Company DescriptionNazarbayev University (NU) is a leading research-intensive institution established in 2010 with strong support from the government of Kazakhstan and international partners. Since its founding, NU has rapidly emerged as a hub for academic excellence and innovation in Central Asia.In the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, NU was ranked in the top 30% globally, first in Central Asia, and among the top 10 universities in the ASEAN region.NU offers a highly competitive and intellectually vibrant environment. Our students are selected from the best high schools in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. All instruction and research are conducted in English. Most of our faculty and academic leadership are international hires.The Department of Languages, Linguistics and Literatures (LLL) at the School of Sciences and Humanities currently has 13 full-time faculty and 7 language instructors representing a variety of disciplines in the domain of languages, linguistics and comparative literature.The LLL Department’s program “World Languages, Literature and Culture (WLLC)” is also integrated into the MA and PhD graduate programs in Eurasian Studies,s and the ideal candidate for the position will have the ability to contribute to graduate teaching and advising.The NU campus is in Astana, the modern and dynamic capital of Kazakhstan, in the heart of its futuristic left-bank district. Faculty enjoy a cosmopolitan lifestyle enriched by local cultural traditions. The city offers a diverse social life with excellent restaurants, theaters, concert halls, museums, sporting events, and outdoor recreation.Job DescriptionThe Department of Languages, Linguistics and Literature seeks an Associate Professor whose research and teaching focus encompasses explorations of the human capacity for language as an evolving structured system. We seek a candidate with an exemplary record of empirically based research and teaching. The domain of this research could be in the areas of psycholinguistics, cognitive linguistics, corpus linguistics, or other related areas including bi/multilingualism in Eurasia. All qualified candidates are invited to apply, but a candidate with expertise in the use of statistical and computational methods and with the ability to teach upper level classes in these areas is preferred.The selected candidate will be committed to excellence in research-integrated teaching, program-building, and student mentoring at the undergraduate and graduate levels, possibly in a wide thematic range. It is expected that the candidate will be able to complement and build off of our department’s diverse strengths, spanning comparative literature and folklore studies, sociolinguistics, typology, morphosyntax, and semantics and pragmatics. The successful candidate will be expected to teach a range of courses from introductory to upper level at the undergraduate level as well as graduate level seminars, to supervise BA student capstone theses, and to supervise MA and PhD student thesis and dissertation research.The applicant should also be able to demonstrate their willingness to help enhance the capacity for interdisciplinary research and teaching at Nazarbayev University, working with existing linguistics and anthropology faculty.Qualifications· PhD in linguistics from an accredited and recognized international university· An active research agenda (as evident in peer-reviewed publications or demonstrated ability to publish immediately upon appointment);· Teaching experience at university level;· Experience in developing new courses and program curricula;· Experience and readiness to supervise undergraduate capstone and graduate thesis projects;· Excellent communication and collaboration skills;· Commitment to maintaining a professional, collegial, and inclusive work environment.Additional InformationResponsibilities include 2/2 teaching load, research and publication, and departmental and school service. The University offers opportunities for research support. The position is for a three-year term with the possibility of renewal.Nazarbayev University offers an internationally competitive compensation and benefits package, which includes:
Internationally competitive salary (commensurate with qualifications and experience)
Free fully furnished housing (based on rank and family size)
Relocation support
International health insurance for faculty and dependents residing in Astana
Education allowance for dependent children residing in Astana
Applicants should send a CV, cover letter with teaching and research statements, names and contact information of three referees, and two samples of written work through this link (https://smrtr.io/tkY8j). For fullest consideration complete applications must be received by OCTOBER 1st (position will be considered open until filled). Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.For inquiries regarding this position, please contact Gabriel McGuire (gmcguire@nu.edu.kz).
