Working Title: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Jewish Studies

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Arts and Letters

Department: 100031 - Philosophy and Religion Department

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 11/03/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The Department of Philosophy and Religion at James Madison University invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in Jewish Studies at the rank of Assistant Professor, beginning Fall of 2026. The area of specialization is open. Special consideration will be given to applicants whose AOS includes study of the Hebrew Bible. Candidates whose research and teaching intersect with other disciplines (e.g. economics, medicine, political science, engineering, etc.) are especially desirable. Applicants must be trained in the academic methods of religious studies, although a wide range of methodological approaches is welcome.

The College of Arts and Letters, in which the Department of Philosophy and Religion is located, enrolls over 3100 undergraduate majors and about 150 graduate students across ten academic units in the humanities, social sciences, and communication studies. Home to several interdisciplinary centers and institutes, the College employs 270 full-time faculty. We embrace the teacher-scholar model, and encourage excellent applicants within our particular disciplines, as well as scholars and teachers eager to work across them.

Duties and Responsibilities:

REL 320 (Judaism) and REL 201 (Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament) will be regular features of the teaching rotation. In addition to teaching upper-level electives in Judaism in the relevant AOS, the successful candidate will teach in the University’s General Education program (REL 101: Religions of the World and/or REL 102: Religion, Spirituality, and the Meaning of Life). The teaching load is 3/3, with 2 preparations per semester.

Qualifications:

We look for candidates who understand the importance of academic service and are enthusiastic about contributing to the growth of the Religion program. Candidates should have the Ph.D. in hand or have completed the dissertation at the time of appointment. Evidence of teaching experience and potential for excellence must accompany the application.

Successful applicants will have a demonstrated command of the history, thought, and traditions of Judaism. Applicants will have a demonstrated competence in the requisite languages, depending on AOS. A demonstrated program of research with the promise of significant publication is required.

Additional Posting Information:

Candidates should complete the online application and provide:
-CV
-Cover Letter
-Scholarly Writing Sample (submitted under "Other Document #1")
-Evidence of teaching philosophy (submitted under "Other Document #2") which can include: statement of teaching philosophy, sample syllabi, teaching evaluations

Preliminary interviews will begin at the 2025 AAR/SBL conference in Boston, MA. Additional inquiries can be addressed to Alan Levinovitz, Chair, Jewish Studies Search Committee (levinoaj@jmu.edu).

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.