Assistant Professor of Asian Studies (Japanese)

Job Type: Location Type: Not Specified

 

Job Description

The Department of Asian Studies at St. Olaf College invites applications for a full-time, tenure track position in Japanese at the Assistant Professor level, to begin August 2026.

The successful candidate must be able to teach Japanese language courses at all levels and courses in the candidate’s discipline taught in English. A full-time teaching load at St. Olaf College is five courses a year. Typically, the candidate can expect to teach three or four courses in Japanese language, with the other one or two courses in a disciplinary field (e.g., second language acquisition or film studies) and taught in English. Many department faculty teach a January term course off campus in alternating years. Expected contributions to the Japanese Program include participation in regular program meetings, coordinating with the lab instructor, managing student tutors, and overseeing additional learning opportunities (e.g., conversation tables, internships, study away) as needed.

Salary: $74,190 – $79,000

Qualifications

1. Native or near-native fluency in Japanese and English.
2. Ph.D. in second language studies, linguistics, environmental humanities, race and ethnic studies, film and media studies, or related fields in Japanese language and/or culture. ABD candidates with clear evidence of timely graduation plans will be considered.
3. College-level Japanese language instruction experience and demonstrated commitment to language teaching that fosters students’ proficiency and cross-cultural competencies is preferred.

About the Department
The Asian Studies Department at St. Olaf College is a supportive and collaborative community focused on teaching and research. Our faculty bring diverse expertise in Asian languages, history, culture, political science, religion, literature, art and art history, and applied linguistics, creating an engaging environment for our students and each other. We encourage interdisciplinary learning and foster connections across different fields through our courses and the campus events we organize. We maintain active research agendas and partnerships with community organizations. We serve our professions through national and international associations and organizations, including AAS, MCAA, Fulbright/IIE, ASIANetwork, ACTFL, ATJ, ASCJ, and IIAS. For more information about the department, visit wp.stolaf.edu/asian-studies/.

We strive to be a campus of welcome where students, faculty, and staff thrive by bringing their full humanity-gender identity, sexuality, race, ethnicity, national origin, socioeconomic class, disability, religion, spirituality, and age-to St. Olaf each day. Our goal is to generate conversations and processes that over time create greater clarity, transparency, trust, cooperation, consensus, respect, and measurable outcomes. Practices that support this goal include listening, cultivating a growth mindset, respecting those with different views, being informed by data, and understanding that the work is ongoing, collaborative, organic, and ever evolving. We encourage applicants to familiarize themselves with our Community and Belonging website to learn more about our commitment and to identify how you might contribute to these efforts.

How to Apply
Throughout your materials, include how you would contribute to the development of a diverse and inclusive learning community at our college through your teaching, research, and/or service. A complete application includes the following:

References: Provide contact information for three professional references who can speak to your abilities in teaching and scholarship. Letters will be solicited from references by the search committee for candidates who advance to the interview stage.

Supporting Documents and URLS:

1. Cover letter outlining your qualifications and why you are interested in this particular position
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Graduate transcripts (unofficial)
4. Teaching Statement: A strong teaching statement should explain your teaching philosophy, how you support diverse learners, the methods you use to help students succeed, and how you grow as an educator; it should be 2-3 pages long. Please include a link to a Japanese language teaching demonstration video (approximately 15 minutes) at the end of your Teaching Statement.
5. Professional Statement: A strong professional statement should outline your key academic and research interests, highlight your contributions to the field, and demonstrate how your work aligns with the values and goals of the institution; it should be 2-3 pages long.
6. Writing Sample (e.g., published article, dissertation chapter, or work in progress), not to exceed 30 pages

Review of applications will begin on September 26, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. Applications received by that date will receive fullest consideration. Finalist interviews are expected in November. Questions about the position, department, or College may be directed to Ying Zhou, Search Committee Chair, at tt2026asianst@stolaf.edu.

About Us

Who We Are:

Founded in 1874, St. Olaf College is a residential, coeducational liberal arts college with approximately 3,000 students and 800 faculty and staff. The college is located on a picturesque 300-acre campus in Northfield, Minnesota, a vibrant, historic river town of 20,000 located 45 minutes south of culturally rich and diverse Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The college offers an academically rigorous, nationally ranked liberal arts education that fosters the development of the whole person in mind, body, and spirit and emphasizes learning in an inclusive and globally engaged community. We encourage applications from candidates committed to multicultural understanding and the enrichment of our diverse community.

The college offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a 9% retirement match, contributions to eligible employees’ health savings accounts, a significant tuition discount (up to a 90% reduction) at ACM, GLCA, and ELCA colleges and universities for employees’ children, and generous paid time off. For a full review of the college’s benefits, please see the summary of our benefits here: https://wp.stolaf.edu/hr/benefits/

To provide a safe and secure educational environment, St. Olaf College verifies the accuracy of all credentials presented by applicants and conducts a criminal background check on every new hire.

A summary of the Flexible Work Policy for staff: https://wp.stolaf.edu/hr/flexible-work-policy/

A link to our Community and Belonging page: https://wp.stolaf.edu/equity-inclusion/

A virtual campus tour: https://www.stolaf.edu/multimedia/play/?p=483

An overview of Northfield: https://wp.stolaf.edu/admissions/visit/northfield/

An overview of the Twin Cities: https://wp.stolaf.edu/admissions/visit/twincities/

For Staff Application Assistance:

hrstaff@stolaf.edu

507-786-3068

For Faculty Application Assistance:
facultysearch@stolaf.edu
507-786-3356

Nondiscrimination Policy

St. Olaf College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, marital status, veteran status, or status with regard to public assistance. St. Olaf College prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon these and any other legally protected status in any education program or activity that it operates, including in admissions and employment.

Inquiries about this nondiscrimination policy may be referred to St. Olaf College’s Director of Equal Opportunity, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both. St. Olaf’s Director of Equal Opportunity (who serves as the College’s Title IX, Title VI, and Section 504 Coordinator) is Pamela McDowell, Tomson Hall, mcdowell@stolaf.edu, (507) 786-3465.