Jobs and Vacancies

Harold Vyvyan Harmsworth Professorship in American History

The Harold Vyvyan Harmsworth Professorship in American History is an exciting opportunity for highly distinguished scholars. Expressions of Interest are now invited for the academic years 2027-28, 2028-29 and 2029-30. The tenure of each professorship is for 12 months starting in September or October (to be agreed).

The Harmsworth Professorship was established in 1921 and is the oldest chair in American history in the UK. Past holders have included many of the leading American historians of the last century including C. Vann Woodward,  Allan Nevins, Jack P. Greene, David Hackett Fischer, Eric Foner, Kathryn Kish Sklar, Lizabeth Cohen, Robin Kelley, Annette Gordon-Reed, Barbara D. Savage, and Bruce Schulman among many others.

The Chair is appointed by the Faculty of History but is based in the Rothermere American Institute (RAI), Oxford’s centre for the study of America and its place in the world, whose mission is to support research in Oxford and beyond, to act as a catalyst for interdisciplinary work and research collaboration, and to engage non-university audiences, all with the aim of improving the scholarly and public understanding of America. The RAI's role as a forum for intellectual exchange is of particular importance for the Harmsworth Professor. The Professor will also become a Fellow of The Queen’s College, which provides another intellectual home. The Professor will have full dining rights at Queen’s.

You will be expected to deliver one major public lecture (the Harmsworth Lecture), and to co-teach an introductory graduate class to the Masters students studying US history. You will also be encouraged to offer guidance to graduate research students working in relevant fields, to deliver undergraduate lectures, to attend research seminars, and generally to contribute to the intellectual life of the RAI, History Faculty and the College.

You will receive a Professorial-level (Grade A20) salary which is currently £79,245 per annum. Funds are also available to pay for return air travel and visa fees (if applicable), and to convene a small conference, usually held in the spring. Accommodation would ordinarily be provided in Oxford. If you will require a visa in order to take up this position in the UK, it will be your responsibility to obtain a visa, although the University will provide advice and assistance as necessary.

The closing date for applications is 12:00 (UK time) on 31 August 2025.

To express your interest in the Harold Vyvyan Harmsworth Visiting Professorship of American History, please send the following documents by email to hr@rai.ox.ac.uk.

• a two-page curriculum vitae
• a covering letter including:

• an outline of your research interests
• an indication of how your teaching and research would complement that of the History Faculty and Rothermere American Institute
• your availability for the academic years (2027-28 / 2028-29 / 2029-30) and any preferences

An information document for applicants with further details can be found here. For an informal discussion about this post, please contact Dr Daniel Rowe, Director of Academic Programmes, Rothermere American Institute, at daniel.rowe@rai.ox.ac.uk

The Board of Electors to the Harmsworth Professorship will consider all expressions of interest submitted in advance of the closing date and also reserve the right to approach suitably qualified candidates directly. Election to the post of Harmsworth Professor will not be limited to those candidates who have submitted expressions of interest materials.

Broadbent Career Development Fellow in American History since 1600

The Rothermere American Institute and St Edmund Hall invite applications for the Broadbent Career Development Fellow, a three-year postdoctoral position commencing in September 2025. This is an opportunity for an outstanding early career historian to develop their research and publications in any aspect of the history of the United States or pre-Revolutionary America within a supportive and vibrant intellectual environment.

Salary: Grade 7 £38,674 – £46,913 per annum

Contract type: three-year fixed-term contract from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028

Hours: full time (37.5 hours/1 FTE)

About the role

The University of Oxford is a leading centre for research and teaching in North American history. The RAI, Oxford’s centre for the study of the United States and its place in the world, supports world-leading scholarship in this field. Every year, it hosts more than 100 seminars, workshops, conferences and lectures which attract leading scholars, students, policymakers and public figures from across the world. The RAI community includes a large number of graduate students, early career researchers, retired colleagues and around twenty Faculty members who work on problems related to America and its place in the world. The Institute welcomes two distinguished visiting professors from the US, the John G. Winant Professor of American Government and the Harmsworth Professor of American History, and hosts around a dozen other visiting academics as Fellows-in-Residence each academic year.

North American history is also a popular subject within the University at undergraduate and graduate levels. There are two popular outline papers in US History, and a range of specialised courses for undergraduates. At master’s level, there is a dedicated, team-taught, US History ‘strand’ in our one-year Master of Studies and two-year Master of Philosophy programmes in History. A large cohort of doctoral students also work on United States or pre-Revolutionary America history topics.

The Broadbent Career Development Fellow will make an active contribution to American history in Oxford and beyond. Alongside producing exceptional research at postdoctoral level for publication in books and articles, the Fellow will make a full contribution to the academic life of the Rothermere American Institute and to St Edmund Hall. They will be expected to share, with other historians of the US, the convening of our programme of research seminars and doctoral workshops, and will have the opportunity to teach for up to three hours per week. The Fellow will also undertake effective and innovative public engagement activity for and on behalf of the RAI, in collaboration with other RAI staff members.

About you

We are looking for candidates who, by the time of appointment, will have completed a PhD within the last three years, who have produced research with the potential to influence their field and who are committed to the highest quality teaching and public engagement. Candidates must be able to provide proof of the right to work in the UK.

You will have a clear plan for research and publication during the period of the Fellowship and the ability to manage your own academic research and associated activities. You will be able to demonstrate professionalism as a colleague and a proven track record of working with others as well as excellent communication skills, including the ability to write for publication and present research proposals and results. You will also have experience of teaching at undergraduate level, experience of organising successful academic events, and experience of public engagement.

Application process

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via www.recruit.ox.ac.uk and searching for vacancy ID 178535, or via this link direct to the advertisement, where the job description and access to the online recruitment system can be found.

For your online application, you will be required to upload your curriculum vitae and a supporting statement, setting out how you meet the selection criteria for the post, using examples of your skills and experience. As part of your application you will be asked to provide details of two referees and indicate whether we can contact them now.

Only applications received by midday GMT on Wednesday 22 April 2025 can be considered. Interviews are expected to be held on Friday 23 May 2025.

Please quote vacancy ID 178535 on all correspondence.

For queries about the academic dimensions of the post contact Dr Daniel Rowe, Director of Academic Programmes, daniel.rowe@rai.ox.ac.uk.

For all other queries contact Katy Long on hr@rai.ox.ac.uk.