Assistant Professor – Creative Writing, Publishing

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Assistant Professor – Creative Writing, Publishing

Brief Summary of Work for this Position
The Department of Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington is seeking a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor of Creative Writing/Publishing on a continuing 9-month appointment beginning Fall 2022. The successful candidate will teach publishing and editing courses in our graduate and undergraduate publishing certificate programs, with curricula emphasizing diversity and inclusion. Courses may include The Publishing Process, The Editing Process, Bookbuilding, Special Topics, and practicums in literary magazine and book editing.

In addition, the successful candidate will support the publication of Ecotone, the national literary magazine that seeks to reimagine place. Further research may include assisting in other projects, as determined by the needs of the program, Ecotone, and Lookout Books, as well as the candidate’s skills and interests. The assistant professor will join a nationally recognized department that offers both a BFA and an MFA in creative writing, as well as graduate and undergraduate Certificates in Publishing. 

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

• Demonstrated excellence in teaching publishing and/or creative writing at undergraduate and/or graduate levels, with emphasis on diversity and inclusion
• Two or more years of editorial experience (as a developmental editor, including substantive line-level editing; managing editor; and/or copyeditor),  preferably for a literary magazine
• Participation and achievement in professional research and/or creative activities in publishing, including literary magazines, books, and/or book arts
• MA in Creative Writing or in a closely related field with exceptional experience

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• MFA or PhD in Creative Writing preferred
• Publication and experience in, and the ability to teach some aspect of, poetry, fiction, or   nonfiction.
• Experience with production, marketing, grant writing, and/or distribution for literary entities.
• Three to five years of editorial experience (as a developmental editor, including substantive  line-level editing; managing editor; and/or copyeditor), preferably for a literary magazine
• Familiarity with Ecotone, its editorial mission, and its contributors
• Familiarity with titles published under the Publishing Laboratory and Lookout Books imprints

Primary Function of Organizational Unit
The UNCW Department of Creative Writing is a community of deeply committed writers who believe that the creation of art is valuable to self and culture. Our faculty encourages a rigorous yet safe, supportive environment in which diverse writers can grow as artists and as individuals. We believe excellence starts with an informed application of craft and we encourage writers to explore aesthetics and methods across genre lines.

College/School Information
The College of Arts and Sciences is UNCW’s largest academic unit and awards approximately two-thirds of the university’s academic credits. Ours is a comprehensive arts and sciences college comprising the arts, the humanities, the mathematical and natural sciences, and the social and behavioral sciences. 

The College’s twenty-five units offer a variety of undergraduate majors leading to the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Music, and the Bachelor of Science. The College also offers a full complement of minors, including interdisciplinary minors such as Africana studies, Asian studies, Forensic studies, Latin America studies, Middle East & Islamic studies, Native-American studies, and Women’s and Gender studies, among others.

Applied learning is a hallmark of the student experience in the College of Arts and Sciences. Each of the College’s departments requires an applied learning experience as a part of the curriculum for its undergraduate majors. Examples include faculty-directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various strands of knowledge and to apply that knowledge to broader, real-world or real disciplinary situations. Through applied learning, students in the College gain direct hands-on experience with the skills of their major fields as an essential part of their preparation for life and career.

In addition to its undergraduate major and minor programs, the College is chiefly responsible for the curriculum that comprises the UNCW’s University Studies Program, through which all UNCW undergraduates gain a foundation in the liberal arts and develop the transferable skills essential for life in the twenty-first century. The College strives in its undergraduate programs and in its University Study offerings to nurture creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, diversity and inclusion, and academic integrity in students while providing them with a solid foundation of knowledge in their chosen fields. Upon completion of their undergraduate studies, College of Arts and Sciences students will have the necessary preparation for rewarding careers, advanced study, effective citizenship, and meaningful lives.

Graduate degrees awarded in the College of Arts and Sciences include the Master of Arts, the Master of Fine Arts, the Master of Public Administration, the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy (Marine Biology and Psychology). In addition, the nationally awarded Graduate Liberal Studies program offers a personalized curriculum of interdisciplinary study leading to the Master of Arts. Post-baccalaureate certificates in Applied Statistics, Environmental Studies, Forensic Science, Conflict Management and Resolution, Gender Studies and Hispanic Studies are available. Graduate programs in the College are designed to develop intellectual competence and to prepare the student for careers in business, industry, government, teaching or for further study at the doctoral level. 

University Information
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives. 
 
A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering. 
 
The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. 
 
UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969. 

Please apply online at https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/22425 

Special Notes to Applicants
Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm EST on 01/10/2022, the posting close date. 
To apply, please complete the online application process available at https://jobs.uncw.edu/ and attach the following materials as an Adobe PDF document including:

1. Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vita
3. Combined unofficial Graduate Transcripts
4. Teaching Philosophy – Statement of Teaching Philosophy describing teaching interests including a list of potential course offerings and how issues of diversity shape the applicant’s working practices, past and planned.
5. Portfolio/Work Sample – Work/Editing Sample, a separate Pdf including a publication (magazine or book, or a full­ length short story or essay) the applicant has edited, preceded by a brief description of the editor’s role in bringing the publication to print.
6. Writing Sample (optional) – A second separate pdf (ten to twenty page) sample of original creative writing
7. Other – If needed, applicants may upload additional materials under the Other category. Note that letters of application without the requested components will not meet the application requirements.
   
   Please note that a minimum of three professional reference contacts are required for all applications. References will be requested during the screening process.
   
   Please direct questions concerning the search to Professor Anna Lena Phillips Bell, Chair, Assistant Professor Search Committee, at phillipsal@uncw.edu, (910) 962-7651. For questions regarding the online application process, contact Ms. Megan Hubbard at hubbardm@uncw.edu. 

EEO Statement
At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.

Eligibility for Employment
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.