Technical and Professional Communication Faculty (Open Rank)

Florida Polytechnic University; Florida; On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Poly invites applications for tenure-equivalent faculty positions in Technical and Professional Communication at the rank of Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, beginning August 2027. We aim to redefine how writing is taught at a STEM-focused university, collaborating with engineering and science faculty to prepare students for communicating complex technical work.

Responsibilities include teaching General Education Composition and Technical Writing,

Qualifications

• Instructor: Master’s degree with at least 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline.
• Assistant Professor: Ph.D. in Technical Communication, Writing Studies, Rhetoric, English, or a closely related field, completed before the start date.
• Associate Professor: The above, plus six years at the rank of Assistant Professor or equivalent.
• Professor: The above, plus six years at the rank of Associate Professor or equivalent.
• All ranks: Evidence of effective college-level teaching and excellent oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Teach General Education courses in Composition and Technical Writing, and develop and teach courses in your area of expertise
• Maintain a program of scholarship that leads to publication in the discipline
• Support the Writing Center and writing across the curriculum
• Contribute to department and University service

Skills

Teaching experience

Oral & written communication

Curriculum development (STEM)

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Master’s degree with 18 graduate credits in discipline

Ph.D. in Technical Communication, Writing Studies, Rhetoric, English, or related field

Job description

Technical and Professional Communication Faculty (Open Rank) JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY Florida Polytechnic University invites applications for tenure-equivalent faculty positions in Technical and Professional Communication at the rank of Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, beginning August 2027. Every Florida Poly student is headed for a STEM career, and every one of them needs to write, present, and persuade. We are looking for faculty who want to shape how communication is taught at an all-STEM university: people who will rethink the standard composition sequence, build courses with engineering and science faculty, and help students communicate complex technical work to the audiences who need it.

Responsibilities

• Teach General Education courses in Composition and Technical Writing, and develop and teach courses in your area of expertise
• Maintain a program of scholarship that leads to publication in the discipline (Assistant Professor and above). Instructors demonstrate a scholarly, intentional approach to pedagogy and curriculum instead.
• Support the Writing Center and writing across the curriculum
• Contribute to department and University service

Areas of interest

We welcome all areas of rhetoric, writing, and communication. Preference will be given to demonstrated effectiveness in one or more of the following: Technical, scientific, environmental, risk, or health communication Digital and multimodal writing and rhetoric Writing program administration Writing across the curriculum or writing in the disciplines

Minimum qualifications

• Instructor: Master’s degree from an accredited institution with at least 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline
• Assistant Professor: Ph.D. in Technical Communication, Writing Studies, Rhetoric, English, or a closely related field, completed before the start date
• Associate Professor: The above, plus six years at the rank of Assistant Professor or equivalent
• Professor: The above, plus six years at the rank of Associate Professor or equivalent
• All ranks: Evidence of effective college-level teaching and excellent oral and written communication skills

Preferred qualifications

• Experience building writing and communication curricula for STEM or other disciplines, or with Writing Across the Curriculum or Writing in the Disciplines programs
• Industry experience in technical or professional communication
• Writing center experience
• Evidence of innovation in teaching
• Experience collaborating across departments or mentoring interdisciplinary undergraduate research
• Experience with externally funded projects
• Scholarship and service records commensurate with rank

Key dates

• Start date: August 2027
• Full consideration: applications received by January 11, 2027. Review continues until the positions are filled.

About the department

The Department of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences delivers the General Education courses students need in Communication, Humanities and Fine Arts, and Social Sciences. It offers a certificate in Applied Liberal Studies open to all undergraduates, and its faculty operate and staff the University’s CRLA-certified Writing Center.

