University of Virginia: UVA Provost's Office: College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences: Religious Studies

Location

Charlottesville, VA

Open Date

Apr 15, 2026

Deadline

May 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Description

The University of Virginia’s Department of Religious Studies invites applications for a 3-year Assistant Professorship in Hinduism and Buddhism, with the ability to teach courses in Hinduism and Buddhism, in any historical period(s). Expertise in other Indian religious traditions is also welcomed. The position is a non-renewable, non-tenure track appointment in the academic general faculty (teaching) track of the University. The start date for the position is August 10, 2026.

The successful applicant will be contributing courses both to the Religious Studies curriculum and the College of Arts & Sciences Engagements program. The Engagements are a defining component of the College of Arts & Sciences’ general education curriculum, offering first-year students an introduction to essential ways of thinking that span the arts, sciences, and humanities.  Through focused, two-credit, half-semester seminars organized around four pillars—Engaging Aesthetics, Empirical & Scientific Engagement, Engaging Differences, and Ethical Engagement—students learn to ask meaningful questions, analyze evidence, engage diverse perspectives, and explore ethical dimensions of the world around them. The contents of those courses may reflect the candidate’s academic specialization. 

Faculty in these hybrid roles are anchored in a home department while also serving as College Fellows, joining a cross-disciplinary cohort that shapes the first-year academic experience. Fellows design and teach a repeating 7-week course in the Engagements curriculum and participate in regular program meetings and professional development. The successful candidate will also advise approximately 35 undergraduate students. Every other fall semester, the teaching load includes a one-course reduction in recognition of these advising responsibilities.

In Religious Studies, the successful candidate will offer three (3) courses per year in the department according to curricular needs, though the capacity to offer introductory courses in Hinduism and Buddhism is essential. 

More information about the Engagements Program can be found at: https://gened.as.virginia.edu/engagements. More information about the University’s Department of Religious Studies may be found here: https://religiousstudies.as.virginia.edu/; for the University’s 2030 plan, see here: https://strategicplan.virginia.edu/. Questions about this position should be directed to Dr. John Nemec at jwn3y@virginia.edu. Questions about the application process may be directed to Melanie Sponaugle at unw5dq@virginia.edu. The university will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.

Qualifications

Candidates are expected to hold a Ph.D. in a relevant academic field by the time of appointment. 

Application Instructions

To apply, candidates are asked to visit https://apply.interfolio.com/182236 and submit the following items:

 

1. A Cover Letter explaining one’s interest in the position, including a summary of one’s teaching interests and experience, research capacities, and any demonstrated experience relevant to the ambition of the University’s 2030 plan to cultivate the most vibrant community in higher education, in order to prepare students to be leaders in a diverse and globally connected world;

2. An academic Curriculum Vitae (CV);

3. A Statement of Teaching Philosophy; and

4. The Names of and Contact Information for three (3) academic referees.