Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition, & Writing Program Director

1000scholars; Cotati (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 84,000; Full time

Job summary

Sonoma State University seeks an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition and Writing Program Director. The role combines teaching with leadership of the university's first-year writing program and curriculum oversight.

The position includes teaching rhetoric and composition, supervising program assessment, and advancing inclusive pedagogy for multilingual learners. Salary ranges from $75,000 to $84,000 for this tenure-track appointment.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Rhetoric and Composition, Writing Studies, or a closely related field, by Aug 1, 2027.
• Evidence of graduate-level coursework in composition theory and pedagogy.
• Experience teaching at the university level and ability to teach first-year writing.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and administer a university writing program.
• Commitment to inclusive teaching and supporting diverse students.
• Evidence of active scholarly agenda in rhetoric and composition or writing studies.

Responsibilities

• Provide collaborative leadership for the university's first-year writing program and teach rhetoric and composition courses.
• Coordinate curriculum development, program assessment, and support multilingual literacy and culturally responsive pedagogy.
• Maintain an active program of scholarship in rhetoric and composition.

Skills

Teaching university courses

Rhetoric and Composition

Program leadership

Inclusive teaching

Scholarly research

Education

Ph.D./Ed.D. in Rhetoric & Composition or related field

Graduate coursework in composition theory & pedagogy

Job description

Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition, & Writing Program Director

Job No: 563101

Work Type: Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track

Location: Sonoma

Categories: Unit 3 - CFA - California Faculty Association, Faculty - Letters/Humanities, Probationary, Full Time, On-site (work in-person at business location)

Department Of English

Faculty Employment Opportunity

Instructional Faculty, Unit 3 California Faculty Association, Tenured/Tenure-Track, Full Time at Sonoma State University

Starting August 2027

Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition, & Writing Program Director

The University

Sonoma State University's beautiful 274-acre campus is located in Sonoma County wine country, an hour north of San Francisco. The campus offers the ideal setting for teaching and learning and access to a community of rich cultural, environmental, and recreational opportunities. Founded in 1960, SSU is one of the 22 campuses of the California State University System. As members of the largest public higher education system in the nation, we provide accessible, high-quality education.

The Department

Faculty in the English Department are equally committed to undergraduate and graduate teaching. Students who wish to major in English may choose one of three plans, each of which provides a coherent program with a particular emphasis. After a core of required courses, students will follow programs leading to a Bachelor of Arts in English degree with a concentration in English and American Literature, Creative Writing, or English Education (which integrates the study of literature, writing, language, and culture and prepares students to enter post-baccalaureate single-subject teaching credential programs in English). The English Department has historically offered one of Sonoma State University's most robust graduate programs, with M.A. tracks in Literary Criticism, Creative Writing, and Rhetoric and English Education. Its alumni teach at local community colleges and high schools across the state and work as grant writers, technical writers, and in a wide range of other professions. The M.A. is currently undergoing a comprehensive redesign to build on these strengths and respond to changing student and regional needs.

The department has a long history of providing students of diverse backgrounds with the chance to study literature and practice creative writing with a faculty dedicated to quality education and personalized support and instruction. We are committed to serving students from all backgrounds and are proud that the department and Sonoma State provide access to all residents of California (and beyond). Our faculty are expected to teach in the general education program and to be flexible in terms of meeting the needs of the department. Although we teach some large classes, and some for general education, there are plentiful opportunities for faculty to mentor and teach students in smaller classroom settings.

The English Department's Creative Writing literary reading series and writers' festival bring nationally and internationally known writers to campus annually. The department is home to Zaum, the AWP-award winning student magazine, and a small book-publishing venture.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to see the department's web page at: english.sonoma.edu

Duties of the Position

• The English Department at Sonoma State University seeks candidates for a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition and Writing Program Director. The successful candidate will provide collaborative leadership for the university's first-year writing program and teach rhetoric and composition courses and upper-division courses emphasizing digital and multimodal literacies and professional communication. The successful candidate, like all English faculty, will also be able to teach courses in the GE program as well as specialized courses in additional areas of expertise. Upon an anticipated reinstatement of the English MA program in the future, responsibilities will also include graduate teaching and mentoring students completing theses in rhetoric and composition.
• As Writing Program Director, the successful candidate will coordinate curriculum development and program assessment; support culturally responsive pedagogies and program structures; and provide mentoring, teaching resources, and professional development in collaboration with lecturer and tenure-line faculty. Working with the department chair and campus partners, the director will advance writing instruction that supports first-year engagement and retention, address equity gaps, and build on students' linguistic and cultural resources. Responsibilities will include supporting faculty across the university in multilingual literacy and culturally responsive writing pedagogy, with attention to historically underrepresented and first-generation college students and developing approaches to using digital technologies that strengthen students' agency as writers.
• The successful candidate will maintain an active program of scholarship, research, and/or creative activity in rhetoric and composition and/or writing studies consistent with English Department's criteria for retention, tenure, and promotion.

