Assistant Professor in English

Western Colorado University

1d • $55,000 - $60,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Western Colorado University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor faculty position in English: Creative Writing (Fiction) to teach undergraduate creative writing and first-year writing courses. Additional teaching duties may include literature depending on qualifications. We welcome applicants with secondary specialties in Transatlantic, Global, and/or British Literature. We seek a dynamic teacher-scholar who is committed to student-centered learning, professional preparation, and inclusive, interdisciplinary education. The successful candidate will thoughtfully engage current disciplinary conversations about AI and writing and prepare students to evaluate and respond to emerging technologies ethically, with integrity, creativity, and critical discernment. This is an in-person, on-campus position on our vibrant residential campus in Gunnison, Colorado. The standard teaching load is 24 credit hours per academic year. The successful candidate will deliver engaging, well-designed courses such as ENG 300 – Creative Writing: Fiction, ENG 161 – Introduction to Creative Writing, ENG 358 – Global Literature, and ENG 151 – Borderlands, and may teach other courses aligned with their expertise and departmental needs. We especially value faculty who engage students in high-impact practices such as internships, research, community-based learning, and who participate in our Western Watershed General Education and First-Year Seminar Headwaters courses. We value faculty who work to prepare students for a livelihood based on their values and aid students in gaining post-graduate opportunities. The English Program (in the Communications, Languages, and Literature Department) serves over 50 students across its majors and minors. Students can earn a degree in English, with emphases in Creative Writing and Secondary Licensure, as well as a degree in English, which focuses on Literature, combining rigorous academic preparation with high-impact experiential learning. Western supports its faculty by fostering a collaborative and innovative academic community. Our Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) actively engages faculty, staff, and administrators in cross-campus initiatives designed to reimagine WCU’s educational landscape—rooted in diverse expertise and committed to continuous growth. The Professional Activity Fund (PAF) provides financial support for faculty engaged in research, artistic projects, grant writing, and other scholarly or creative activities, with three application opportunities each year. Western’s faculty are teacher-scholars who contribute meaningfully to their discipline, the campus, our community, and beyond. We seek candidates who will actively support our institutional mission and strategic priorities, including: Participating in our innovative Western Watershed General Education program; Promoting wellness, inclusion, and belonging; Collaborating within and across disciplines to grow enrollment and deepen student engagement; Expanding career-connected learning and professional pathways. Learn more about the department at: https://western.edu/undergraduate/english/

Requirements

• PhD in English with a creative or critical dissertation or PhD in Creative Writing (Fiction) or closely related discipline
• A demonstrated robust record of publishing in fiction
• Demonstrated experience effectively teaching Creative Writing and First-Year Writing
• Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate education, excellence in teaching, and willingness to work with and be sensitive to the educational needs of all students
• Candidates must also be able to use technology in instructional delivery, including the ability to teach online and hybrid courses
• Collegiality and professional flexibility

Nice To Haves

• Secondary specialization in Transatlantic, Global, and/or British Literature
• Experience with advising, recruitment and retention/growing programs, and advising student organizations and/or clubs
• Demonstrated experience effectively teaching literature courses
• At least two years of teaching Creative Writing and First-Year Writing in a college or university setting

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate creative writing and first-year writing courses
• Additional teaching duties may include literature depending on qualifications
• Thoughtfully engage current disciplinary conversations about AI and writing
• Prepare students to evaluate and respond to emerging technologies ethically, with integrity, creativity, and critical discernment
• Deliver engaging, well-designed courses such as ENG 300 – Creative Writing: Fiction, ENG 161 – Introduction to Creative Writing, ENG 358 – Global Literature, and ENG 151 – Borderlands, and may teach other courses aligned with their expertise and departmental needs
• Actively support our institutional mission and strategic priorities

Benefits

• Western offers an excellent benefits package including shared premiums for a comprehensive health insurance plan, dental insurance, retirement plan, life insurance, and other insurance options.
• After one year of employment, Western provides free tuition for dependents enrolled full time in undergraduate programs for up to four years.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree