Visiting Assistant Professor in Linguistics

Description

The Department of Linguistics at Swarthmore College invites applications for a Visiting Instructor or Visiting Assistant Professor in Linguistics for the Fall semester of 2026, beginning August 31.

This position carries a teaching load of one to two coursesː one section of Intro Linguistics and/or one section of Sociolinguistics at the undergraduate level, including 1-2 hours per week of office hours per course. The ideal candidate will have experience in the relevant material and some background in teaching Linguistics.

The opportunity also exists for this individual to teach in Spring 2027, at which point this would be a full academic year visiting position. The spring teaching load and expectation would be similar to that in the fall.

The Linguistics Department is a collaborative Tri-College curricular program involving faculty and students from Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, and Haverford Colleges. The curriculum is built around theoretical linguistic analysis with connections made to descriptive research and language documentation. Classes are small, students are intense, and the opportunity for intra- and inter-disciplinary collaboration with students and colleagues is real. We encourage our faculty to include students in their research, and to use their research in their teaching. More information about the Swarthmore Linguistics Department can be found at https://www.swarthmore.edu/linguistics.

Located in the suburbs of Philadelphia and near Wilmington DE, Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity. We welcome applications from all candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable experience effectively supporting, teaching, and engaging a highly diverse student body. For more information available to all faculty at Swarthmore, see https://www.swarthmore.edu/provosts-office/welcome-to-provosts-office.

Qualifications

Applicants should be late-stage PhD students in Linguistics or related discipline, or have a PhD already in hand. Interest in undergraduate teaching is crucial, and previous teaching/TAing experience is highly valued. Individuals with a PhD at time of hire will be titled as a Visiting Assistant Professor. Those who are still working towards their degree will be titled as Visiting Instructor.

Application Instructions

Candidates should submit:

1. A brief cover letter that addresses their interest in teaching at a liberal arts college and whether they are interested in teaching Intro Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, either, or both; and

2. An up-to-date CV.
   
   

Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Applicants who are invited to move forward in the interview process should be able to provide three contact references. 

Applications should be submitted to: apply.interfolio.com/191702

Please address any questions about the applications, the position, or our program to Emily Gasser, Associate Professor and Chair of Linguistics, at egasser1@swarthmore.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity. We welcome applications from all candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to working effectively supporting, teaching, and engaging a highly diverse student body.