The Department of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles, announces a search for a tenure-track position in ancient Iranian studies at the rank of Assistant Professor to be filled effective July 1, 2025. Applications are invited from junior scholars with research and teaching interests in the history, languages/literary traditions, and religions of ancient Iran, especially the first millennium BCE to the end of late antiquity. The department is particularly interested in candidates whose research and teaching in the history, languages/literary traditions, and religions of ancient Iran are diachronic, engage broader cultural and intellectual traditions (in particular the Ancient Near East, the Classical World, and Central Asia), and are transdisciplinary in scope. Candidates will teach (and develop) a variety of classes, including general education courses, as well as graduate seminars in ancient Iranian history, philology and religions. This position represents an exciting new development for UCLA, complementing its existing strengths in the study of the ancient Iranian world. Candidates are to contribute actively to the research and work of the Pourdavoud Institute for the Iranian World (https://pourdavoud.ucla.edu), as well as the Yarshater Center for the Study of Iranian Literary Traditions (https://yarshater.ucla.edu). In addition, candidates are also to participate in UCLA Global Antiquity (https://globalantiquity.ucla.edu) and establish links with colleagues working on ancient studies at UCLA. Broad community engagement in Los Angeles and beyond is expected from the successful candidate.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. in hand by June 30, 2025. To apply, please submit a cover letter describing research and teaching; a curriculum vitae; evidence of teaching effectiveness; a writing sample; a statement of contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion; the names of three to five references; and the authorization to release information form. The letter of application should be addressed to the Chair of the Search Committee.

We value candidates whose experience in teaching, research, or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. Women and underrepresented minorities are encouraged to apply.

Applications should be submitted online: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF09993.

To assure full consideration, applications should be submitted by December 15, 2024. Applications will continue to be accepted until December 31, 2024.

The posted UC salary scales (https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/compensation/index.html) set the minimum pay determined by rank and/or step at appointment. See Table 1. The salary range for this position is $78,200 - $101,400. “Off-scale salaries” and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, bullying and other demeaning behavior, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment as well as a commitment to addressing all forms of academic misconduct, UCLA conducts targeted employment reference checks for finalists to whom department or other hiring units would like to extend formal offers of appointment into Academic Senate faculty positions. The targeted employment reference checks involve contacting the finalists’ current and prior places of employment to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UCLA requires all applicants for Academic Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If the applicant does not include the signed authorization to release information with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete. As with any incomplete application, the application will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists (i.e., those to whom the department or other hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer) considered for Academic Senate faculty positions will be subject to targeted employment reference checks.