Postdoctoral Scholar - Humanities

The Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education (CEVIHE) at Tufts University seeks to host a Postdoctoral Fellow whose research and teaching explore an emerging or underexamined area of the humanities that engages consequential and contentious political, cultural, or moral questions.

We invite applications from scholars whose work illuminates difficult or contested debates in intellectual life and public culture. Relevant research areas might include the intellectual history of controversial movements or traditions; philosophical or theological arguments about authority, dissent, and pluralism; literary or cultural engagements with moral conflict and social transformation; or the institutional and historical conditions that shape how certain ideas gain influence, lose legitimacy, or become marginalized in academic and public discourse. Applicants may come from disciplines such as philosophy, history, religious studies, literature, political theory, or related humanities fields.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning April 20, 2026, and the position will remain open until filled. The hiring range for this position is $65,000-$75,000, commensurate with experience.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will develop two courses in these areas. These courses may include seminars designed to introduce students to influential texts, recent scholarship, and major debates surrounding contested ideas and intellectual traditions. Courses may be cross-listed with other relevant departments or programs. The position offers an opportunity to develop an independent research agenda while gaining teaching experience in a supportive academic environment. The Fellow will also be encouraged to participate in CEVIHE seminars, workshops, and related intellectual programming.

The Postdoctoral Fellowship in Humanities is supported by CEVIHE, which seeks to cultivate early-career scholars whose teaching and research broaden the range of ideas represented in their disciplines and strengthen Tufts' culture of open inquiry. The Center is committed to renewing the university's intellectual mission by fostering a culture of engagement across ideological, religious, and cultural differences.

The fellow will maintain their office at CEVIHE, where they will be part of a cohort of postdoctoral fellows representing various departments and programs. The fellow will be mentored by two faculty members affiliated with CEVIHE to support research, teaching, and professional development. Fellows are expected to work in person at least four days a week and contribute to the CEVIHE community through attendance at a weekly lunch series, informal mentorship of undergraduates, and participation in occasional Center events.

Application Instructions:

Please submit the following materials: an application letter, a curriculum vitae, a brief research statement, a brief statement of teaching philosophy with a proposed teaching contribution, at least one sample syllabus that reflects the candidate's approach to course design and pedagogy, and at least two confidential letters of reference submitted directly by their authors. Teaching evaluations may be submitted if available.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please direct any questions to Arik Burakovsky at Arik.Burakovsky@tufts.edu. Letters of reference should also be submitted to this email address.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the completion of a background check.

Tufts University, founded in 1852, prioritizes quality teaching, highly competitive basic and applied research, and a commitment to active citizenship locally, regionally, and globally. Tufts University also prides itself on creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. Current and prospective employees of the university are expected to have and continuously develop skills in, and dispositions for, positively engaging with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.

Application Requirements:

• External Application URL and Instructions Below
• Letters of Reference Instructions Below

Reference Instructions:

Submit at least two confidential letters of reference submitted directly by their authors.

This is a one-year term limited position commencing July 2026. This is a 35 hr/wk position, specific schedule to be determined in coordination with PI. Potential for extension pending performance and availability of funding.

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in a relevant field by the start of the appointment, with demonstrated research and teaching interests in the humanities. We are particularly interested in scholars whose work engages contested intellectual traditions, moral or political disagreement, or the historical and cultural dynamics through which ideas gain authority or are challenged. Strong candidates will demonstrate the ability to teach textually grounded, discussion-based courses that expose students to competing frameworks of interpretation and model rigorous engagement across differences. Interdisciplinary approaches and a willingness to contribute to CEVIHE's broader programming on intellectual pluralism and open inquiry are especially welcome.

The appointment is for one year, with the possibility of renewal based on performance, funding, and mutual agreement.