Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies

About the role

The Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) program in the Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at San José State University is seeking a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies. The position focuses on the implications of emerging technologies for Indigenous peoples, including sovereignty, data governance, cultural knowledge, representation, ethics and justice. It is located in Silicon Valley, and the expected start date is August 2027.

Key responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate courses in Native American and Indigenous Studies and develop new curriculum on indigeneity, artificial intelligence, Indigenous technologies, media studies, data sovereignty, digital cultures and Indigenous futurisms.
• Maintain an active research, scholarly, creative or community-engaged agenda appropriate to a tenure-track appointment.
• Advise and mentor students and build cross-departmental, community and institutional partnerships.
• Organize all assigned courses in the Canvas LMS.
• Take part in shared governance, typically in department, college and university committees and other service roles.

Required profile

• Earned doctorate in American Indian Studies, Native American Studies, Indigenous Studies, Ethnic Studies, Science and Technology Studies or another relevant field (ABD candidates must complete degree requirements by the appointment date).
• Potential for effective teaching, or teaching experience in NAIS or related fields.
• Record of, or potential for, research, scholarship or creative activity in NAIS and technologies such as sovereignty, self-determination, settler colonialism or decolonization.
• A history of working with tribes, Indigenous organizations, urban Indigenous communities or Indigenous-led technology, media, cultural heritage or data initiatives is strongly desired.

Preferred qualifications

• Demonstrated experience working with tribes, Indigenous communities or Indigenous-led projects on technology, media, data, cultural heritage, education, governance or public policy.
• Ability to communicate NAIS epistemological frameworks and the ethical implications of emerging technologies for Indigenous peoples.
• Expertise in pedagogical approaches to AI, Indigenous data sovereignty, Indigenous technologies, Indigenous media, digital cultures or Indigenous futurisms.
• Ability to apply critical, Indigenous, decolonial and culturally sustaining methodologies, and to develop new NAIS curriculum and interdisciplinary collaborations.

What we offer

• Salary commensurate with qualifications, experience and rank per the CSU Salary Schedule, with an anticipated annual range of $88,000 - $92,000 for the first academic year.
• Competitive faculty employee benefits.