Teaching-Track Lecturer

The USC Writing Program in the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, California, seeks qualified applicants for full-time positions as Lecturer to join our faculty beginning Fall 2024. These are career positions with opportunities for promotion along a teaching track.

Writing Program faculty primarily teach lower- and upper-division courses that fulfill USC’s undergraduate writing requirement in a context informed by the rhetorical tradition, process theory, and ethical discursive practices. First-year courses develop students’ writing and critical reasoning skills within thematic contexts. Advanced courses, composed primarily of juniors and seniors, bring students together based on their academic interests and career goals, addressing writing in different disciplines for various audiences. Small class sizes in both first-year and upper-level courses facilitate a workshop model of instruction, frequent one-on-one and small-group conferencing, and an emphasis on the writing process.

Full-time faculty teach three sections each semester, for which they will develop syllabi and assignments in accordance with program guidelines. The Writing Program also provides significant opportunities for professional growth and development. Faculty are eligible to participate in program, college, and university governance. New faculty will join a vibrant community of teachers, writers, and scholars composed of faculty and graduate students from a range of disciplines.

The Writing Program hopes to hire faculty interested in making a career of teaching writing at USC and who are passionate about teaching and working with undergraduates. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate pedagogical innovation, versatility, and awareness to help our diverse student body develop critical thinking skills. We expect a deep commitment to anti-racist pedagogy as well as the ability to understand and address the needs of neurodiverse, multilingual, and underserved populations. Initial appointments are fixed-term, with the possibility of renewal contingent on performance and review by the program faculty, its directors, and the college deans. Dornsife provides opportunities for promotion to the ranks of Assistant Professor (Teaching), Associate Professor (Teaching), and Professor (Teaching) based on demonstrated teaching excellence and service to the program, school, university, and field.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates should have a PhD or other terminal degree by June 2024. We require demonstrated excellence in teaching writing at the college level, with experience as instructor of record in writing-specific courses strongly preferred. Candidates should demonstrate responsiveness toward and understanding of diverse student backgrounds, especially with regard to socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, culture, ability/disability, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. While many of our faculty have scholarly backgrounds in Rhetoric and Composition and English Literature, we welcome candidates from diverse fields and with varied areas of interest, such as (but not limited to) global and public health, technology-mediated instruction, or community engagement.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The deadline for applications is November 30, 2023. Applicants should submit a letter of application, a diversity statement, a CV, and the names of three referees who can speak to teaching abilities. The referees will be contacted directly by USC to provide letters of reference after you submit your application. The diversity statement (300-500 words) should reflect on your practice, experience, and/or commitment to using diversity as a pedagogical tool, as part of efforts to promote equity in the classroom and university community. In order to be considered for this position, applicants are required to submit an electronic USC application; follow this job link or paste in a browser: https://usccareers.usc.edu/job/los-angeles/full-time-teaching-track-faculty-positions-in-writing/1209/55713035520 .

We will be conducting first-round interviews remotely during the dates of January 4-12, 2024. Second round interviews will be held in mid-January, with more information provided at a later date.

The annual base salary range for this position is $74,000 – $81,400. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed and background. The university particularly encourages members of underrepresented groups, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply. USC will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Further information is available by contacting uschr@usc.edu.