Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor, Assistant Writing Programs Administrator

School/Department Name: English and Comparative Literature
Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: -  $86,000-90,000

Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector.  See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

Target Start Date: August XX, 2026

Application Deadline: November 17, 2025 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

The Department of English and Comparative Literature at San José State University invites applications for an Assistant Professor and Assistant Writing Programs Administrator beginning in August 2026. We seek an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition to teach rhetoric and composition courses at the entry and advanced levels and assist in administering the first-year writing programs. The ideal candidate will engage with emerging technologies—particularly AI—and their impact on writing instruction and writing-intensive courses, as well as writing program administration and digital literacy. A developing record of peer-reviewed scholarship, and a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition, or related field of study is required by August, 2026.

The Department of English and Comparative Literature provides writing instruction for more than 5,000 first year students a year. The First-Year Writing Program is entering the third year of a digital literacy initiative grant funded by Adobe Systems. The right candidate would join a vibrant department that offers BA concentrations in English, Teacher Prep, Creative Writing, and Professional and Technical Writing alongside MA and MFA programs. Ongoing initiatives within the college and beyond include a new Digital Humanities Center, an Institute for Ethical Technologies, colleagues investigating AI from a Humanities perspective, and a systemwide DH@CSU which supports our efforts to provide ethical and equitable futures for the diverse populations we serve.

The Department of English and Comparative Literature and San José State University value inclusive excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll nearly 40,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved; approximately 45% of our undergraduate students are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell Grant recipients. In addition, we are both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). SJSU aspires to create holistic learning environments that facilitate both individual and collective transformation. We seek teacher-scholars who cultivate inclusive, empowering spaces for mutual learning, skill-building, and knowledge exchange for all students. Our commitment to lifelong learning supports meaningful connections among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader communities we serve.

We invite all applicants to include a Statement of Inclusive Excellence (or incorporate it into your cover letter) to share how your lived and professional experiences will contribute to the SJSU community—particularly in relation to student success and inclusive education. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Inclusive Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition or related field by date of appointment
• Relevant teaching experience and ability to teach a range of courses
• A developing publication record and a research agenda in Rhetoric and Composition Studies that will secure tenure
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• Experience in coordinating or administering writing programs—particularly Stretch English or similar programs
• Teaching experience in multiple levels of university writing courses
• Demonstrated interest in generative AI, large-language models, and their effects on writing instruction and program administration
• Demonstrated interest and experience teaching and supporting digital literacy
• Potential to contribute to our ongoing campus discussion of Humanities and technology, especially the ethical and philosophical issues presented by AI and other new technologies
  
  

Key Responsibilities

• The candidate will support the administration of writing programs, including the university’s Stretch English program for first-year composition
• The candidate will supervise instruction and assessment (and other writing courses as needed) in composition courses in close coordination with the Writing Program Administrator and the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Director
• The candidate will participate in committees that oversee writing instruction
• The candidate will participate in hiring and evaluation of faculty teaching in the first-year writing program as well as providing professional development for those faculty
• The candidate will help to develop, assess, and improve the university’s writing curriculum and outcomes
• Teaching rhetoric and composition courses at the entry and advanced levels, as well as other courses in composition theory and pedagogy, or in another field of the candidate’s strength
• Strong teaching, publication record, fundraising or grant activity, and committee and other service to the department and university are considerations for tenure
• The candidate will participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
•  Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
• The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience in understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.
• The successful candidate will receive 6 units of assigned time a year for research for their first two years  (and potentially could be extended if the research output remains productive) and thus will teach and administer programs for the equivalent of up to 18 units a year for the first two years.

Other Duties

Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution.

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

Application Procedure
Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• letter of interest, which includes a statement of inclusive excellence
• curriculum vitae
• statement of teaching interests/philosophy
• Name and contact information of three references who may be asked to provide letters later in the process

Inquiries may be directed to the Department Chair or Search Committee Chair Noelle Brada-Williams via: English@sjsu.edu.

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position may only be performed in the State of California and requires establishing an on-campus presence. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative regions in the world — San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, San José State is an essential partner in the technological, economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. Cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship, student-centered learning, diverse communities, and commitment to social justice, allow SJSU to provide life-changing opportunities and advance the public good locally and globally.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of Age, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Campus Security and Fire Safety Notification

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is available at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.