Postdoctoral Teaching Associate

About the Opportunity

The College of Social Sciences and Humanities and its ten tenure units form Northeastern’s hub for humanistic and social scientific inquiry, an intellectual community that is human-centered, public-facing, and globally minded. The college’s research, teaching, and engagement extend across the university and to governmental and non-governmental bodies, cultural institutions, and industry partners around the world. We seek scholars with a record of excellence in teaching that cultivates critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and independent judgment.

The Writing Program in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities at Northeastern University invites applications for multiple Postdoctoral Teaching Associate appointments on our Boston campus, beginning on August 16, 2027.

This is a one academic-year appointment that is benefits-eligible, with potential for renewal for a second year. The teaching load is six courses: three courses in Fall 2027 and three courses in Spring 2028. All courses will be taught on-site.

Candidates may be eligible for hire as part-time lecturers for the 2028 summer terms on a per-course basis.

Responsibilities:

Postdoctoral Teaching Associates design and instruct three (3) in-person courses per semester in both First-Year Writing and Advanced Writing in the Disciplines. At both course levels, we value teaching human-centered composition in the age of artificial intelligence, with a focus on practicing genre and audience awareness across diverse disciplines. While our Writing Program offerings do not center around specific themes or content topics, each instructor has the freedom to develop individual courses that meet our 12 Learning Goal principles.

We especially seek candidates who have experience and interest in working with STEM-oriented students in fields such as business, engineering, computer science, and the natural sciences. As a leader in experiential learning, Northeastern attracts students who pursue six-month co-op opportunities in industry and research, with every undergraduate taking an Advanced Writing course intended to complement their real-world endeavors outside the classroom.

Along with our Advanced Writing curriculum, our First-Year Writing instructors actively pursue pedagogical innovation in areas such as digital and AI literacies, multimodality, alternative assessment, multilingualism, social justice, and community engagement. We seek Postdoc members who might join us in exploring these arenas.

As members of our collaborative Writing Program, Postdocs may participate in activities that support their teaching, research, and professional development. Our program offers job market support, and Postdocs may engage actively in department-wide committees, workshops, reading groups, and other pedagogical training. Postdocs also have opportunities to collaborate with Northeastern’s centers for student and faculty advancement, including the Writing Center, Digital Integration Teaching Initiative, Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning Through Research (CATLR), and the Office of Faculty Development (ADVANCE).

Northeastern University’s dynamic Writing Program houses a mix of full-time teaching professors, graduate students, part-time lecturers, and tenure-stream faculty. Named a Writing Program of Excellence by the Conference on College Composition and Communication in 2015, we offer interdisciplinary undergraduate courses that complement the university’s unique experiential learning curriculum. Our diverse faculty, with MFAs and PhDs from across the disciplines, are actively engaged in teacher-scholar research, professional development, and curricular innovation. We welcome applicants with recently-awarded PhD, EdD, or related doctoral degrees (2025 or later) from the humanities and social sciences who have demonstrated training, scholarship, and/or pedagogical investment in the teaching of writing.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in Rhetoric and Composition, Writing Studies, English, Communication, Education, Linguistics, or related fields, in hand by the employment start date (August 2027).
• History of independent instruction of first-year and/or upper-division writing-intensive undergraduate courses.

Desired Qualifications:

• Familiarity with professional and/or industry writing that is relevant for students who undertake co-op assignments and internships.
• Interest in writing across the curriculum (WAC) and/or writing in the disciplines (WID) scholarship and pedagogies.
• Active record of collaborating with colleagues in institutional and professional settings.

Documents to Submit:

Applicants should submit prior to January 15, 2027, the following documents via Northeastern’s Workday portal:

• Cover letter (2 pages maximum)
• Curriculum vitae
• Teaching statement that articulates your pedagogical philosophy along with practical applications in the classroom (1 page maximum).

Upon request, candidates may be asked to provide three (3) recommendation letters and/or contact information for academic and professional references from whom letters of recommendation can be solicited as needed.

Please address any inquiries or questions about this position to Search Committee Co-Chairs, Blake Huggins (b.huggins@northeastern.edu) and Talia Vestri (t.vestri@northeastern.edu).

Position Type

Academic Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Pay Range:

Starting salary: $55,000 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.