Temporary Assistant Professor in Modern German Studies

The German Section in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics in the University of Cambridge is seeking to appoint an Assistant Professor in Modern German Studies, from 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. The post will provide temporary cover of the teaching and associated duties of a member of the Section during their tenure of a College headship and is fixed-term for 3 years. The Section will provide career development and mentoring for the successful candidate and is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Candidates will have relevant teaching experience, will have completed a PhD in a relevant field by the start date for the post, and be able to demonstrate active, collegial engagement in research, teaching and outreach in German Studies. An excellent command of German and English, spoken and written is essential.

We seek a scholar with interdisciplinary expertise in modern literature, culture and history in the German-speaking countries. The successful applicant will be able to teach broadly and flexibly within the modern period; further, they will be able to contribute to the teaching of philosophy and intellectual history, and to teach translation between German and English. They will also have an outstanding record of research and publication, relative to their career stage, with clear potential for further excellence, and a proven capacity and readiness to contribute to administrative duties.

We welcome applications from candidates who can contribute to the School of Arts and Humanities Global Humanities strategic research strand.

For your application to be considered please submit the following:

• a covering letter
• a curriculum vita including a list of publications
• a sample of written work, research or scholarship and directly related to the field of the post, in English or German. This can be work that is published or work in progress, and it should be a single piece of work (as opposed to two shorter pieces). The maximum length is 8,000 words, including footnotes. You may redact parts of the sample if it is a longer piece, but the selection committee will stop reading at 8,000 words.
• the names and addresses of three referees who are familiar with your work. Please ask your referees to submit their references directly to [email protected] by the closing date.

Temporary cover: This post is fixed-term for 3 years or the return of the post holder, whichever is the earlier.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

The closing date for applications is midnight (BST) on Wednesday 16 September 2026. Interviews will be held on Wednesday 21 October 2026, subject to change.

Prospective candidates are welcome to seek more information beyond the Further Particulars by contacting Dr Charlotte Lee, Director of German, at: [email protected] . For questions on the application process, please contact the School's HR Team at: [email protected]

Please quote reference GL50766 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.