Foreign Influence Compliance Notice

Florida Polytechnic University complies with applicable Florida laws and Florida Board of Governors requirements concerning foreign influence, including Board of Governors Regulation 9.012, Foreign Influence, and applicable provisions of Florida Statutes. Certain positions, including research, research-related support, and visiting researcher positions, may be subject to additional screening, disclosure, and review requirements under applicable law and University policy. Applicants for covered positions may be required to provide complete and accurate information and supporting documentation regarding their educational and employment history, publications, research funding, affiliations, and other relevant activities, as applicable. Any employment offer or appointment for a position subject to these requirements is contingent upon satisfactory completion of all applicable screenings, disclosures, and required approvals.

About Florida Polytechnic University

Florida Polytechnic University — Florida's only public university dedicated exclusively to STEM — has been ranked the #1 public college in the South for six consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 2014 as the twelfth member of the State University System, Florida Poly is growing fast. Enrollment is at a record high, new degree programs and laboratories are coming online, and the University is hiring faculty across many departments at once. New faculty arrive as a cohort and help shape what comes next. Teaching here is applied and project-based, in small classes where faculty know their students. Faculty are rewarded for more than publishing: industry collaboration, applied research, and commercialization through start-ups and technology transfer all count. Industry partners across Central Florida sponsor student projects, hire graduates, and work alongside faculty. The campus, anchored by the Santiago Calatrava‑designed Innovation, Science, and Technology Building, sits in Lakeland on Florida's I-4 High Tech Corridor, within an hour of both Tampa and Orlando. Florida has no state income tax, and Lakeland's cost of living is lower than either metropolitan area. [Explore Lakeland]

Tenure-equivalent appointment system

Florida Poly faculty hold renewable, multi-year appointments under a collective bargaining agreement. The system substantially mirrors tenure systems at other State University System of Florida institutions: reappointment and promotion are based on a comprehensive review of accomplishments. Initial appointments are 3 years for Instructor and Assistant Professor; 3-6 years for Associate Professor; 6 years for Professor. Applicants with post-Ph.D. experience may be offered an accelerated timeline to apply for promotion. Faculty are eligible for NSF and NIH grants, including early-career awards. Employment is contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in the United States; an appointment is not final until proof is provided. This position requires a background check, which may include a Level II screening as required by Florida Statute §435.04.

Florida Poly benefits information

Florida Poly qualified employees have the opportunity to take advantage of a variety of health benefits (through the State of Florida) to help meet their specific needs, as well as the needs of their family. This comprehensive coverage includes flexible spending accounts, medical and life insurance, and worker's compensation. Health benefits are administered through People First, on behalf of the State of Florida, as pre-tax insurance plans. People First handles all new hire enrollments, coverage changes, premium administration, and dependent eligibility. Their Service Center is staffed Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. EST, at 1-866-663-4735.

RETIREMENT

Florida Poly offers great options for retirement. From the required selection of a state plan to additional voluntary retirement plans, our employees have many opportunities to save and prepare for their future.

OTHER BENEFITS

• Discounts & Perks
• Annual Leave: Qualified employees may accrue 22 days of annual leave. In addition, the University observes the holidays listed in our University Holidays policy FPU-1.008.
• Sick Leave: Qualified employees may also accrue 12 days of annual sick leave and participate in our Sick Pool Program.
• Employee Assistant Program (EAP)

Explore Lakeland FL

Conveniently located along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando, Lakeland is home to Florida Polytechnic University and many other businesses and attractions. Click here to explore Lakeland, Florida.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

Florida Polytechnic University is an equal opportunity/equal access institution. It is the policy of the Board of Trustees to provide equal opportunity for employment and educational opportunities to all (including applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, students, and others affiliated with the University) without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or genetic information. Employment is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. An appointment is not final until proof is provided.

Florida Polytechnic University is an equal opportunity/equal access institution. It is the policy of the Board of Trustees to provide equal opportunity for employment and educational opportunities to all (including applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, students, and others affiliated with the University) without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or genetic information. Employment is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. An appointment is not final until proof is provided.

To report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment under Title IX please contact our Title IX Coordinator, 4700 Research Way, ASC East, Lakeland, FL 33805, email: [e-mail], call: 863-874-8484, or our online report form.