Visiting (Open Rank) Research Professor

Todd & Weld, LLP; Amherst (MA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative academic opportunity awaits at a leading public research university. The Visiting Research Professor for Slavery North will engage deeply with the community, conducting vital research on Transatlantic Slavery and its histories. This role emphasizes mentorship, public engagement, and the production of original works that challenge colonial narratives. With a flexible work schedule and a supportive environment, this position is perfect for scholars eager to make impactful contributions to social justice and historical understanding.

Qualifications

• PhD required, with a full-time academic appointment at another institution.
• Experience in research focused on Transatlantic Slavery and social justice.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent research in one or more mandate areas of Slavery North.
• Mentor UMass Amherst students and contribute to community activities.

Skills

Research Methodology

Public Speaking

Mentoring

Community Engagement

Education

PhD

Job description

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

About Slavery North

Founded in 2022, Slavery North is a one-of-a kind academic and cultural destination where scholars, thinkers, artists, and cultural producers build community and produce research and cultural outcomes that transform our understanding of the neglected histories of Transatlantic Slavery in Canada and the US North. Slavery North seeks to advance social justice by recuperating and interrogating the complex histories of Transatlantic Slavery and European colonization of the Americas, thereby recovering and centering the cultures, experiences, lives, and resistance of enslaved peoples in Canada and the US North. At the heart of Slavery North is a fellowship program that will welcome national and international students, artists, and scholars, providing them with the space, funding, time, and community to produce transformative research outcomes.

Job Summary

The Visiting (Open Rank) Research Professor for Slavery North will actively participate in both the scholarly and social environment of the center. Visiting Research Professors, with support of Slavery North leadership, will conduct independent research and create original works in one or more of the five mandate areas of Slavery North which include 1) Canadian Slavery, (2) slavery in the US North, (3) the comparative study of slavery in Canada, the US North, and other northern or temperate regions, (4) the study of the inter-connectedness of slavery in Canada and the US North with Caribbean Slavery, and (5) Black-Indigenous relations in Canadian Slavery or US North Slavery. Furthermore, the research must center on the enslaved and/or adopt an anti-colonial, de-colonial, post-colonial, and/or anti-racist methodology/approach which challenges the nature of European and Euro-American imperialism and colonialism and interrogates the racist logic of the institution of Transatlantic Slavery.

Essential Functions

• Self-directed research and production of original works with the support of Slavery North leadership in one or more of the five core mandate areas of Slavery North as described above.


• Actively participate in the life of Slavery North including working in our shared office space, attending and contributing to Slavery North and relevant UMass Amherst and regional activities.


• Contribute to a culture of conversation, support, and the sharing of ideas, resources, and knowledge.


• Mentoring and supporting UMass Amherst students.


• Present at least one public lecture, and participate in exhibitions, workshops, and/or podcast related to your research project, where appropriate, while in residence.


• Provide suitable biographical and research information for use on Slavery North website and in promotional and outreach materials.

Other Functions

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• PhD.


• Must hold a full-time academic appointment at another institution of higher learning.

Additional Details

Visiting (Open Rank) Research Professors must credit Slavery North Initiative-UMass Amherst in all outcomes derived from their appointment.

Work Schedule

Flexible. Visiting (Open Rank) Research Professors are expected to work in the shared office and actively contribute to the Slavery North community.

Salary Information

This is a maximum one-year non-benefitted appointment. Appointments will be made according to the following approximate schedule:

Fall Semester: 9/1/25-12/18/25 (Biweekly Gross Salary= $2,961.53 per 8 pay periods)

Spring Semester: 1/30/26-5/17/26 (Biweekly Gross Salary=$2,961 per 8 pay periods)

Full One Year Appointment: 9/1/25-8/31/26 (Biweekly Gross Salary=$2,961.53 per 26 pay periods)

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please submit the following materials for consideration. Application will not be considered complete until all materials are received.

• Current CV (maximum 3 pages) which addresses education/training, current affiliations, related work experience, grants and awards, curation, publications, other research outcomes, lectures, talks, and conference papers, and relevant community contributions and engagement.


• Project Statement (Maximum 5 pages): The project statement must be written in full sentence form and include the following areas:
  
  
  
  • Page 1: Project summary (avoid jargon and write for non-specialist audience)
  
  
  • Pages 2-4: Objectives; Context; Importance and Originality; Literature Review; Theoretical and Methodological Approach; Archival or Primary Sources; Impact and Outcomes.
  
  
  • Page 5: Timeline (point form); indicate desired semester(s) for appointment or full calendar year appointment and describe intended timetable for project completion.
  
  
  
  

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.