Svare-Toven Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow

General Description:

Svare-Toven Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship: Since its founding in 1890 by Norwegian minister Bjug Harstad, Scandinavian immigrants and their descendants have had a distinct influence on Pacific Lutheran University. Today, these strong Scandinavian ties are most evident in the Scandinavian Cultural Center, whose mission is to enrich understanding of Nordic and Nordic-American cultures in conjunction with the Mortvedt Library’s Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection. The Center’s space serves as a resource hub, an art gallery, a lecture and performance hall, a banquet room, and a museum.

The Svare-Toven Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship at Pacific Lutheran University builds on this rich heritage to support the pedagogical development of recent PhDs who have expertise in Scandinavian Studies. As a one-year residential fellowship, it provides time to focus on the craft of teaching. One fellow is appointed each academic year to serve on the faculty at a rank equivalent to visiting assistant professor.

Fellows are selected from applicants who hold a PhD or equivalent degree in Scandinavian Studies or in one of the following humanities or social science disciplines with a primary scholarly focus on Scandinavia: anthropology, economics, environmental studies, ethnomusicology, gender/sexuality studies, history, indigenous studies, languages, literature, philosophy, political science, religious studies/theology, and sociology. Fellows are in residence at PLU for the full academic year following acceptance (September 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027). Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Teach four undergraduate courses during the academic year: one in fall semester, one in J-Term, and two in spring semester, including the opportunity to teach at least one course in the First-Year Experience Program.
• Participate in PLU’s mentorship program, including teaching mentorship.
• Present scholarly work as part of campus or community events, particularly in collaboration with the Scandinavian Cultural Center.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of effective and inclusive teaching and learning strategies.
• Commitment to working effectively with a diverse faculty and student body.
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for teaching at the undergraduate level within a liberal arts setting.
• Ability to communicate effectively.

Required Qualifications:

• Applicants must have received the PhD or equivalent terminal degree no earlier than December 2024, and the degree must be in hand no later than September 1, 2026.
• Hold a PhD or equivalent degree in Scandinavian Studies or in one of the following humanities or social science disciplines with a primary scholarly focus on Scandinavia: anthropology, economics, environmental studies, ethnomusicology, gender/sexuality studies, history, indigenous studies, languages, literature, philosophy, political science, religious studies/theology, and sociology.
• Applicants must be an emerging teacher-scholar who is not yet tenured or on the tenure track since earning their PhD. Applicants who do not yet hold the PhD, but expect to have it in hand by September 1 of the fellowship year must provide a letter from their home institution (department chair, head of graduate studies, or advisor) confirming the degree award schedule.
• Applicant must be legally eligible to work in the United States on hire date AND legally authorized to work in the United States for Pacific Lutheran University without sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications: Work Conditions: Physical Requirements: Special Instructions to Applicants: Applications must be submitted in English and are due by January 5, 2026. Applications must include the following:

• Proposal that describes your teaching philosophy and experience (if applicable), experience with a diverse student body, scholarly agenda, and potential contributions to and benefits from this fellowship (maximum 2000 words);
• Curriculum vitae; and
• Names and contact information for three professional references who can speak to your qualifications, past work, and potential as a postdoctoral teaching fellow at PLU.

For questions or more information, please contact Dean Johnson at stephanie.johnson@plu.edu. Other Information: Pacific Lutheran University purposefully integrates the liberal arts, professional studies and civic engagement in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Our faculty lead with a bold commitment to expanding well-being, opportunity, and justice and instill this commitment in their students. PLU educators work to create an environment where students feel heard and valued, nurturing lifelong learners who aren’t afraid to do things differently to make the world better for everyone. PLU supports faculty as they help students turn ambition into purpose, skills into tools, and their caring into a transformative force.
Because PLU is a community committed to the creation and advancement of knowledge through diversity and inclusion, the university actively recruits a faculty, staff, and student body from all religions, races, socioeconomic groups, sexual orientations, and gender expressions and from all over the world. For the 2024–25 academic year, 40.6 percent of PLU undergraduate students are from the first generation in their families to attend college; 48.0 percent self-identify as students of color; and 34.2 percent are Pell Grant–eligible.
Offering distinctive opportunities for global engagement, collaborative student-faculty research, and purposeful learning, our faculty guide 2,700 students from all faiths and backgrounds to discern their purpose through relevant coursework, inclusive mentoring, and internships at world-class Puget Sound-area businesses and institutions. PLU is located on a 156-acre woodland campus in the Parkland neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington and about 40 minutes south of downtown Seattle. The campus reflects consciously green practices and is in proximity to the natural beauty of Mount Rainier, the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, and the Puget Sound.
PLU administration supports and respects the strong culture of faculty-shared governance by working closely and collaboratively with faculty leadership to sustain and strengthen existing structures and procedures while working together on key institutional, academic and curricular decisions. PLU is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from members of historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and others who would bring broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research, or other work activities. For general application questions or if you need accommodations at any point in the application and/or interview process, please contact the Human Resources Office at 253-535-7185 or humr@plu.edu. Click here for detailed benefits information.