Assistant Professor Rhetoric Composition Jobs in Washington

Department: Col of Humanities and Soc Science
Classification: 9-month Instructional Faculty
Job Category: Instructional Faculty
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)
Location: Fairfax, VA
Workplace Type: On Site Required
Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship
Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience
Criminal Background Check: Yes
About the Department:
The Department of English offers an undergraduate minor and concentration in Writing and Rhetoric, along with an M.A. concentration in Professional and Technical Writing, and a Ph.D. program in Writing and Rhetoric. For more information about the department, visit http://english.gmu.edu/ ; for details on programs in Writing and Rhetoric, see http://writingandrhetoric.gmu.edu/ .
About the Position:
The Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Professional and Technical Writing will bolster the university's national profile in research around professional and technical writing, engaging key issues in the field with a focus on critical AI literacies. The faculty member will design and teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, consult with the Department about effective and ethical engagement of AI, advise graduate and undergraduate students doing projects on AI from a humanistic perspective; and bring a humanities centered perspective to collaborations across the university on programming, coursework, and research in AI. This position would also allow for the development of AI-related policies, research, and curricular initiatives in CHSS and the university.
The 2:2 course load includes undergraduate teaching opportunities in upper-division technical writing and graduate courses in rhetoric and technical communication at both the MA and PhD levels.
Responsibilities:
Research

• Maintains an active research agenda and publication record at a rate appropriate for eventual tenure and promotion at an R1 university.

Teaching

• Teaches courses in the English Department; mentors and supervises undergraduate and graduate student researchers.

Service

• Provides service to the English department, college, and university by participation on faculty committees.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in professional writing, rhetoric, technical communication, or a related field; and
• Research and teaching focus on critical AI literacies and technical communication, workplace studies, and/or rhetorical theory.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Teaching experience or coursework in: research methods, document design, technical communication, editing, visual rhetoric, or usability;
• Experience with a range of methods and methodologies in technical writing research, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods;
• Experience advising at the undergraduate, MA, and/or PhD levels;
• Prior workplace experience in professional and technical writing;
• Active research program in professional and technical writing, engaging key issues in the field with a focus on critical AI literacies; and
• Field- and industry-specific knowledge about how to make connections to and prepare students for careers in professional and technical writing.

Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Professional and Technical Writing at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent, CV, Philosophy of Teaching, and a Writing Sample/Portfolio for review.
Applicants who are current graduate students should submit a dissertation chapter, preferably an analysis or introduction chapter.
Posting Open Date: August 14, 2026
For Full Consideration, Apply by: October 15, 2026
Posting Close Date: August 14, 2027
Open Until Filled: Yes
Mason Ad Statement
George Mason University is a nationally ranked R1 research university committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world. With 40,000 enrolled students, George Mason is the largest and most diverse public research university in Virginia, offering degree programs at the master's, doctoral, and professional level, along with certificates and credentials.
George Mason fosters an All Together Different environment for students, faculty, and staff, driven by our core beliefs. We believe in inclusivity over exclusivity; we believe in advancing our mission by being willing to take risks, not avoiding them; and we believe our best work is possible when we apply our diversity of origin, identity, circumstance, and thought.
Equity Statement
George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.
Campus Safety Information
Mason's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at http://police.gmu.edu/annual-security-report/