The Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh invites applications for Teaching Assistant Professors to join its active and innovative Composition program. Those hired will begin on a three-year renewable contract, starting in fall term 2023. The teaching load is 3/3, plus expected service such as administrative or committee work and advising undergraduate research. Teaching Assistant Professors are outside the tenure track, but have paths to promotion, leadership positions, and five-year renewable contracts. 

The Composition program–one of four constituent programs in English (Literature, Creative Writing, and Film)–offers an array of first-year composition courses and a Public and Professional Writing major and certificate. Our courses are also integral to the Digital Narrative and Interactive Design joint major with the School of Computing and Information, the Public Communication of Science and Technology certificate, and a new interdisciplinary Disability Studies Certificate. We value flexible teachers who can create engaging courses that respond to the needs of our programs and to school-wide general education requirements. Teaching Assistant Professors are likely to regularly teach a version of our required first-year composition course. They will also have the opportunity to work in the Writing Center and/or develop and teach courses in one or more of these areas: digital media, legal and policy writing, medical and health writing, science and technical writing, writing in advertising and public relations, professional writing, Black rhetorics, and disability studies. As a department that values inclusive and welcoming environments in which to work and learn, we are interested in hearing from candidates whose lived experiences would prove resourceful in mentoring students of diverse backgrounds, including students of color, LGBTQ+ students, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities. We also appreciate interest and experience in writing program administration, which is closely tied to the work of these positions.   

We are seeking to hire ten Teaching Assistant Professors to teach first-year and intermediate and advanced Composition courses. An additional line is reserved for a Teaching Assistant Professor who will teach intermediate and advanced Public and Professional Writing courses in both online and in-person formats: four online courses a year for students in the College of General Studies and two in-person courses for students in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. These lines are not replacement lines, but rather, they signal a commitment from the university, college, and department to support the Composition program’s continued success in recruiting undergraduate majors, certificate students, and serving the general education needs of our students. New colleagues joining us through these lines will be part of a cohort of Teaching Assistant Professors with strong mentorship programs in place.

All applicants must hold a terminal degree (MFA, PhD in English or a related field, or EdD) by the time of appointment (September 1, 2023) and demonstrate evidence of excellent teaching and a commitment to undergraduate courses pertinent to these positions; institutional and professional engagement; and commitment to diversity and inclusion in their teaching and service. Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience and benefits are generous. 

Applications must include the following, submitted through the University’s Talent Center portal by November 15, 2022: 

·       Cover letter

·       C.V.

·       Teaching statement 

·       Statement on diversity (1-2 pp.) that demonstrates your track record and/or potential contributions to diversity and inclusion through teaching and service.

·       A teaching portfolio that includes sample syllabi for two courses and at least two writing assignments or sequences (other teaching materials from these classes, such as in-class workshops, are welcome)

·       Student surveys for three classes

As candidates progress through the search process, the committee may request three confidential letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the candidate’s teaching.

Please contact Sarah Elizabeth Baumann, Office Manager and Assistant to the Chair of English, 526 Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, with any questions: sebaumann@pitt.edu.

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. EOE, including disability/vets. The University of Pittsburgh requires all Pitt constituents (employees and students) on all campuses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved exemption. Visit coronavirus.pitt.edu to learn more about this requirement.