Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Language

The Department of East Asian Studies of the University of Alberta is seeking to hire a full-time  Teaching Professor at the rank of Assistant or Associate Lecturer, to teach all levels of Japanese, and to serve as director of the Japanese language program. This is a full-time, continuing Career status position. Anticipated start date is July 1, 2025.

While this position welcomes applications from individuals external to the university, current Academic Teaching Staff are first notified of available positions and will receive first consideration in accordance with the terms of Schedule D of the Academic Collective Agreement prior to considering external candidates. Please indicate your internal status using the "Advertisement" drop down menu when applying. Internal applications must be received by October 15, 2024 to be considered.

Salary will be commensurate with experience in accordance with the Academic Teaching Staff (ATS) agreement.

Location - Work primarily takes place at North Campus Edmonton. This role is in-person.

Responsibilities :

• Teach seven class sections of Japanese language per academic year, in person on our Edmonton campus.  Normally, this will be taught as three sections each in Fall and Winter semesters, with one class section in our short Spring semester.  Expected to teach a graduate-level course on East Asian language pedagogy in some years, which would count as one of the seven required class sections.
• Manage all aspects of the Japanese language program. 
• Take primary responsibility for language screening and placement for new students entering the Japanese language program.  Encourage and support all students, from a diverse array of backgrounds and identities.

Required Qualifications :

• Native or near-native proficiency in Japanese and English.
• A Master’s or Doctorate degree in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language, or some other field related to the study of the modern Japanese language, or to Japanese-language pedagogy.
• Minimum of three years’ experience teaching Japanese at the post-secondary level in Canada, or in the United States or another Anglophone nation.  This experience must include teaching at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
• Minimum of two years of experience managing a language program or a part of a language program (e.g., 1st-year Japanese).

In addition to the above requirements, we will give strong preference to candidates who can demonstrate evidence of the following:

• Strong teamwork within a cohort of language instructors
• Excellence in design and development of instructional materials
• Record of welcoming a diverse student body into the Japanese language classroom, and of managing a classroom with students of different backgrounds and proficiency levels
• Pedagogical innovation such as task-based learning, etc.
• Experience in using standard language proficiency frameworks (ACTFL and/or CEFR) in performing language assessment and placement

Working at the University

Edmonton and the University of Alberta are situated on Treaty 6 territory, homeland of the Métis, and traditional meeting ground and home for many Indigenous Peoples, including Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Dene, and Nakota Sioux. Founded in 1908, the University of Alberta is one of Canada's largest and most-respected research universities. It serves over 41,000 students in more than 200 undergraduate and 500 graduate and professional programs. In 2022, the University’s Indigenous Strategic Plan was implemented, reflecting an important step in our institution’s commitment to reconciliation in post-secondary education and research, addressing the historical legacy of the residential school system and Canada’s colonial history. The University’s principles and actions and its Strategic Plan for EDI are underpinned by respect for the dignity, rights, and full participation of all those who live, work, and learn within the university.

The Faculty and the Department

The Faculty of Arts is the oldest and most diverse faculty on campus and is one of the largest research and teaching centres in Western Canada. The Department of East Asian Studies was founded in 1982, and is one of the few departments of its kind in Canada that offers full four years in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages, along with courses in the histories, cultures, and societies of East Asia.  Our diverse faculty includes scholars working in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Fine Arts, and we are the only area studies department at any university in the province of Alberta.  Our Japanese program is one of the largest language programs at the University of Alberta, and the successful applicant will have the opportunity to lead and shape this program for the future.

How to Apply

To have your application considered, please select the Apply Online icon below and submit the following:

• cover letter describing your fit for the above qualifications (2 pages max)
• curriculum vitae that includes the names of three referees (CV)
• Letters of reference, teaching dossier, and other supplementary materials may be requested of candidates after initial review of applications

Review of applications will begin on November 1 and continue until the position is filled.

Inquiry regarding this position can be addressed to the Chair of the Advisory Selection Committee, Dr. Tsuyoshi Ono, at tono@ualberta.ca with the subject line, “Japanese Teaching Professor Search”.