Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Scientific and Professional Communication

Employer: Willamette University

Location: Oregon, United States

Salary: Salary Not specified

Date posted: Oct 14, 2025

Position Type: Faculty Positions, Communications, Media Studies

Employment Level: Tenured/Tenured Track

Employment Type: Full Time

Job Details

Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Scientific and Professional Communication

Posting Number: R0006784

Location: Salem Campus

ABOUT WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY:

Willamette University, founded in 1842, is a nationally-renowned private university enrolling 2800 students across five colleges. Our historic campus, adjacent to the Oregon State Capitol, hosts a distinguished undergraduate liberal arts college in Salem, Oregon. Our downtown Portland campus is home to the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA). We offer a wide range of professional graduate programs, including Oregon's top-ranked MBA program, the Northwest's oldest law school, as well as MA/MFA programs at PNCA and master's degrees in data science and computer science.

Willamette University provides a high-value and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our Benefits Summary includes options for health, dental, life insurance, retirement, substantial paid time off, tuition and more. If you need assistance applying for a job or have any questions on recruitment at Willamette, please contact our HR Department, hr@willamette.edu or call us at 503-370-6210.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Willamette University is conducting an open-rank, tenure-track search for a faculty position in the areas of scientific or professional writing. The successful candidate will become the inaugural appointee into the newly-endowed Herrin Chair of Scientific and Professional Communication. Recognizing the importance of clear, accurate, and meaningful communication skills as an essential part of any scientist's toolkit, the Herrin Chair will be responsible for teaching scientific and professional writing, speaking, storytelling through data, multimedia content production, and related communication techniques and principles to undergraduate students at our Salem, Oregon college. This hire will also contribute both to a core major offered by the Arts & Sciences faculty and to our general-education writing program. The home department will be determined by the candidate's field of training and expertise.

The ideal candidate will be a scientist with a deep and demonstrated commitment to writing and communication or a scholar from a writing-focused discipline with strong training and experience in the conduct of science. Enthusiasm for undergraduate teaching plus a research or professional-development program that is sustainable within the context of a small, private, liberal arts college are requisites. Responsibilities will include teaching a regular undergraduate load of courses and developing sustainable, annual programming in line with the purpose of the endowed chair. Applicants should have completed their PhD by the time that the appointment begins in Fall 2026, and should have prior college teaching experience.

For optimal consideration, all application materials should be received by November 10, 2025, but the search will continue until the position is filled. Required materials include a current CV, a cover letter, a teaching statement, and a research or professional-development statement. In your preparation of materials, please consider that you are applying to a liberal arts institution and address the question of how you would contribute to Willamette and its mission, in particular. Willamette University is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty, staff, and student body. We seek candidates, particularly those from marginalized groups, whose work furthers equity and who bring to campus varied experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Teach 5-6 undergraduate courses per year
• Advise and mentor students
• Develop and maintain a scholarly program of research
• Develop annual programming in line with the purpose of the endowed chair
• Contribute to the service obligations of the faculty as outlined in the Arts & Sciences faculty handbook

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD or scheduled dissertation defense
• Experience with college-level teaching

Salary: Faculty of Arts & Sciences are paid on a step system. The 2025-26 salary for a Step 1 Assistant Professor is $70,301. The successful candidate may be hired at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor tier.

You will need to upload the following documents as part of your application materials in the "My Experience" section labeled "Resume:"

(1) a cover letter of application describing your interest in and qualifications for the position;

(2) a curriculum vitae;

(3) a statement of teaching philosophy that includes a description of your pedagogical goals and strategies you use to promote inclusive student learning;

(4) a research or professional development statement that includes your research plans at a liberal arts undergraduate institution.

Letters of recommendation and evidence of teaching effectiveness will be requested of finalists.

Applications should be received by November 10, 2025 for optimal consideration. The position will remain open until filled.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Questions may be directed to Professor Alison Fisher, ajfisher@willamette.edu.

BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENT: All University positions require that candidates submit to a criminal conviction record check prior to hire. Conviction does not automatically preclude candidates from being hired. Nature of conviction will be considered relative to the duties of the position.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICANTS:

Please read the following carefully before beginning the online application process. To be considered for employment at Willamette University, please complete our online employment application. Your application and all required attachments -- listed at the bottom of the page -- must be submitted for each individual job post that you are interested in applying. Once you submit your application you will not be able to edit your application.

Apply online at https://willamette.wd501.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/willametteuniversityjobs/job/Salem-Campus/Tenure-Track-Assistant-Associate-Full-Professor-of-Scientific-and-Professional-Communication_R0006784

Believing that diversity contributes to academic excellence and to rich and rewarding communities, WU is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty, staff and student body. We seek candidates, particularly those from historically under-represented groups, whose work furthers diversity and who bring to campus varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds.