Assistant or Associate Professor in Anthropology

A Ph.D. in Anthropology is required.

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The Department of Anthropology in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY seeks to fill a tenure-eligible faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level. This is a 9-month position in the regular title series with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2026. The first year Distribution of Effort will be 37.5% Teaching, 55% Research, and 7.5% Departmental service; After the first year, the anticipated Distribution of Effort will be 45% Teaching, 45% Research, and 10% Departmental service. The successful candidate will have an active research program in the US Southeast or the Ohio River Valley and an expectation of securing external funding. The successful candidate will also have expertise in GIS (and, preferably, an additional analytical or field method) and will contribute to training undergraduate and graduate students in the field and in the lab. We welcome applicants who desire to be part of a dynamic research community, including staff in the William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology, with a shared commitment to student-centered teaching and mentoring.

Our department is a dynamic community of learners, teachers, and researchers who work globally. We specialize in archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology and maintain close ties to the William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology and the EduceLab for Cultural Heritage Science. We offer B.A. and B.S. degrees, a certificate in Biological Anthropology, a M.A. degree in Applied Anthropology (encompassing all subdisciplines), and a PhD degree. Our undergraduate and graduate students are active in research, internships, and the department via participation in regular Brown Bag conversations, colloquia, departmental committees, and student-led events. We foster an environment that promotes the importance of anthropology for interdisciplinary work and support collaborative research and teaching.

A Ph.D. in Anthropology is required. Applicants must include the following: 1) cover letter 2) CV, 3) Research Statement (upload as Specific Request 1), 4) Teaching Statement (upload as Specific Request 2), and 5) up to three Research Samples (e.g. journal articles, book chapters, or dissertation chapters [upload as Writing Sample]). In addition, please provide the names and contact information of three references when prompted in the academic profile. This information may be utilized to solicit recommendation letters from your references within the employment system.

Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits.

Questions about this search should be addressed to Dr. Scott Hutson, Search Committee Chair, Department of Anthropology, University of Kentucky (scotthutson@uky.edu).

Review of applications will begin on 10/27/2025 and will continue until the position is filled.

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.