Job Contact: Kira Youngblut
The Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies(https://uwaterloo.ca/germanic-slavic-studies/) at the University of Waterloo invites applications for a Tenure Stream Associate or Full Professor position as the Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker Memorial Chair in German Literary Studies beginning July 1, 2026.
The department is seeking an outstanding scholar, teacher, and communicator who will lead the discipline of German studies in new directions. The chair holder’s disciplinary base will be German studies with an interest in German-language cultural studies supplemented by interest and experience in one or more related fields in the humanities or social sciences. By means of groundbreaking research complemented by public intellectual activism and educational innovation, the chair holder will articulate a place for literary and humanities studies in today’s society and pioneer inventive ways of connecting and communicating with constituencies both in- and outside of academe. In these activities, the chair holder will be supported by the Waterloo Centre for German Studies (https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-german-studies/) an endowed research institute at the University of Waterloo that operates a range of research and cultural programming.
In 2026 the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies will be joining the new School of Critical and Creative Humanities, an initiative of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Waterloo to foster more interdisciplinary activity and programming. The School will bring together the departments of Communication Arts, English Language and Literature, Fine Arts, French Studies, Germanic and Slavic Studies, and Spanish and Latin American Studies. The Diefenbaker Chair will be expected to play a leading role in fostering the development of interdisciplinary humanities programming that will educate students in the Faculty of Arts and the University’s five other faculties (Engineering, Environment, Health, Mathematics, and Science). Within the new School framework, the German studies program at the University of Waterloo aspires to re-envision the university study of German for the 21st century. Applied linguistics, second language acquisition, literary studies, film studies and visual culture, and cultural studies form the core of the teaching and research activities of faculty members in German Studies. German undergraduate and graduate programs have a decidedly intercultural focus; a transatlantic Joint MA in Intercultural German Studies and an undergraduate minor in Cultural Identities are two innovations currently in place. Cooperation with colleagues in the new School in the areas of cultural studies, linguistics, and related fields figure largely in the department’s future plans. Germanic and Slavic Studies seeks to support the Faculty of Arts Strategic Plan (https://uwaterloo.ca/arts/about/arts-strategic-plan-2023-2030) as well as the University of Waterloo's Global Futures (https://uwaterloo.ca/strategic-vision/global-futures) initiative.
This full-time appointment will be tenured; the annual salary range for this position is $155,000 to $190,000, commensurate with rank (either Associate or Full Professor), qualifications, and experience. Negotiations beyond this salary range may be considered for exceptionally qualified candidates. In addition to receiving tenure, the successful candidate will be named the Rt. Hon. John G. Diefenbaker Memorial Chair in German Literary Studies for an initial five-year period; the designation is renewable. Regular duties include research, teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels, supervising graduate students, and active service. The Chair will also be appointed as Director of the Waterloo Centre for German Studies for an initial five-year period.
For full consideration, applications must be received by November 30, 2025. Application materials must be submitted as PDF files through the Online Faculty Application System (https://ofas.uwaterloo.ca/). Please include electronic copies of a:
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Indigenous Initiatives Office (https://uwaterloo.ca/human-rights-equity-inclusion/indigenousinitiatives).
The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as Indigenous peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis, Inuit/Inuk), Black, racialized, people with disabilities, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.
The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Kira Youngblut at gssadmin@uwaterloo.ca.
If you have any questions regarding the position, the application process, assessment process, or eligibility, please contact Prof. James Skidmore, Chair of Germanic and Slavic Studies at gsschair@uwaterloo.ca.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Three reasons to apply: https://uwaterloo.ca/faculty-association/why-waterloo.