Assistant Professor of English (English Education)

About the Position: The Department of English invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position specializing in English education and young adult literature beginning September 16, 2024. The successful candidate will offer instruction to pre-service secondary English education students and teach regular offerings of English language arts methods and young adult literature courses.

About the Department: The department has 65 tenure-line faculty members and offers B.A. programs in Literature and Creative Writing with or without a secondary teaching endorsement, an M.A. program in English Studies, and an M.F.A. program in Creative Writing. The department also offers minors, including those in Film Studies and in Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric, as well as courses that provide training in composition/rhetoric, professional and technical writing, editing and publishing, and teacher preparation. To learn more about the Department of English visit our website.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the English Department support Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

About the University: Western Washington University, with almost 16,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 93,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the Cascade mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western is the highest-ranking public, master’s-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Learn about Western’s commitments and ongoing work in the areas of Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Position Responsibilities: Standard quarter system teaching assignment (currently 2-2-2), with specialty courses at the undergraduate and MA/MFA levels; general education courses and other courses depending on the candidate’s interests and departmental needs; exemplary teaching, including fulfilling teaching responsibilities in ways that support an equitable and inclusive learning environment for students; a high quality program of scholarly activity; service to the department through a range of activities that include advising secondary English education majors, contributing to curricular and program development, and collaborating with the Woodring College of Education and local schools.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in English or a related field with an emphasis in English education, Ed.D., or ABD at time of application (degree must be completed by June 15, 2025).
• Demonstrated active engagement in the field of English education, including contemporary young adult literature and English language arts methods.
• Potential for strong scholarship and publication in English education, young adult literature, and related fields.
• Middle or high school teaching experience.
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching.
• Ability to cultivate learning environments that are equitable and inclusive of students with diverse social identities and backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrable primary area of expertise in contemporary young adult literature and reading.
• Demonstrable secondary areas of expertise such as language and multilingual/bilingual education, children’s literature, literature and writing pedagogies, African American literature, etc.  
• Interest in serving on WWU’s Children’s/Young Adult’s Literature Conference Advisory Board.
• Demonstrated achievement in the areas of culturally responsive/sustaining teaching, anti-racist pedagogy, and social justice-oriented instruction.

Academic Emphasis:  English

Job Location:  Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Salary:  The starting salary range for assistant professor appointment, tenure-track is generally between $69,000 – $71,000, with placement within the position’s salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for the assistant professor position is $69,000 - $78,500, with the upper end of the salary range typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments.

Bargaining Unit:  United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions and Requested Documents: To be considered for the position, application materials must be submitted via WWU’s Work at Western portal:  https://hr.wwu.edu/careers-faculty?job=501026.

Candidates should upload a letter of application that specifically addresses the required and preferred qualifications, CV, graduate transcripts, and the names and contact information of three references of whom we may request letters of recommendation. Materials should clearly evidence how the applicant’s experience (academic or non-academic) has prepared them to effectively teach Western’s increasingly diverse student body. 

Screening interviews will take place via videoconference in early winter.

For priority consideration, applications should be received by October 15, 2023. Finalist interviews will be conducted on campus; position open until filled.