Lecturer, Writing Program — Teaching Track

University of Southern California; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Southern California (USC) Writing Program in the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences invites applications for full-time Lecturer positions beginning Fall 2027 in Los Angeles. These are career positions with opportunities for promotion along a teaching track.

Lecturers teach three sections per semester, develop syllabi, support undergraduates, and participate in governance and professional development funding.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated excellence in teaching writing at the college level.
• Experience as instructor of record in writing-specific courses preferred.
• Willingness to engage in pedagogical innovation and service to the program.

Responsibilities

• Teach three sections each semester and develop syllabi and assignments.
• Contribute to program governance and professional development.
• Support undergraduate writing instruction across lower- and upper-division courses.

Skills

Teaching excellence

Instructor of record experience

Education

PhD or terminal degree

Job description

The USC Writing Program in the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, California, seeks qualified applicants for full-time positions as Lecturer to join our faculty beginning Fall 2027. These are career positions with opportunities for promotion along a teaching track.

Writing Program faculty primarily teach lower- and upper-division courses that fulfill USC’s undergraduate writing requirement in a context informed by the rhetorical tradition, process theory, and ethical discursive practices. First-year courses develop students’ writing and critical reasoning skills within thematic contexts. Advanced courses, composed primarily of juniors and seniors, bring students together based on their academic interests and career goals, addressing writing in different disciplines for various audiences. (Links open in new window.) Small class sizes in both first-year and upper-level courses facilitate a workshop model of instruction, frequent one-on-one and small-group conferencing, and an emphasis on the writing process.

Full-time faculty teach three sections each semester, for which they will develop syllabi and assignments in accordance with program guidelines. The Writing Program also provides significant opportunities for professional growth and development. Faculty are eligible to participate in program, college, and university governance. In addition, faculty can apply for annual professional development funding from the college to support teaching and scholarship, with additional funding available from the department. New faculty will join a vibrant community of teachers, writers, and scholars composed of faculty and graduate students from a range of disciplines.

The Writing Program hopes to hire faculty interested in making a career of teaching writing at USC and who are passionate about teaching and working with undergraduates in a collaborative learning environment. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate pedagogical innovation, versatility, and awareness to help our vibrant student body develop critical thinking skills. We expect a deep commitment to creating engaging classroom environments to serve students individually and holistically. Initial appointments are fixed-term, with the possibility of renewal contingent on performance and review by the program faculty, its directors, and the college deans. Dornsife provides opportunities for promotion to the ranks of Assistant Professor (Teaching), Associate Professor (Teaching), and Professor (Teaching) based on demonstrated teaching excellence and service to the program, school, university, and field.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates should have a PhD or other terminal degree by June 2027. We require demonstrated excellence in teaching writing at the college level, with experience as instructor of record in writing-specific courses strongly preferred. While many of our faculty have scholarly backgrounds in Rhetoric and Composition and/or English Literature, we welcome candidates from a range of fields related to our existing courses (linked above) who have a strong interest in teaching lower- and upper-division writing and with varied areas of interest, such as (but not limited to) experiential learning, public-facing writing, legal writing, medical humanities, and multimodal composition instruction.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The deadline for applications is November 30, 2026. Applicants should submit a letter of application, a teaching statement, a CV, and the names of three referees who can speak to teaching abilities. The referees will be contacted directly by USC to provide letters of reference after you submit your application. The statement of teaching philosophy (300-500 words) should reflect on your practice, experience, and commitment to supporting students through a holistic approach to your classroom.

We will be conducting first-round interviews remotely during the dates of January 5-15, 2027. Second-round interviews will be held in late-January/early-February, with more information provided at a later date. In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must apply via the "Apply" link at the top or bottom of this page.

The annual base salary range for this position is $80,000-$104,310. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.