"Assistant Professor of Literacy Education"

Assistant Professor of Literacy Education

Company: State University of New York at Cortland

Job Location: Cortland

Category: Reading and Literacy

Type: Full-Time

Salary Range: $64,000-$67,200

Is this a temporary position? No

Position Summary

Full-time tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor rank in the Literacy department beginning in fall 2026.

SUNY Cortland Literacy Department invites applications for multiple tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Literacy Education positions in the Literacy Department beginning Fall 2026. This position seeks to recruit three (3) exceptional scholars with a record of commitment to the academic success of historically underserved groups of students and engagement in scholarly activity and service at the intersection of education, anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.

Tenure-track faculty contribute to the University's values of inclusive excellence through outstanding teaching, research and/or scholarship, service to the department and college, and by providing academic advisement and mentoring to/for all students. Faculty are expected to maintain a routine presence on campus to support our Campus Values of Focusing on the Students, Integrity, and Intellectual Life and serve our Campus Priorities of Academic Excellence, Transformational Education, Well-being, and the Maximization of Resources.

Salary Range: $64,000-$67,200

Major Responsibilities

The Literacy Department at SUNY Cortland envisions a world where literacy is leveraged for equity and social justice. The department offers a graduate degree program in Literacy Education (M.S. Ed.) leading to professional literacy specialist certification B-12 in a fully-online program. Through coursework and mentored field experiences, candidates learn to utilize multiple theories and evidence-based practices with literacy as a tool for equity and justice, approach their instruction and assessment as critical reflective practitioners, and advocate for and practice culturally sustaining pedagogies aligned with the NYSED literacy briefs on the science of reading (SOR). The Literacy M.S.Ed. program is currently SUNY Cortland's largest graduate program and is an established campus leader in virtual instruction, as well as a state-wide leader in B-12 Literacy Educator preparation.

Additionally, the department collaborates with undergraduate teacher preparation programs across the college to offer face-to-face literacy coursework for their majors. Through this collaboration, department faculty prepare hundreds of undergraduate teacher education candidates. Our undergraduate courses explore literacy across a multitude of contexts and invite students to become educators that embrace the diverse nature of every classroom of learners. The department also collaborates with other online graduate teacher preparation programs at SUNY Cortland.

• Prepare and teach undergraduate and graduate literacy courses in both face-to-face and online environments within the following areas of specialization (according to expertise and department need): early/elementary literacy; supporting students with high literacy needs; writing instruction and assessment; comprehension instruction and assessment; foundations of literacy theories; literacy leadership and policy; digital literacy.
• Develop, engage in, and maintain an active and productive research agenda.
• Provide service to the department, school, university, community, and profession.

Functional and Supervisory Relationships

This position reports to the academic department chair, works closely with department faculty and staff, works under the supervision of the dean, and develops relationships with faculty and staff in other departments and divisions.

Required Qualifications

• An earned doctorate in Literacy Education or a related field. Doctoral candidates who are "all but dissertation" (ABD) may be considered with a definite finish date within the first year of appointment confirmed by letter from the dissertation chair.
• Experience related to addressing the literacy needs of all children, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
• Evidence of scholarly activity, including research-based publications and/or presentations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in early literacy and/or writing instruction and assessment.
• At least three years teaching experience in P-12 schools, including teaching reading and/or writing.
• Evidence in engaging in professional leadership, with particular attention to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
• Experience supporting students with increased literacy needs and/or experience as a literacy professional (e.g., interventionist, specialist, coach).
• Experience with online teaching and learning.
• Evidence of effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working with colleagues and P-12 teachers to promote literacy education.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of evidence-based literacy instruction (e.g., culturally responsive-sustaining education, science of reading) at the elementary and/or secondary level(s).
• Knowledge of literacy intervention and working with populations who need more intensive support with literacy-learning, like multilingual learners and students with disabilities.
• Cultural competence and commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and Inclusion as part of anticipated career trajectory.
• Ability to develop and maintain an active and productive research agenda (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, book chapters, etc.).
• Ability to engage in a variety of college and professional service activities (e.g., committee work, faculty governance, school-university partnerships, etc.).