Unleash Your Potential With Us

As a next-generation public research institution, we are an inclusive community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to shape the future and solve the world’s most challenging problems. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you become an integral part of our mission to become a university for the future. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with uniquely talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses and regional locations. That means greater challenges to tackle, more meaningful opportunities to grow, and rewarding experiences that go beyond a paycheck.

The Opportunity
The Department of Writing and Rhetoric (DWR) seeks an assistant professor for a 9-month, tenure-earning position who is eager to collaborate and engage in the life of the department and sustain the national profile of the department. DWR is committed to innovative research and teaching that addresses challenges related to composition, rhetoric, and literacy in academic, workplace, civic, and community settings. Beyond active research production, job responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in writing and rhetoric studies, mentoring students, and engaging in appropriate academic service on department and college committees. The typical teaching assignment is 2/3. All faculty in the department report to the department chair. The anticipated start date is August 8, 2024.

The Department of Writing and Rhetoric (DWR) is one of seven academic units in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida. As an independent writing department, DWR is the academic home to 12 tenure-earning faculty members, 31 full-time non-tenure earning instructors and lecturers, two postdoctoral scholars, and 15 graduate teaching assistants. The department supports a comprehensive, vertical writing instruction that includes a first-year composition program, an undergraduate major (B.A.) and minor, and a graduate program with both an M.A. and certificate in professional writing. The department has recently added an undergraduate certificate in Medical Writing and Rhetoric alongside the existing Public and Professional Writing certificate. Graduate faculty may request to teach in the interdisciplinary doctoral Texts and Technology program, which includes an area of specialization in Rhetoric and Composition. The department houses the Center for Writing Excellence that encompasses the University Writing Center and the Writing Across the Curriculum program. DWR boasts a nationally recognized faculty with expertise in cultural and feminist rhetorics; disability studies; medical rhetorics; composition theory and pedagogy; digital writing; community/public rhetorics; multimodal rhetorics; writing program administration.  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in rhetoric, communication, English, or a related field from an accredited institution at time of appointment.

• Experience teaching college-level writing.

• Demonstrated commitment to working with students from diverse, multilingual backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. with focus/specialization in Rhetoric and Composition from an accredited institution at time of campus visit.

• Active research agenda in rhetoric and writing studies with scholarly focus in community/civic literacies, rhetorics science/health/medical, or digital rhetorics/literacies.

• Evidence of excellence in teaching.

• Expressed interest and evidence of teaching in professional writing/editing courses.

• Experience working with linguistically and socially diverse writers, particularly a HSI population.

• Interest in big data and/or generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the study and/or teaching of writing.

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, www.ucf.edu/jobs .  In addition to the online application, candidates should attach the following materials in PDF documents at the time of application:

• Cover letter,

• Curriculum vitae with list of three references with contact information,

• Statement of research, and

• Teaching philosophy.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be simultaneously uploaded. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

Review of applications will begin immediately after the position closes on November 16, 2023. Preliminary interviews will be conducted via Zoom in early/mid December with on-campus interviews to occur in late January/early February 2024.

Candidates may be asked to submit a writing sample and/or teaching materials as part of the campus visit.

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.

Questions regarding this search should be directed to: Martha Brenckle, Professor, at Martha.Brenckle@ucf.edu .

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

N/A

Job Close Date:

November 16, 2023

Note to applicants: Please keep in mind that a job posted as ‘Open until filled ’ may close at any time without notice. As such, we encourage you to submit your application and all required documentation as quickly as possible to ensure consideration for the posted position.

Are Benefits Important to You?

Working at UCF has its perks!  In addition to helping drive change and having a positive impact by supporting our students, staff, and faculty, UCF offers:

• Benefit packages including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, healthcare flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program.

• Paid time off, including annual and sick leave and paid holidays.

• Retirement savings options.

• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando area attractions.

• Education assistance.

• Flexible work environment.

And more…For more benefits information, go to ‘Prospective Employees’ on the UCF Human Resources website (https://hr.ucf.edu/ ).

Who Are We?

Founded in 1963 to fuel the region’s talent pipeline and support the growing U.S. space program, UCF is built to make a better future for our students and society. It’s one of the reasons U.S. News & World Report ranks UCF among the nation’s top 20 most innovative colleges, while Forbes, Kiplinger , and The Princeton Review rank us a best-value university. UCF is one of 14 universities nationwide designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Research 1 university. With 13 colleges, including a fully accredited College of Medicine, UCF offers more than 240-degree programs between its main campus, downtown campus, hospitality campus, academic health sciences campus, and 11 UCF Connect centers located throughout the region. In addition, UCF extends its reach to communities in and beyond Central Florida by offering complete online programs leading to bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, Ph.D.'s., certificates, and more.

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of higher education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to employment in research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty positions (including employed visiting positions), graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral scholar positions, and undergraduate positions.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

As an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, UCF encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations. UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement can be viewed at  http://www.oie.ucf.edu/documents/PresidentsStatement.pdf.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.