Technical and Professional Communication Faculty (Open Rank)

Florida Polytechnic University; Lakeland (FL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job 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.

We seek educators to reshape how communication is taught at an all-STEM university, collaborating with engineering and science faculty to develop courses and help students communicate complex technical work to diverse audiences.

Qualifications

• Minimum: Master’s degree with 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline.
• Assistant Professor or higher requires Ph.D. before start date.
• Evidence of effective college teaching and strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Teach General Education Composition and Technical Writing courses and develop area-specific courses.
• Maintain a program of scholarship leading to publication; demonstrate intentional pedagogy.
• Support the Writing Center and writing across the curriculum.
• Contribute to department and University service.

Skills

Teaching

Academic writing

Curriculum development

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Public speaking

Education

Master's degree with 18 graduate credit hours

Ph.D. in Technical Communication or related field

Job description

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.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience and rank.

Visa Sponsorship

Per Florida State University System directives, all H1B visa sponsorship is on hold until further notice. The selected candidate must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. at the time of hire and maintain status throughout their employment.

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.

ABOUT FLORIDA POLY

Florida Polytechnic University opened for classes in 2014‑15 and is the twelfth university in the Florida State University System. The University was created as an exclusively STEM‑focused public university that offers high‑value undergraduate and graduate degrees and that has intentional industry connections with a focus on economic development of the high‑tech I‑4 corridor. Dedicated to preparing students for the competitive STEM workforce, Florida Polytechnic University blends traditional subject matter mastery with problem solving and laboratory experiences to provide students with learning opportunities applicable to both the workplace and a career of lifelong learning. The University delivers its courses in small class sizes, emphasizes a positive student to faculty experience, and is dedicated to both its teaching and research mission.

Lakeland, home to Florida Polytechnic University’s ultra‑modern campus, is located along the I‑4 High Tech Corridor halfway between Tampa and Orlando. Our central Florida community combines small town comfort with big‑city culture. Florida’s High‑Tech Corridor is home to 11,000 high‑tech businesses, and Polk County alone has more than 600,000 residents, four universities and one state college. Lakeland is just a 45‑minute drive from Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, professional sports teams, and thriving performing art centers. With no income tax in Florida, and a high standard of living, Lakeland and Central Florida continue to rise among the best places to live and work.

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 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.

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
  • To help promote work‑life balance, Florida Poly provides a generous leave program, which includes paid time off and paid holidays. 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 FLORIDA

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.