Assistant Professor, Writing & Rhetoric

The Opportunity

The Department of Writing and Rhetoric (DWR) seeks an assistant professor for a 9-month, tenure-earning position who is eager to collaborate and engage in the life of the department and sustain the national profile of the department. DWR is committed to innovative research and teaching that addresses challenges related to composition, rhetoric, and literacy in academic, workplace, civic, and community settings. Beyond active research production, job responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in writing and rhetoric studies, mentoring students, and engaging in appropriate academic service on department and college committees. The typical teaching assignment is 3/2. All faculty in the department report to the department chair. The anticipated start date is August 8, 2025.

The Department of Writing and Rhetoric (DWR) is one of seven academic units in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida (UCF). As an independent writing department, DWR is the academic home to 10 tenure-earning faculty members, 35 full-time non-tenure earning instructors and lecturers, and 15 graduate teaching assistants. The department supports comprehensive writing instruction that includes a first-year composition program, an undergraduate major (B.A.) and minor, and a graduate program with both an M.A. and certificate in professional writing. The department has an undergraduate certificate in Medical Writing and Rhetoric alongside the existing Public and Professional Writing certificate. The department is the home of the college's new interdisciplinary certificate in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Human Impacts, which signals DWR's commitment to being a leader in shaping conversations around emergent technologies and their consequences, both locally and nationally. Graduate faculty may request to teach in the interdisciplinary doctoral Texts and Technology program, which includes an area of specialization in Rhetoric and Composition. The department houses the Center for Writing Excellence encompassing the University Writing Center and the Writing Across the Curriculum program. DWR boasts a nationally recognized faculty with expertise in cultural and feminist rhetorics; disability studies; medical rhetorics; composition theory and pedagogy; digital writing; community/public rhetorics; multimodal rhetorics; writing program administration.  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in rhetoric and writing, communication, English, or a related field from an accredited institution at time of appointment.

• Experience teaching college-level writing.

• Demonstrated ability to work with students from diverse, multilingual backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. with focus/specialization in Rhetoric and Composition from an accredited institution at time of campus visit.

• Active research agenda in rhetoric and writing studies with scholarly focus on digital and/or multimodal rhetorics and literacies.

• Evidence of excellence in teaching writing/rhetoric courses at the college level for a minimum of two years.

• Evidence of scholarly engagement with artificial intelligence (AI) in academic and/or industry contexts.

• Complementary interests may include multilingual composition, rhetoric of health and medicine, professional writing and editing, Latinx rhetorics, and/or visual/material rhetorics.

• Demonstrated interest in teaching with a digital and/or multimodal focus.

• Experience working with linguistically and socially diverse writers, particularly a HSI population.

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/.  In addition to the online application, candidates should attach the following PDF documents:

• cover letter addressing qualifications for position,

• curriculum vitae with list of three references with contact information,

• unofficial transcripts,

• statement of research, and

• teaching philosophy.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be simultaneously uploaded. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.

Review of applications will begin immediately. The position is anticipated to close on December 5, 2024. Zoom interviews will occur in January 2025 with campus visits to occur in early February 2025.

Questions regarding this search should be directed to:  Blake Scott, Professor, at Blake.Scott@ucf.edu.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

N/A

Job Close Date:

December 5, 2024.

Note to applicants: Please keep in mind that a job posted as ‘Open until filled’ may close at any time without notice. As such, we encourage you to submit your application and all required documentation as quickly as possible to ensure consideration for the posted position.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program. 
• Paid time off, including annual (12-month faculty) and sick time off and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options. 
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions. 
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment. 
• And more…For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide click here.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

Department

Work Schedule

Type of Appointment

Expected Salary

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Central Florida is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including Disabled/Vets.  Click on UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement to view the President’s Statement.

The UCF affirmative action plans for qualified individuals with disabilities and protected Veterans are available for inspection in the Office of Institutional Equity, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., upon request.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request. 

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.