Assistant Professor of English

Description

The Bates College Department of English invites applications for an a full-time, tenure-track position in creative nonfiction at the level of Assistant Professor, to begin July 1, 2026. Applicants should have earned a terminal degree (MFA or PhD, awarded by July 1), demonstrable excellence in teaching creative writing at the undergraduate level, and a record of publication that includes one book of creative nonfiction published or contracted with a reputable press and/or several notable short publications. We welcome candidates with a secondary specialization in poetry or fiction as well as candidates who also work in emergent media forms, including podcasting, video essay, digital storytelling, and documentary narrative. We welcome candidates with secondary publications in fiction and poetry and who work in emergent media forms, including podcasting, video essay, and documentary narrative. The position carries a standard five-course annual teaching load, distributed over two semesters and a four-week “short term” in May, and entails at least two creative nonfiction writing workshops each year, at the introductory and advanced levels, and three courses in literature/criticism. We are particularly interested in candidates whose applications can speak to their success in teaching marginalized and underrepresented student populations.

The writer in this position will play a major role in the annual advising and mentoring of English majors. They will also assist in the programming for the English Department’s reading series, Literary Arts Live, among other regular duties of tenure-track faculty, which include professional achievement and engagement, as well as participation in the college’s system of shared governance. The standards of excellence for faculty at Bates are articulated in Article II of the faculty handbook, and include a commitment to inclusive and evidence-based pedagogy, impactful professional work, and contributions to the broader Bates community.

Bates College is a residential liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine—a diverse and growing community roughly 45 minutes from the state’s largest city (Portland), 2 ½ hours north of Boston, and 4 ½ hours south of Montreal. Faculty scholarship and creative work at Bates are robustly supported by start-up packages, internal grants, and a well-staffed external grants office. Community-engaged learning and study abroad are both broadly encouraged and supported; pedagogical development and innovation is further buttressed by the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning.

Educational access and racial justice are central to Bates’ history and mission and our faculty-led initiatives reflect this commitment.

Application Instructions

Review of applications will begin on November 24, 2025. Applications should include the following: cover letter; current curriculum vitae; a representative sample of 15-20 pages of creative nonfiction writing; 1-2 page statement of teaching philosophy that describes how the applicant meets Bates’s standards of excellence in terms of inclusive and evidence-based pedagogy, and outlines the applicant’s plans for, or experience with, helping all students succeed; and list of three references willing to submit confidential letters of recommendation.

The search committee will request letters of recommendation from three referees for short-listed candidates. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and verification of degree.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Bates College is committed to equal opportunity and to provid