XJTLU

Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Senior Associate Professor in Linguistics

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University – School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Discipline: Linguistics

Contract Type: Fixed-term, renewable. 3rd contract is open-ended

ABOUT XJTLU

In 2006, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) was founded by a partnership between the University of Liverpool, UK, and Xi’an Jiaotong University, China. Offering a unique international education experience, XJTLU brings together excellent research practice and expertise from both institutions and gives students the skills and knowledge they need to secure careers in a global marketplace. XJTLU now has over 25,000 enrolled students studying in both Suzhou and Liverpool in the UK. There are currently about 2,500 staff, including more than 1,300 academic staff from over 60 countries. XJTLU offers our undergraduates and postgraduates over 120 programmes with a diverse spectrum of courses.

With a focus on innovative education and research, XJTLU draws on the strengths of its parent universities, and plays a pivotal role in facilitating access to China for UK and other institutional partners. At the same time, XJTLU is exploring future education by blending the educational theory, best practice and culture from the West and the East.

The year 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of XJTLU. As part of its strategic priorities for the coming decade, the university is entering a new and exciting phase of development. XJTLU continues to innovate in education models, and is now transitioning from a collection of distinct approaches toward a unified, integrated Academy model – a syntegrative ecosystem designed to break down silos, enhance agility, and solidify XJTLU’s position at the forefront of global education and research.

For detailed information about the university, please visit www.xjtlu.edu.cn.

ABOUT THE SCHOOL/ACADEMY/DEPARTMENT 

The Department of Applied Linguistics is a research-intensive environment with two MA programmes, which also contributes a Linguistics pathway on four UG programmes. We have recently established a Language and Cognition Research Laboratory, for Psycholinguistic and Phonetic research, with eye tracking technology. We contribute to several research groups, including Corpus Linguistics, Health Humanities, Language and Technology, and Language and Cognition. 

Linguistics at XJTLU is a rapidly expanding area. We are seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic Assistant/Associate/Senior Professor with excellent research, teaching, and supervision qualifications who will contribute to the department’s research profile. We are specifically looking for candidates who can contribute to one of our key strategic areas: 

  • Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Processing. 
  • Language and Health
  • Psycholinguistics/Language and Psychology/Cognitive Linguistics
  • Language and culture/Cultural Linguistics
  • Theoretical Linguistics (including Syntax and/or Chinese Linguistics).

Applicants must specify within which of these areas they would like their application to be considered. 

We welcome applications from candidates interested in interdisciplinarity and collaboration within the Department and School. Please see https://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/study/departments/academic-departments/department-of-applied-linguistics/ for details of our existing colleagues and research strengths, which include Sociolinguistics, Multilingualism, Discourse Analysis, Corpus Linguistics, Cognitive Linguistics, and Psycholinguistics. 

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

The appointee will be expected to contribute to the department’s research profile and should have an excellent track record of publication in their research area, appropriate to their stage of career. An ability and willingness to contribute to or lead collaborative and interdisciplinary research projects would be a strong advantage. 

In terms of teaching, the successful candidate must be able to contribute new elements to existing modules related to the specified field (see above), and develop new modules in where required. In addition to their specified area, the successful candidate must be able to contribute widely to the Undergraduate Programme, including in least two of the following: Introduction to Linguistics: Discourse, English as a Global Language, History of English, Language and Society, Semantics and Pragmatics, Language and Gender, Health Humanities, Intercultural Communication, or Language Documentation. A contribution to academic administration will also be expected.  

Staff typically teach 1-1.5module(s) per semester, depending on student numbers. The typical contact hours are around 6 hours per week.

Further information on the School, University, and Suzhou may be found at the university website: http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE:

  • A Ph.D. degree or equivalent in Linguistics, or a related discipline is essential.
  • A strong track record or high potential of research, appropriate to stage of career is essential.
  • Experience of teaching in a Higher Education environment is essential
  • Experience of teaching and supervision at the Postgraduate level is highly desirable
  • Experience of Technology Enhanced Learning is desirable.
  • Willingness to engage with AI in pedagogy is essential.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

  • Clear career development path with annual review.
  • Professional development trainings are provided.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

SALARY: Competitive salary in the market

BENEFITS

  1. Allowance: XJTLU provide various month/annual/one-off allowances as
    • Housing allowance
    • Travel allowance
    • Children’s education allowance
    • Relocation allowance
    • Etc.

2. Commercial insurance: international insurance plans customized for XJTLU staff and family members. (details refer to the University Policy)

3. Paid holidays:

    • Statutory Holidays (13 days)
    • Full Paid Holidays (34 days per academic year including university close days and annual leave)
    • Family Matters Leave
    • Paid Sick Leave
    • Marriage Leave
    • Paternity Leave
    • Parental Leave
    • Etc. 

4. Working visa and residence permit in China:
XJTLU sponsors working visa and residence permit in China for the staff.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application on our university website via the above ‘Apply’ button. 

Applications must be submitted in a single pdf file that includes 3 parts in the order of: 

  • A cover letter that explains how you fulfil the criteria specified in this job description, including specifying which of the three highlighted areas you can contribute to, and which modules you would be able to teach.
  • A current CV, including country of citizenship, and highest degree level
  • Contact Details for Three References 

For specific enquiries relating to the position, please email Dr Penelope Scott, Head of the Department of Applied Linguistics (Email: penelope.scott@xjtlu.edu.cn). Informal enquiries may be addressed to HR at Jia.Xu@xjtlu.edu.cn. Please quote the position and job ID 4448 in your enquiry.