The ASU Melikian Center in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) at Arizona State University (ASU) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Scholar. The postdoctoral research scholar appointment is open to early-career scholars who received their terminal degree between June 2020 and June 2025, whose work combines regional focus with global relevance. The fellow’s primary responsibility will be to conduct high-quality research in their area of specialty, with a clear plan to submit work for publication in peer-reviewed scholarly journals or with a University press. The successful applicant’s work will connect with one or more of the research clusters at the Melikian Center. The fellow will teach two undergraduate seminars at Barrett, the Honors College; depending on the fellow’s experience and preferences, this may include a section of the Human Event. The fellow will participate in Melikian Center workshops and events, including at least one presentation of work in progress; and contribute to the Center’s public profile through community programming, and/or generate content for the Center’s online presence.

The position is for an in-person, full-time, benefits-eligible, fiscal-year (July 1-June 30) appointment. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2025. Renewal is possible on an annual basis contingent on satisfactory performance, availability of resources, and needs of the Center. Post-doctoral appointments at ASU do not offer tenure or tenure-track career path.

About the Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies

The Melikian Center supports research, teaching, and public programs that extend knowledge of the significance of Central and East Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Russia in global affairs. The Center teaches critical languages; informs public policy, business, and international relations; and advances dialogue across national, disciplinary and ideological divisions. Recognized by the US Department of Education as a National Resource Center since 2022, the Center draws on the expertise of over 90 faculty affiliates in a range of disciplines and professions, including engineers, lawyers, diplomats, historians, linguists, anthropologists, philosophers and political scientists.

A flagship initiative is the Critical Languages Institute, which since 1991 has provided intensive summer instruction in less commonly taught East European and Eurasian languages for a broad community of learners from across North America and beyond.

About The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of Arizona State University, committed to improving communities on a local, national and global scale. We support the professional development and growth of our faculty and staff in their cutting-edge research to advance these aims. Within The College, our faculty engage with a large curious student body, guiding them as they grow into socially aware, critical thinkers and writers able to succeed in a wide range of careers and to address the challenges of the twenty-first century. Advancing the success of our students remains our top priority. To learn more about The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, please visit https://thecollege.asu.edu.

About Barrett, the Honors College

Barrett, the Honors College was established in 1988, and has more national merit scholars than MIT, Duke, Brown or Stanford. In 2015, the New York Times described Barrett as the “gold standard” in honors colleges. All honors students take an academic year sequence, The Human Event, taught in writing-based seminar format, and complete an honors thesis or creative project. Barrett Honors Faculty are master teacher-scholars who perform essential teaching, mentoring and leadership roles. To learn more about Barrett, the Honors College, please visit https://barretthonors.asu.edu/

About Arizona State University

Arizona State University is a comprehensive public research institution committed to discovery and scholarship in the integrated social sciences and comprehensive arts and sciences. ASU exemplifies a new prototype for the American public research university. As articulated in the ASU Charter and a set of nine design aspirations, ASU is measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.

Required Qualifications:

• A PhD (or terminal degree) by the time of appointment in any academic field with significant focus on East Europe, Eurasia and/or Russia.
• Applicants must be within four years or less of receipt of their doctoral degree to be considered.
• Intermediate Proficiency (ILR 2/ACTFL Intermediate High/CEL B1) in one or more languages of the region.
• Demonstrated ability to articulate the global or comparative significance of region-focused work.
• Advanced English-language writing and speaking skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to professional development in pedagogy.

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated interest in public-facing or engaged scholarship.
• Expressed willingness to contribute to grant development and proposal preparation at the Center.
• Evidence of experience using course management software.
• Demonstrated commitment to working with faculty, staff, students and communities to advance the principles of the ASU Charter.

The application deadline is April 11, 2025. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. Candidates will be asked to create or use an existing Interfolio Dossier to submit the following application materials:

• Cover letter (2-3 pages)
• Current CV
• Sample course prospectus for a 14-week in-person upper-level honors seminar, of up to 2 pages, consisting of a proposed title, target level, 200-word summary, outline of course structure and proposed assessment methods, and up to 6 proposed readings, films or other resources.
• Contact information (including emails addresses) for three (3) professional references

Position offers annual salary of $61,500.