Assistant Professor, English

Athabasca University's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences invites applications for the tenure-track position of Assistant Professor, English.

This is a full-time position located in Alberta, commencing June 1, 2026.

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is the largest Faculty in Athabasca University and offers a wide range of online courses and programs in the areas of education, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, and social sciences.

In the words of the Dean of the Faculty, "We offer a diverse range of courses and programs in education, distance education, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, and social sciences. Our undergraduate and graduate offerings are designed to equip you with critical thinking skills, information literacy, theoretical knowledge, and other essential competencies to navigate our rapidly changing world and deepen your understanding of both current and historical issues. We are committed to fostering an environment of respect, inclusiveness, collegiality, openness, and cultural awareness, and furthering access, belonging, and accountability within the Faculty and beyond. Our Faculty includes accomplished scholars and instructors with expertise in innovative research and teaching, supported by a dedicated team of staff. We take great pride in being a student-centered Faculty, focused on ensuring that your academic journey is rich, meaningful, and memorable."

The Position: The English Program is housed within the largest Faculty, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, in Athabasca University's Centre for Humanities. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and teach new courses, based on their research expertise and as determined by the needs of the program. The candidate will also teach, coordinate, and revise the existing courses in the program, as well as supervise tutors for these courses. Evidence of teaching excellence is required, and experience in supervising graduate students will be considered an asset. The successful candidate will be required to teach in the undergraduate and graduate programs. Commitment to exploring and advancing the use of contemporary digital technologies in online teaching and learning is preferred. All faculty members are expected to participate in administrative committees, including those pertaining to centre, faculty, or university-wide endeavors. Additionally, members are expected to participate in service to the greater external community.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will have a PhD in English, Comparative Literature, Literary Studies, or a closely related, relevant field and will complement our current English faculty's expertise in introductory, intermediate and advanced composition; a robust research portfolio; and a successful record of securing tri-agency or similar funds. Applications are encouraged from those whose scholarship critically addresses post-secondary composition, critical reading, and academic writing. We are seeking a candidate with an active research program and publication record in a combination of the following areas: writing/composition, communications, adult education or related fields. Experience in distance learning and familiarity with digital teaching technologies would also be preferred assets.

The full job description can be viewed at: AU Academic Role Description

How to Apply: All qualified candidates will be considered. Applications will only be received and accepted through our online recruitment system. When applying, please include:

• A letter of application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Evidence of research effectiveness including
  • A research statement
  • A published article
  • One or more research outputs (formal or informal knowledge dissemination that you want to highlight based on the CV)
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness, ideally a teaching dossier including
  • A teaching philosophy statement
  • Teaching or course evaluations if available
  • A sample syllabus
  • Artifact of teaching initiatives (e.g., websites, videos, podcasts)
• Names and contact information of three referees

Please note that applications from those with incomplete doctorates will not be reviewed.

Contact information: For further information regarding this position, please contact Dr. Hugh Notman, Associate Dean, Research and Learning by phone at 1-855-478-4526 or by e-mail hughn@athabascau.ca.