Assistant Professor Native American Studies-Maxwell Museum

Position Summary

The University of New Mexico invites applications for a probationary Tenure-Track position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Native American Studies and Curator of Historic and Contemporary Indigenous Collection in the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. The candidate’s Departmental duties include teaching courses per academic year in the Department of Native American Studies, mentoring and supervising undergraduate and graduate students, contributing to the undergraduate and graduate programs, and participating in Department service and governance.

The candidate’s Museum duties include overseeing curation, research, and development of Indigenous collections; participation in community collaborations and supporting the Museum’s repatriation efforts; and participation in exhibition development, public programs, and service. The candidate’s Tenure home will be in the Department of Native American Studies.

Located on the UNM campus, the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology is an exhibition, teaching, and collections unit with the mission of “working towards greater understandings of the fullness of human experiences in the Southwest and the world,” and a vision to contribute to “reconciling injustices, restoring voices, and realizing community.” The Museum works to serve this mission and vision through collaborative exhibitions, community-centered research and teaching, and educational programs for diverse audiences at and beyond UNM, hosting more than 35,000 visitors per year.

The professional staff of ca. 18 individuals includes collection curators; collection managers; exhibition, educational and public program staff; administrative staff, and a team of 4 individuals dedicated to repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and a policy of ethical returns.

The Museum collections of approximately 3 million objects, include archaeological and archival collections, osteological collections (including from a body donor program), and “ethnographic” collections of historic and contemporary Indigenous material culture. While collections are global in scope, its greatest strengths are in the Indigenous U.S. Southwest. Among the 20,000-plus objects in the “ethnographic” collections, particular strengths are in 19th-21st century Pueblo pottery;
Diné, N’dee and Pueblo textiles, baskets, and jewelry; and Central American textiles.

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The Department of Native American Studies (NAS) is an interdisciplinary academic department committed to Indigenous academic scholarship and research excellence. The department currently offers a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), master of arts (M.A.), bachelor of arts (B.A.), and a minor degree. NAS’s goal is excellence in educating all students and the public about the Native experience of Indigenous peoples with significant attention given our complex history and intercultural heritage of New Mexico and the United States.

A second goal is building a department that collaborates with Native communities and engages students in Native Nation/Indigenous community building.

• PhD in Native American Studies, American Indian Studies, Indigenous Studies, Museum Studies, Anthropology, or related field by the start date of appointment;
• Demonstrated expertise in the material culture of Indigenous North America;
• Evidence of museum background and experience including one or more of the following: collection development and curation, exhibition development, knowledge and experience with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

• Demonstrated expertise in the Indigenous cultures and material culture of the US Southwest
• Demonstrated research excellence as reflected in one or more of the following: active and ongoing field or collections-based research, peer reviewed publications, external research funding, using Indigenous-based, community-based, quantitative, or qualitative methods;
• Demonstrated expertise in one…