Assistant Editor-Research Assistant Professor

Location:
Knoxville, TN
Open Date:
May 12, 2026
Description:

The Papers of Andrew Jackson at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville seeks a Research Assistant Professor of History to serve as Assistant Editor. The PAJ is producing a comprehensive edition of Jackson’s papers in seventeen bound volumes and two digital iterations, as well as a growing public-facing digital archive. Volume XIII: 1835 is now in preparation and early work on Volume XIV: 1836 has begun.

The Assistant Editor position is fully grant funded for four years, running from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2030. The new Assistant Editor will engage in all aspects of the project’s work, including independent and collaborative historical research; accessioning, selecting, calendaring, transcribing, and annotating documents for publication in the volumes; copyediting, proofreading, and indexing the print volumes; managing and expanding the project’s online offerings; and working with other staff members to conduct archival research and respond to research queries. Qualifications include a PhD in US history, with a preferred research specialty in the early national through Civil War eras, and advanced historical research and writing skills.

A long-running and highly regarded project, the Jackson Papers seeks to make widely available the full written record of the seventh U.S. president. Current project staff hold faculty appointments in the UT Department of History and are fully engaged in the intellectual life of the campus and community. Our project office and University library offer rich materials for research, including government records, microfilmed manuscript collections, and major electronic databases.

Salary is competitive and includes University benefits.

Qualifications:

Required: A Doctoral degree in US History. Historical research (including archival research) and writing experience commensurate with doctoral-level study of US History. Strong general knowledge of nineteenth-century U.S. history. Ability to read nineteenth-century U.S. manuscripts. Advanced historical research skills, including extensive experience in archival research. Basic word processing skills.

Preferred: Detailed knowledge of 1830s-era US political history. Basic image editing and web design skills.

Application Instructions:

For full consideration, applications must be submitted by September 1, 2026. Candidates should submit a letter of application, CV, article-length writing sample, and contact information for three references. Inquiries may be direct to Dr. Michael E. Woods, project director, at mwoods47@utk.edu.