Assistant Professor of English

Assistant Professor of English

The Department of English at the University of North Dakota invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in creative non-fiction writing with additional responsibility teaching courses in our writing, editing, and publishing program.

The position will also require teaching in an additional creative genre: poetry, fiction, genre fiction, digital creative fiction, or screenwriting. The position is contingent upon the availability of funding.

Duties and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will contribute to the English program through teaching, scholarly activity, and service within the department, college, university, and community. Our typical teaching load is two courses a semester, and the successful candidate will teach a range of courses: creative writing courses at the introductory, advanced undergraduate, and graduate levels; courses in our undergraduate writing and editing program; and literature courses at all levels as needed. The successful candidate will be able to further the department’s goal of making creative writing a visible and vibrant part of the UND campus experience, while bringing an appreciation of writing to the larger local and state community. UND and the College of Arts & Sciences value diverse perspectives and seek applicants who are committed to helping students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed.

About the Department

The English department is an active unit with B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. programs. Recent additions to our degree offerings include a certificate in writing and editing (https://und.edu/programs/writing-editing-certificate/index.html), and another in creative writing (https://und.edu/programs/creative-writing-certificate/index.html). Our annual Writers Conference (www.undwritersconference.org) has featured thirty-five Pulitzer Prize winners and four Nobel laureates and has brought to the UND campus authors such as Colson Whitehead, Louise Erdrich, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Maxine Hong Kingston, Dwayne Betts, Ross Gay, Roxane Gay, Marlon James, and Layli Long Soldier. Our department also has a longstanding involvement with the North Dakota Quarterly.

Established in 1883, the University of North Dakota is the oldest research university in the state.  A flagship university with a strong liberal arts core, UND is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as having high research activity. It was recently ranked among the top 100 public and top 25 most innovative universities in the country by U.S. News and World Report and is widely regarded as among the best universities in the Northern Plains region. UND enrolls nearly 14,000 students.

The university is located in Grand Forks, a vibrant college town of over 57,000 people located on the border between North Dakota and Minnesota. Short commutes, a great public school system, high quality medical facilities, low crime, ample parks and theaters, and a cost of living below that found in large American cities are some of the reasons that Grand Forks has been ranked as one of the top 5 Best Small College Towns. See why Grand Forks Is Cooler.

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D. in English or related field by August 15, 2023.
• Strong credentials in creative non-fiction writing.
• Record of experience in publishing-related work that shows potential to contribute to our certificate program in Writing and Editing.
• Teaching, academic, and/or writing experience that show the ability to teach at least one other creative genre, such as poetry, fiction, genre fiction, digital creative fiction, or screenwriting.
• Successful completion of criminal history records check.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Record of creative and scholarly work that shows potential for publication in relevant fields.
• Commitment to excellence in teaching and knowledge of creative writing pedagogy demonstrated through statement of teaching philosophy.
• Academic credentials in literary field(s) that demonstrate expertise necessary to teach upper-level and graduate-level literature courses.
• Teaching and/or academic experience that demonstrates readiness to supervise the research of master’s- and doctoral-level graduate students.
• Experience with writing programming that demonstrates the ability to bring an appreciation of writing to the campus, local, and state community.

Minimum Hiring Salary

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Work Schedule / Start Date

Position is full-time, benefitted and exempt. Dates of initial contract are August 16, 2023 to May 15, 2024.

To Apply

For full consideration, applications must be received by January 1, 2023 and include the following materials:

• Letter of application
• Curriculum vitae
• Statement of teaching philosophy

Position is open until filled.

Questions can be directed to the department chair, Dr. Lori Robison, at lori.robison@und.edu.