Professorship in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) with a Focus on Elementary Schools (W2)

Role Overview
The Faculty of Philology at Leipzig University seeks to fill a professorship in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) with a Focus on Elementary Schools (W2) starting from 01/10/2027. Leipzig University is one of Germany’s largest, highly research-active universities and a leader in medical education, with approximately 30,000 students and more than 5,000 employees across 14 faculties. The Faculty of Philology perceives itself as a place for the study of and reflection on languages, literatures, and cultures, with teacher education being a profile-defining component. The Department of English Studies is one of the most traditional in Germany and offers a modern environment attractive to students.

Responsibilities
The successful candidate represents the pedagogy of English as a foreign language (TEFL) with a focus on elementary schools in both research and teaching. Specific duties include:
- Teaching all modules in the field of TEFL/teacher training for elementary school English at the Faculty of Philology.
- Potentially covering modules in the field of TEFL/teacher training for secondary schools.
- Organizing and providing content-related support for school internships.
- Supervising theses and oral exams (state examinations).
- Actively participating in matters of academic self-administration.
- Cooperating with fellow scholars at the faculty level.
- Contributing research topics to the research profile areas of the university.
- Helping acquire third-party funding.
- Expanding the international contacts of the department in line with the university’s internationalisation strategy.

Requirements and Qualifications
- Research foci should cluster around the empirically-based pedagogy of English literatures and cultures and/or teacher professionalisation.
- A focus on the promotion of intercultural and transcultural communicative competencies through contemporary literatures in various forms of media is desirable.
- An excellent and, if possible, international research background in at least one of the areas mentioned above.
- Proof of international research activities (publications, third party funding) is desirable.
- A completed university degree in English Studies/TEFL (First State Examination or comparable degree).
- An outstanding doctoral thesis in one of the fields mentioned above.
- A postdoctoral thesis (“Habilitation”) or equivalent qualifications.
- Proof of a minimum of three years of teaching experience at a school.
- The ability and willingness to conduct courses in English.
- Willingness to engage in empirically-oriented research activities, preferably in connection to or cooperation with schools.
- Experience in the acquisition of third-party funding and conducting research projects is desirable.
- Completion of a Second State Examination is desirable.
- Applicants must meet the requirements of § 59 SächsHSG.

What They Offer
- A permanent, full-time position (W2).
- A dynamic and internationally oriented work environment.
- Attractive and diverse career opportunities in research, teaching, the transfer of knowledge, infrastructure, and administration.
- Commitment to diversity and equal opportunities, welcoming applications regardless of gender, nationality, religion, cultural and social background, age or sexual orientation.
- Express encouragement for qualified women to apply to increase the proportion of women in academia.
- Preference given to severely disabled persons or persons deemed legally equal to them under Book IX of the German Social Code in the case of equal suitability.