"Visiting Assistant Professor or Instructor of Composition"

The Department of Music at Carleton College invites applications for the position of Visiting Assistant Professor or Instructor of Composition, beginning September 1, 2026, and serving Fall Term 2026 (September-November) and Winter Term 2027 (January-March).

We seek a composer working with music notation (broadly defined), music/sound creation software and programming environments, and experience teaching these practices to undergraduates in a liberal arts setting. We invite candidates with or working towards a PhD or DMA in Composition, Music Technology, or a related field, with preference for a degree conferred before the term of service begins. Teaching duties for this position will include two sections of introduction to music technologies course, an intermediate-level course in the candidate’s area of interest and expertise, and three to six hours per week of private lessons in composition. For more information about our Music Department, including our classes, ensembles, and performance activities, please visit our website: https://www.carleton.edu/music/

Carleton is committed to developing its faculty to better reflect the breadth of our student body and American society. Members of underrepresented groups at Carleton are strongly encouraged to apply.

To apply, please visit the Carleton College website (go.carleton.edu/carletonjobs) and submit an online application that includes (1) a cover letter that introduces the candidate, their teaching, and their compositional interests and strengths; (2) a c.v.; (3) up to 3 examples of creative and/or scholarly work (limited to 20 minutes total duration for audiovisual materials); and (4) a description (2-3 pages) of a composition course that would engage students from a broad range of backgrounds in an undergraduate, residential liberal arts environment. Our students are particularly interested in vernacular music(s), performance, and sound/music in multimedia and multidisciplinary work.

Review of applications will begin February 23, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. After passing through an initial screening process, applicants may receive a request for the contact information for three references, including at least one who is able to specifically address teaching experience.

Carleton is a highly selective liberal arts college with a student body of approximately 2,000. Located in the thriving two-college town of Northfield, Minnesota, it is forty-five miles from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, in easy reach of a vibrant metropolitan area that is home to three million people and rich cultural resources. Information about Carleton, Northfield, and the Twin Cities is available at https://www.carleton.edu/faculty-candidates/.

The expected starting salary range for this position is between $49,200 - $52,460. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. Carleton also offers a robust suite of benefits including:

• A generous 403(b) retirement plan with a 10% employer contribution and 2% employee contribution
• Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees