Assistant Professor - Hebrew Bible - Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures

The Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (MELC) at the University of California, Berkeley seeks applications for an Assistant Professor in Hebrew Bible, tenure track, with an expected start date of July 1, 2026.

Applications are welcome from scholars who investigate the Hebrew Bible in its ancient contexts and are engaged in interdisciplinary questions across the humanities and/or social sciences.

The successful applicant will join the MELC faculty who are dedicated to the study of the languages, literature, and material culture of the Middle East, from antiquity to today. Instructional responsibilities include teaching 3-4 courses/year at the graduate and undergraduate levels, including instruction in Biblical Hebrew. They will also be expected to collaborate in overseeing the Hebrew language program, contribute to teaching the department's introductory survey courses, mentor undergraduate students and supervise graduate students, and contribute to the department's diverse and inclusive community through their research, teaching, and/or service. The appointee will have the opportunity to connect with a variety of other campus units such as the Center for Jewish Studies and the Graduate Group in Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology.

The department is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths or who have taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit: http://ofew.berkeley.edu/new-faculty

Department: https://melc.berkeley.edu/

• PhD (or equivalent international degree), or enrolled in PhD or equivalent international degree-granting program at the time of application.

• Advanced training and competence in Biblical Hebrew with the proven ability to conduct research using primary sources.
• Literacy and proficiency in Biblical Hebrew sufficient to contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching of primary sources.
• Engages with scholarship in one or more additional fields in the humanities and social sciences.
• Experience teaching undergraduate courses on the Hebrew Bible in the context of Judaism and other traditions

• Training and competence in Northwest Semitic Languages such as Aramaic and Ugaritic with the ability to conduct research and teach with primary sources.

• Familiarity with relevant languages and scripts from the broader ancient Middle East and Mediterranean.

• Familiarity with Biblical Hebrew's contributions to later Hebrew, Greek, and Arabic textual sources; and its reception in Judaism and other cultural traditions.

• Ability to support the success of all students through inclusive curriculum, classroom environment, and pedagogy.

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

References will only be contacted for those candidates under serious consideration and we will seek your permission before doing so.

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
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