Location: Cambridge, MA
Position Type: Faculty
Position Description
The Department of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is seeking to fill a tenure-track faculty teaching position in global Architectural History, 1400-1800, in the History Theory Criticism (HTC) Program in Architecture and Art History. The History, Theory, Criticism program in MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning was founded in the 1970s as the first PhD-granting program in a school of architecture, specializing in interdisciplinary research and teaching focused on the intertwined histories of architecture and art. Over this period, HTC has become a leader in the field of architectural history and theory, with alumni in the United States and across the world assuming strong leadership positions in the field.
The successful candidate should have conducted doctoral studies primarily in the historical study of architecture in the period of the fifteenth to the eighteenth century, an era defined by new economic, cultural, military and technological encounters between the different peoples of the world. They will aid the faculty of the HTC program, and the Department, in further extending HTC’s ambition to address critical issues pertaining to this global history and its ramifications for the field today. These issues include the history of environment and politics; the history of materials and material cultures in global trade and exchange; the history of design and manufacturing, the history of inequality (race, class, gender); and studies in technology and society.
MIT has both a strong doctoral and professional program in architecture and its associated disciplines, and applicants should be prepared to contribute to an interdisciplinary program that serves diverse, highly motivated student body pursuing graduate and undergraduate programs not only in architecture, but also the arts, the humanities and social sciences, and the sciences and technology. The selected candidate will be expected to teach both broad survey as well as specialized seminar courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as guiding masters and doctoral research in the history of architecture and art in an internationally recognized School of Architecture and Planning. The PhD is essential, and applicants who also have training in architectural design or urbanism are strongly encouraged to apply.
In keeping with MIT’s culture of faculty self-governance and the Department’s expectations of its faculty, the candidate is expected to participate in the intellectual life and administrative functioning of the department, and to contribute to the department’s research and pedagogical agendas. The individual should enjoy collaborating with colleagues, be an articulate communicator, and be dedicated to help steer and support the rich, diverse culture of the Department. In pursuing research, teaching or practice, the individual should also be an effective representative of the department to the external world, including professional organizations and the rapidly changing world of academic publishing.
Dedicated to a humanistic and technologically sophisticated vision of design, history, and pedagogy, the Department of Architecture is uniquely positioned within the School of Architecture and Planning and within the larger institution of MIT, which strongly supports innovation and entrepreneurial activity, cross-disciplinary work, and diversity. The Department is actively committed to building and sustaining a diverse and culturally inclusive community of faculty, students, and staff, and a learning and research environment that welcomes and supports diverse interests, orientations, and work. The academic structure of the Department is unique in that each of its five disciplinary areas (Architecture + Urbanism; Art, Culture and Technology; Building Technology; Computation; and History, Theory and Criticism) work at equal intensity, across boundaries, and in collaboration to create an environment in which innovative research and scholarship fuse with the pedagogical agendas of the studios and ongoing design inquiry.
The Department engages productively in research and education alliances with the other units in the School (e.g., the Department of Urban Studies and Planning; Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism; Media Lab; Program in Media Arts and Sciences; Program in Art, Culture and Technology, and Center for Real Estate). In this exciting context, the Department is explicitly committed to excellence in both pedagogical and research activities. Believing that the cross current between the two creates a charged atmosphere for study and a critical edge for research, we are seeking candidates with an ability to thrive and lead in the Department.
Preferred Qualifications:
The position is designed for a junior scholar for whom a hire at the Assistant or Associate without Tenure level is appropriate, depending on scholarly experience in the field. An ability to advance a teaching and research agenda in an academic environment are essential. Candidates should hold a PhD in architectural history and show proven excellence in teaching, scholarship, design practice or a combination thereof. The committee will consider candidates in advanced stages of their PhD studies.
Application Instructions:
Please note: offers are contingent upon gaining appropriate work authorization.
Interested applicants should submit: a statement of interest outlining their vision and qualifications for the position, including major professional, research, pedagogical goals and achievements; a teaching statement along with syllabi for two potential classes the applicant might want to teach; a curriculum vitae; a list of three recommenders and their contact information; a dossier of selected scholarly work composed of no more than three chapters or articles. We also request a statement on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, including past and current contributions as well as vision and plans for the future in these areas. Applicants are encouraged to discuss approaches to fostering an inclusive environment including but not limited to teaching, mentoring, and affirming diverse viewpoints. The deadline has been extended to 31 January 2023. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Please submit materials and find more information via the full job listing here.