"International Humanities Postdoctoral Research Associate in Jewish Mysticism"

The Department of Religious Studies, Program in Judaic Studies, and Cogut Institute for the Humanities at Brown University invite applications for a two-year appointment as International Humanities Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Jewish mystical tradition. Candidates should have teaching competence in Kabbalah and the Zohar (and know the requisite languages), but the area of research specialization is open. We are especially interested in the areas of Jews and Judaism in the Sephardic or Islamic worlds; comparative mysticism; and the intersection of Kabbalah and hermeneutics within a wider humanistic frame.

The position will be held jointly in the Department of Religious Studies and the Cogut Institute for the Humanities, with affiliation in the Program in Judaic Studies. The incumbent will teach one course per semester. The incumbent will also be expected to participate in the Cogut Institute’s weekly Tuesday research seminar as well as other activities.

The appointment will begin on July 1, 2026. Appointees are employed as postdoctoral research associates with a competitive salary, standard benefits, and a $2,000 per year reimbursable research fund. For this position, Brown offers only the J-1 visa classification to scholars who need immigration sponsorship in order to enter the U.S. and commence lawful employment under the terms of their appointment.

The review of applications will begin on February 1, 2026.

Receipt of the Ph.D. or completion of all degree requirements is required by July 1, 2026. Recipients of a Ph.D. from Brown University are ineligible as are any applicants whose Ph.D. was earned prior to the last five years.

Applications should consist of a cover letter that details relevant qualifications and addresses how the candidate would contribute to the research and/or teaching missions of our diverse and inclusive university community; a CV; an article-length writing sample; a sample syllabus for an undergraduate course on Kabbalah; and the names and contact information for three references. These should be submitted online at https://apply.interfolio.com/177799.

Questions should be directed at Michael Satlow (Michael_Satlow@brown.edu).