Position Description

The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC) at the University of Chicago invites applications for a position as Director of the Chinese Language Program with an expected start date of September 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The selected candidate will be appointed at the rank of Assistant Senior Instructional Professor, Associate Senior Instructional Professor, or Senior Instructional Professor, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The initial appointment is for a minimum term of 3 years, with longer initial terms possible depending on qualifications and initial rank. The position is renewable upon successful review.

The selected candidate will serve as Chinese Language Program Director (LPD), leading a thriving language program that ranges from introductory to advanced levels. The LPD is responsible for overseeing the curriculum and budget for the program, the placement and assessment of students, co-curricular programming, and the supervision and review of Instructional Professors who teach in the program. The LPD typically teaches 4 courses per year (on the quarter system). Instructional Professors of all ranks are required to engage in regular professional development.

Salary Range or Pay Grade:

Assistant Senior Instructional Professor: $82,500-$92,000; Associate Senior Instructional Professor: $90,000-$100,000; Senior Instructional Professor: $98,000-$115,000. This base pay range is for a nine-month academic appointment. The position also includes a relocation allowance for qualifying expenses.

This position is benefits-eligible. The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.


Qualifications

Minimum requirements include ACTFL Advanced-High proficiency in Chinese or equivalent, and a terminal degree (MA or PhD), preferably in Second Language Acquisition or a field related to Chinese language instruction. Applicants must also have prior teaching experience at the college level and the potential to be a successful manager of a language program. Specialized training in second language teaching or acquisition, and prior experience managing a language program, is also highly desirable. Candidates must also be able to demonstrate their language proficiency via certification or in the interview process.

Application Instructions

Applicants must upload the following materials to the University of Chicago’s recruitment website at apply.interfolio.com/176523 by 10:59 PM Central Time/11:59 PM Eastern Time on December 1, 2025:

• CV
• Cover letter addressing the applicant’s approach to directing a Chinese language program
• Teaching statement
• 2 sample syllabi for different levels of Chinese language courses
• Sample course evaluations for different levels of Chinese language programs
• Contact information for three references
  
  

Candidates who advance in the search will be asked to provide additional materials documenting their successful management of a language program or their potential to manage a language program successfully. Questions may be directed to Dawn Brennan at dbrennan@uchicago.edu.

This position is contingent upon budgetary approval.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-834-3988 or email equalopportunity@uchicago.edu with their request.

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About University of Chicago, EALC

The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations(EALC) at The University of Chicago is at the forefront of innovative humanistic approaches to the study of China, Japan, and Korea, past and present. Faculty specializations range from ancient paleography to contemporary cinema but interdisciplinary and interregional paths of inquiry are strongly encouraged. We offer an undergraduate major and a graduate Ph.D. program. Our language program offers first through fourth years of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, as well as intensive summer courses for the first two years of these languages. In addition, the department also offers classical Chinese, kindai bungo, and scholarly Japanese.

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