Associate Director for Public History Research and Program Development

Position Overview

The Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, and Reconciliation at Sewanee: The University of the South in Sewanee, TN, seeks a community-engaged scholar-teacher of U.S. public history with advanced skills and experience in the field of digital humanities to serve as the Project’s Associate Director for Public History Research and Program Development.

The appointment is twelve months, full-time, for a period of two years with the possibility of reappointment. The successful candidate will annually teach one to two undergraduate courses in public history or related fields. Salary for this position is commensurate with qualifications and includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Position Appointment Details:

• Career Band: 2D
• Salaried, full-time
• This position is a term position and has a scheduled end date of October 2028.

Position Description

The holder of this position will be tasked with managing and contributing to a number of existing digital sites using Omeka S, but will also be encouraged to develop relevant digital research projects of their own design.

Other duties include supervising undergraduate research and managing Roberson Project events.

The successful candidate will annually teach one to two undergraduate courses in public history or related fields.

Attributes of a Successful Candidate

We prefer that candidates for this position have extensive professional training and experience in public history, with a PhD in public history (or a related field) in hand at the time of employment.

ABD candidates and MA degree-holders with truly exemplary records of public history experience in the areas specified above may be considered.

In addition, the applicant must possess advanced hands-on experience working with the Omeka S web-publishing platform and WordPress and/or other content management systems.

Classroom teaching experience is valued but not required.

The Roberson Project, committed as it is “to gather and give a more complete historical account of [the University of the South], the town of Sewanee, and all its people,” is a community-focused undertaking that seeks to build and maintain partnerships with descendant and local African American communities that have long histories with Sewanee. Candidates for this position should have experience with and relish these kinds of relationship-building opportunities that are at the heart of the Roberson Project’s mission.

Supplemental Information

The application deadline is September 1, 2026. The desired start of employment is October 2026.

The Roberson Project, launched in 2017, is among the innovative leaders in the movement in American higher education to investigate historical entanglements with slavery and its legacies at colleges and universities that have long denied these connections. The Project maintains an unusually extensive portfolio of engagement opportunities, including dedicated course offerings, interdisciplinary programming, scholarly research (including undergraduate research), digital humanities initiatives, and community-driven partnerships. Descriptions of many of these facets of the Project can be found on its website: robersonproject.sewanee.edu.

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The University of the South, familiarly known as “Sewanee,” is home to a nationally recognized College of Arts and Sciences and a School of Theology. Sewanee is distinguished by its dedication to cultivate academic excellence, community values, and environmental stewardship that produces informed, self-aware, and participatory citizens for our democracy and servant-leaders for the world. Nestled on 13,000 acres atop Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau, the University offers both a uniquely beautiful setting and convenient access to nearby cities—Chattanooga, Nashville, and Huntsville. The University is affiliated with the Episcopal Church and seeks to be a place where individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences find support, opportunity, and purpose.

Support in the Hiring Process
If you have questions about a position or need assistance filing an application, or if you are a person with a disability and would like to request an accommodation in the application and interview process, please contact Human Resources at 931.598.1381 or hr@sewanee.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of the South is an equal-opportunity institution, dedicated to treating all applicants fairly and fostering a welcoming environment for employees and students alike.

University Benefits