Assistant Professor of Professional Writing

The Department of English seeks an assistant professor of Professional Writing for a tenure-track position to begin August 16, 2021.  Competitive candidates will have demonstrated expertise in teaching professional writing and a promising research agenda.  While the research focus is open, we are specially interested in candidates who engage with the social justice turn in the field, critical race theory, antiracist pedagogy, or indigenous methods and analytical approaches.  We also invite candidates with expertise in community-engaged learning, digital/public humanities, and/or interdisciplinary collaborations to apply.

The successful candidate will teach and develop professional writing classes at the undergraduate and graduate level.  We currently offer classes in grant writing, writing for the workplace, and legal writing, and would like to expand our offerings.  Mississippi State’s English department offers a BA and MA in English with significant courses in linguistics and creative writing as well.  It is home to the university’s Writing Center and is a leader in writing across the curriculum.  Mississippi State supports public-facing work through the Center for Community-Engaged Learning and a Public Humanities group.  The faculty that we hire on the search will have latitude to shape the position and the role of writing in the department and will have opportunity to assume a leadership role after tenure.  Standard teaching load is 2-2 for the first year, and then 3-2 after that. 

 Our department has committed to sustained antiracist work in areas including hiring, curricula, pedagogy, and the recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff.   This search is part of. A cohort of three departmental hires this year (creative Writing- Poetry, Creative writing – Nonfiction and one in Professional Writing) intended to increase faculty diversity and to help further our goals of promoting equity and inclusivity across the department.

Candidates must complete a Ph.D. in English, Rhetoric/Composition, Professional/Technical Writing, or related field by the time of appointment.  Publications and professional service are required for tenure and promotion.  Salary will be competitive.  Affordable faculty housing is usually available in the first year of employment.  Interest candidates are invited to submit an application online at https://www.msujobs.msstate.edu/ along with a cover letter, CV, and writing sample.  Finalist will be asked to submit 3 letters of recommendation at the interview stage.  For further information about this position, please contact Dan Punday, department head and search committee chair, at dpunday@english.msstate.edu.  Application review will begin on December 1 and continue until filled.  MSU is a public, land-grant institution and is classified as a “very high research activity” university by the Carnegie Foundation.

MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population.


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