"Visiting Assistant Professor"

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (DEALL) at The Ohio State University invites applications for a Visiting Assistant Professor position in Japanese linguistics. We seek candidates whose research focuses on interactional linguistics such as sociolinguistics, pragmatics, or discourse analysis with a strong quantitative background (e.g., AI, large language models, statistics), and who have the ability to teach undergraduate General Education courses on Japanese culture as well as graduate-level courses in Japanese linguistics. Native or near-native fluency in both English and Japanese is required.

Performance Objectives:

• Teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels (e.g., Elements of Japanese Culture, Introduction to Japanese Linguistics, and other Japanese language/linguistics courses)
• Conducts research focusing on interactional linguistics, such as sociolinguistics, pragmatics, or discourse analysis, with a strong quantitative background (e.g., use of AI, large language models, and/or statistics, etc.)
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring a student body with many different backgrounds at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
• Provides analytical and quantitative training to help students approach and understand Japanese interactions through language data
• Actively contributes to cross-disciplinary research and is able to utilize media resources such as manga, anime, and video games (e.g., encouraged to engage with and leverage the internationally renowned manga collection at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum; expected to contribute to the university-level AI Fluency Initiative and the proposed Arts & Humanities AI Institute, and to foster synergy with other programs within DEALL and across campus, e.g., East Asian Studies, Linguistics, Film/Media Studies, Popular Culture Studies, Game Studies, Psychology, Cognitive Sciences, Translation and Interpreting, and so on)
• Contributes to the department in service and committee work as assigned

Education and Experience Requirements

Required:

• PhD in Japanese linguistics or a related field in hand by August 15, 2026
• Specialization in one or more areas of Japanese pragmatics, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, conversation analysis, corpus linguistics, media language, or related fields
• Ability to provide analytical and quantitative training to help students approach and understand Japanese interactions through language data
• Native or near-native fluency in both English and Japanese

Desired:

• College level teaching experience
• Ability to utilize media resources such as manga, anime, and video games
• Ability to contribute to the university-level AI Fluency Initiative and the proposed Arts & Humanities AI Institute
• Ability to foster synergy with other programs within DEALL and across campus

Additional Information

The offer for this position will be based on internal equity and the candidate's qualifications. Ohio State provides access to a depth and breadth of opportunities and resources. Starting from your first day, Ohio State offers you a comprehensive benefits package.

How to Apply:

All applications must be received by January 9, 2026, to receive full consideration. Inquiries may be directed to Dr. Mineharu Nakayama (Japanese Search Committee Chair) at nakayama.1@osu.edu.

Application materials submitted in Workday must include:

• Attachment 1: Cover Letter: 1-2 page letter, which should include a brief summary of your academic background and why you are interested in this opportunity. Please include the names and email addresses for three references in your CV.
• Attachment 2: CV (Curriculum Vitae): Detailed overview of your scholarly experience, including your research experience, teaching and mentoring experience, service, and publications. A section of your CV should include a list of all courses you have taught and the names and email addresses of three references.
• Attachment 3: A Research Statement: The research statement is a summary of your past research accomplishments, current work/research, and proposal for your future research plans as a faculty member.
• Attachment 4: A Teaching and Mentoring Statement: The teaching and mentoring statement is a statement of your approaches, experience and philosophy regarding your teaching, learning, and mentoring.
• Attachment 5: A writing sample (up to 50 pages).

After submitting your application materials in Workday, you will receive an email from Ohio State Human Resources with instructions to provide the names and contact information of three individuals who will submit letters of recommendation on your behalf.

The position will begin August 15, 2026.