committee, with questions ([email protected]).

iSchool Diversity Statement Guidelines

Inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and tribal sovereignty are core values of the University of Washington’s Information School, as described on our website: https://ischool.uw.edu/diversity. The Diversity Statement provides an opportunity for applicants to reflect on their research, teaching, and service accomplishments and goals that contribute to those values. We expect about a one-page statement that describes the applicants’ IDEAS efforts.  

Applicants may find further information about the UW iSchool at the following websites: 

• iSchool: ischool.uw.edu