"Pennington Post Doctoral Fellowship in English (American Literature), UMKC School of Humanities and"

Hiring Department

UNIVERSITY of MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department of English
UMKC is rated R1 by the Carnegie Research Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Job Description

The Department of English at the University of Missouri-Kansas City invites applications for the Pennington Postdoctoral Fellowship, a two-year, full-time appointment beginning August 2026. We seek an early-career scholar with a PhD in English or a closely related field (degree must be in hand by the time of appointment), a specialization in American literature, and a strong record of teaching and research.

The Pennington Fellow will pursue an active program of research and publication while contributing to the teaching and service missions of the department. The expected teaching load is 2-1, with opportunities to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in English, in addition to courses in General Education and the Honors Program, depending on the fellow’s expertise and departmental needs. We are especially interested in candidates with experience in innovative, inclusive pedagogy and demonstrated commitment to student success.

This is a full-time, 9-month, benefit-eligible, unranked academic appointment.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in English or a related field awarded by August 2026
• Specialization in American literature
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching
• Evidence of a strong and developing research agenda

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in interdisciplinary or public-facing scholarship
• Experience working effectively with non-/traditional students from varied backgrounds.

Anticipated Hiring Range

The fellowship offers a competitive salary, infrastructure to support your research endeavors, and a vibrant intellectual community within a public urban research university committed to the arts and humanities. Salary is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s particular combination of education, skills, and experience, as well as organizational requirements. Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Missouri provides generous leave, health plans, and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Application Materials

For consideration, you must apply online at https://www.umkc.edu/hr/careers/. Click Academic Positions, Job Opening ID 57340.

To apply, please submit the following materials in the online portal:

• Letter of application
• Curriculum vitae
• Statement of research interests (2 pages)
• Statement of teaching philosophy (1–2 pages)
• A writing sample (no more than 25 pages)

Please have three letters of recommendation sent directly from the recommender to Cassie Allen, the Department of English’s staff person, at cjallen@umkc.edu.

For questions about the position, please contact umkcfacultysearch@umkc.edu and include the Job Identification number 57340 and name of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be requested during the application and recruitment process. If you need an accommodation, please contact the Office of Equity and Title IX at (816) 235-1323.

Review of applications will begin October 1, 2025, and continue until the position is filled.