Assistant Professor, English (Professional and Technical Writing)

Description:

The George Mason University Department of English seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Professional and Technical Writing starting Fall 2021. GMU will be conducting an all-virtual search for this position, including all interviews and campus visit meetings, so candidates will not be asked to travel as a part of this job search.

This candidate should bring an active research program in professional and technical writing, engaging key issues in the field, including but not limited to the social justice turn, critical race theory, anti-racist pedagogy, queer theory, and/or indigenous methods and analytical approaches. This position will also mentor and teach the methods and approaches necessary to conduct research in professional and technical writing, with emphasis on studying workplace and civic or public spaces using qualitative research methods. An ideal candidate will also bring field- and industry-specific knowledge about how to make connections to and prepare students for careers in professional and technical writing.

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university, with an R-1 rating and is committed to keeping our doors open and accessible to as many capable students as possible. Mason was recently named the most diverse university in Virginia by U.S. News & World Report. Our students represent all races, ethnicities, nationalities, religions, sexual orientation and gender identities and hail from over 130 countries. We are devoted to providing access to excellence, and that sets us apart from many of our peers. In a continuing effort to enrich GMU’s academic environment and provide equal educational and employment opportunities, we actively encourage applications from all job seekers including members of all ethnic groups underrepresented in higher education.

The Department of English offers an undergraduate minor and concentration in Writing and Rhetoric, along with an M.A. concentration in Professional and Technical Writing, and a Ph.D. program in Writing and Rhetoric. For more information about the department, visit http://english.gmu.edu/; for details on programs in Writing and Rhetoric, see http://writingandrhetoric.gmu.edu/.

 

Responsibilities:

The 2:2 course load includes undergraduate teaching opportunities in composition, advanced composition, upper-division technical writing, and graduate courses in rhetoric and technical communication at both the MA and PhD levels.

 

Required qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in professional writing, rhetoric, technical communication, or a related field
  • Research and teaching focus in professional writing, research methods, workplace studies, or rhetorical theory
  • Research and teaching interests that engage key current issues in the field, including but not limited to, the social justice turn, critical race theory, anti-racist pedagogy, queer theory, and/or indigenous methods and analytical approaches
     

Preferred qualifications:

  • Research trajectory in sub-specialties and approaches that include: workplace documents and genres, disability studies, health and medical communication, usability studies, or cultural rhetorics
  • Experience in the conduct of qualitative research studies
  • Teaching experience or coursework in: research methods, document design, technical communication, editing, visual rhetoric, or usability
  • Experience advising at the undergraduate, MA, and/or PhD levels
  • Prior workplace experience in professional and technical writing

 

For full consideration, applicants must do the following by October 9, 2020:

  1. Apply for position number F5350Z at http://jobs.gmu.edu/.
  2. Complete and submit the online application
  3. Upload a cover letter, C.V., and a list of three professional references with contact information.

 

Additional materials will be requested following the first round of applicant review; additional materials to be requested will include:

  • A teaching portfolio that includes: a diversity statement, mentoring philosophy, and sample syllabi]
  • A chapter- or article-length writing sample (dissertation chapter will be requested for current PhD students)
  • Letters of recommendation

For questions, contact the search administrator at sremicks@gmu.edu.

Review of applications begins October 6, 2020 and will continue until the position is filled.


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