Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Teaching, Creative Writing

Position overview
Position title: Assistant Professor of Teaching
Salary range: Annual salary range for Assistant Professor of Teaching appointments is $80,800 to $104,700 commensurate with education and experience

Anticipated start: July 1, 2026

Review timeline: March 6, 2026

Application Window

Open date: January 9, 2026

Next review date: Friday, Mar 6, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Wednesday, Apr 1, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Department of Creative Writing at the University of California-Riverside invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Teaching beginning July 1, 2026.

This position is equivalent in level to other Assistant Professor positions, but with an emphasis on excellence in teaching and teaching-related activities. We seek a fiction writer, and are especially interested in practitioners of speculative and other genre fiction. Completion of an MFA in Creative Writing and one published book by a recognized national press, or a book under contract with a national press, are required by the July 1, 2026 start date.

Annual salary range for Assistant Professor of Teaching appointments is $80,800 to $104,700 commensurate with education and experience

An Assistant Professor of Teaching is a member of the academic senate and will be expected to teach six classes across three quarters yearly. Teaching Professors are expected to provide outstanding in-class instruction, as well as demonstrate a commitment to high quality professional activity (such as research on pedagogy and/or fiction), and service related to the pedagogical mission of the department and university. Advancement through the faculty ranks at the University of California is through a series of structured, merit-based evaluations, occurring every 2-3 years, each of which includes substantial peer input.

Applicants will be required to submit:
Cover letter of outlining interest
Current CV
Teaching statement
A 15-20 pp. writing sample or book(s), and evidence of teaching excellence, such as teaching evaluations.
Contact information for three recommenders is required. These letters will be solicited by the department when candidates are short-listed for the position.

Applications and materials will be submitted using UCR's on-line application system located at https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/JPF02208

Applicants who use Interfolio may utilize a feature provided by the Interfolio Service to allow Interfolio to upload their letters directly into AP Recruit. Applicants can input an Interfolio-generated email address in place of their letter writer's email address.

To ensure full consideration, applications and supporting material should be received by March 6, 2026

Department Contact person: Emily Rapp Black, emilyrappblack@gmail.com or erapp@ucr.edu

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
M.F.A. in Creative Writing at the time of application, and at least one book of prose (fiction) published or under contract with a recognized press

Preferred qualifications
The University of California, Riverside is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate student body. UCR is a member institution of the American Association of Universities (AAU) as well as the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU). A commitment to the UCR mission ( https://apro.ucr.edu/mission-statement ) is a preferred qualification.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• Statement of Teaching
• Writing sample or Book(s) - A 15-20 pp. writing sample or book(s), and evidence of teaching excellence, such as teaching evaluations.
• Evidence of Teaching Excellence - Evidence of teaching excellence, such as teaching evaluations
• Copy of published book or completed book contract

Reference requirements

• 3-6 required (contact information only)

Contact information for three recommenders is required. These letters will be solicited by the department when candidates are short-listed for the position.
Apply link: https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/JPF02208

Help contact: emily.rappblack@ucr.edu

About UC Riverside

The University of California, Riverside is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate student body. UCR is a member institution of the American Association of Universities (AAU) and the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU). A commitment to the UCR mission ( https://apro.ucr.edu/mission-statement ) is a preferred qualification.

We seek to hire scholars who will both advance our research directions and effectively educate our undergraduate and graduate students, while also engaging with University and Professional service activities. Research and teaching statements that are included with application materials are opportunities for candidates to share knowledge, experience, and goals that support the mission of UCR. For more information on UC's criteria for successful faculty, refer to the Academic Personnel Manual (APM) 210 - Criteria for Appointment, Promotion, and Appraisal ( https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-210.pdf ).

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under state or federal law. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, State, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer. A Misconduct Disclosure Survey will be completed through Truescreen, which is the vendor that administers this process for the campus.

For the University of California's Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy please visit:
https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH .

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students, and Third Parties, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination .

For the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy, please visit: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-035.pdf .

Job location

Riverside, CA