Faculty Responsibilities

• In addition to teaching and scholarship, faculty are expected to engage in service to the University, profession, and community. These responsibilities include: advising students, participation in campus and system-wide communities, maintaining office hours, working collaboratively and productively with colleagues, and participating in traditional academic functions.
• Sonoma State is committed to the Teacher/Scholar model and places an emphasis on faculty support of undergraduate research and other professional opportunities for students. Faculty are also expected to foster our commitment to the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025 through excellent teaching, advising, and mentoring. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the University's Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Policy. During the first two years of the probationary period the instructional assignment will be reduced by two courses per academic year for probationary faculty members, in order to assist in establishing their programs of research, scholarship, and/or creative activities, and carrying out other activities that would support them in meeting the requirements for retention, tenure, and promotion. All faculty are required to have the ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Rhetoric and Composition, Writing Studies, or closely related field, in hand by August 1, 2027
• Evidence of graduate-level coursework in composition theory and pedagogy
• Experience teaching at the university level and demonstrated expertise necessary to teach rhetoric and composition courses, including first-year writing
• Demonstrated expertise necessary to coordinate and administer a university writing program
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive teaching and to supporting students from diverse linguistic, cultural, and educational backgrounds
• Evidence (peer-reviewed articles or dissertation) of an active or developing scholarly research agenda in rhetoric and composition, critical literacies, and/or writing studies

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering a university writing program
• Experience in curriculum development and writing assessment
• Experience with writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines
• Demonstrated experience with digital/multimodal literacies
• Demonstrated commitment to culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogy
• Interest in building partnerships with regional schools, community colleges, and community organizations to support writing and educational access

Rank and Salary

Service credit depends upon academic preparation and professional experience. The anticipated salary range for this full-time assistant professor position is: $75,000 to $84,000.

Required Application Materials

• Cover Letter (2-3 pages)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Teaching Philosophy (1-2 pages)
• Unofficial transcripts (Official transcripts will be required of the selected candidate)
• Contact information for three references
• Later in the process, candidates should be ready to provide writing samples, and student evaluations.

Application Deadline

First consideration will be given to applications received by December 07, 2026. The position will remain open until filled. Early response is encouraged.

Contact Information

Questions concerning the application process may be directed to: [e-mail]

Questions concerning this position may be directed to:

Dr. jen johnson [e-mail] 707-664-3265

Please refer to the requisition job number on all correspondence and inquiries regarding this position.

The ADA Coordinator is also available [e-mail] to assist individuals with disabilities in need of accommodation during the hiring process.

Our Commitment

Sonoma State University is a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution, as such we are committed to achieving the goals of equal opportunity and we endeavor to employ faculty and staff reflecting the linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the region and state.

Guided by our core values as a university: diversity, sustainability, community engagement, and adaptability, Sonoma State University (SSU) offers an education that fosters intellectual, social, and personal growth. SSU is a public liberal arts and sciences university. As the only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges in the state of California, we are committed to preparing students for a life of active citizenship and public service. We have a vibrant campus life characterized by a lively co-curriculum that fosters broad-based intellectual and artistic opportunities in which the campus as a whole is actively engaged.

Sonoma State University is committed to creating a community in which bias and intolerance have no place. It is our expectation that all students, faculty, and staff work together to honor this commitment and hold each other accountable to create an open and inclusive environment.

We are committed to facilitating spaces in which all can grow by building on our students' assets as they explore new knowledge. These efforts include fostering creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, experimentation, empathy, and communication. The successful candidate will be one who can collaborate with faculty, staff, administration, and students to achieve these goals. We are especially interested in candidates committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Equal Opportunity & Mandated Reporting

The University is an Affir

Employment Eligibility & Conditions

CSU Out of State Policy - Sonoma State University, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022 the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California. A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current employees who apply for this position.

Sonoma State University hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. Due to a recent change in policy, SSU is unable to sponsor new H-1B employment visas at this time. All offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents demonstrating the appointee's identity and eligibility to work, in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Education Code 89521

Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant's current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

Annual Reports & Safety Information

Sonoma State University's Annual Security Report includes summaries of institutional policy relating to campus safety, drug and alcohol use, sexual assault, and other matters. The report is published in compliance with the Clery Act and includes three years of certain crime statistics that occurred in Clery Act defined geography. A paper copy of the report may be requested in person by emailing the Clery Compliance and Safety Office at [e-mail].

Application Close: Open Until Filled