Assistant Professor Jobs in Riverside, CA (NOW HIRING)

Position overview
Position title: Visiting Assistant Professor or Adjunct Assistant Professor
Salary range: Based on 100% annual salary of $84,100 (pending final budget approval) Appointment is eligible for renewal depending on need, funding and performance. *** All appointments are contingent upon the appointee being able to provide, in accord with Federal law, evidence of authorization to work in the United States *** *** This position is contingent on funding and enrollment ***
Anticipated start: The first day of Fall quarter is September 21, 2026.
Review timeline: Initial Review Date of Applications to begin: August 31, 2026 [estimated] Application deadline: September 11, 2026
Application Window
Open date: July 31, 2026
Next review date: Monday, Aug 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Monday, Aug 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.
Position description
The Department of Music at the University of California Riverside invites applications for a one-year Visiting Assistant Professor or Adjunct Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology position, beginning September 21, 2026. We seek a dynamic teacher-scholar with expertise in ethnomusicological theories and methods, popular music studies, and hip hop cultures and musics. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching and the ability to engage students from diverse academic backgrounds and levels of musical experience.
Position Responsibilities
The Visiting Assistant Professor or Adjunct Assistant Professor will teach six courses during the academic year on a quarter-system calendar. Courses will serve undergraduate and graduate students, including music majors, non-majors, and students from across the university.
Teaching assignments may include:
• MUS 012 Introduction to Music and Culture
• MUS 014 Popular Musics of the World
• MUS 024 Global Hip Hop
• MUS 118 Music, Politics, and Social Movements
• MUS 255 Fieldwork Methods in Ethnomusicology
• MUS 271 Area Studies Research in Music
The successful candidate will contribute to the intellectual life of the department through participation in departmental activities, student mentoring, and collaboration with faculty and students across disciplinary areas.
Note: All applicants who currently hold an appointment at another University of California campus are ineligible for the Visiting Assistant Professor title at the University of California, Riverside and will default to the Adjunct Assistant Professor title.
Required Qualifications
• Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology or a closely related field by the time of appointment.
• Demonstrated expertise in ethnomusicological theories and methods.
• Scholarly and/or teaching specialization in popular music studies
• Evidence of successful university-level teaching.
• Ability to teach effectively in both undergraduate and graduate curricula.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive and intellectually vibrant learning environment.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience teaching students with diverse musical backgrounds, including non-majors.
• Ability to teach a broad range of ethnomusicology courses and contribute to interdisciplinary programs.
• Evidence of ongoing scholarly research and professional engagement in ethnomusicology and popular music studies.
Salary range
Based on 100% annual salary of $84,100 (pending final budget approval)
Appointment is eligible for renewal depending on need, funding and performance.
*** All appointments are contingent upon the appointee being able to provide, in accord with Federal law, evidence of authorization to work in the United States ***
*** This position is contingent on funding and enrollment ***
Application Materials
Applicants must apply online at Browse Open Recruitments or Log In - AP Recruit Browse Open Recruitments or Log In - AP Recruit (Browse Open Recruitments or Log In - AP Recruit)
Review of applications will begin August 31, 2026.
Applicants should submit:
• A letter of application describing teaching experience, research interests, and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Teaching statement.
• Sample syllabi for Fieldwork Methods (graduate seminar) and either Introduction to Music and Culture or Global Hip Hop (undergraduate lower division courses).
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g., course evaluations).
• Contact information for three professional references.
Review of applications will begin on August 31, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.
Department: https://music.ucr.edu/
Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
• Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology or a closely related field by the time of appointment.
• Demonstrated expertise in ethnomusicological theories and methods.
• Scholarly and/or teaching specialization in popular music studies
• Evidence of successful university-level teaching.
• Ability to teach effectively in both undergraduate and graduate curricula.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive and intellectually vibrant learning environment.
Preferred qualifications
• Experience teaching students with diverse musical backgrounds, including non-majors.
• Ability to teach a broad range of ethnomusicology courses and contribute to interdisciplinary programs.
• Evidence of ongoing scholarly research and professional engagement in ethnomusicology and popular music studies.
The University of California, Riverside is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate student body. UCR is a member institution of the American Association of Universities (AAU) and the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU). A commitment to the UCR mission (Mission Statement | Academic Preparation, Recruitment & Outreach) is a preferred qualification.
Application Requirements
Document requirements

• A letter of application describing teaching experience, research interests, and qualifications for the position
• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Teaching
• Sample syllabi for Fieldwork Methods (graduate seminar) and either Introduction to Music and Culture or Global Hip Hop (undergraduate lower division courses).
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g., course evaluations).

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

Three professional references.
Apply link: https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/JPF02309
Help contact: smithj@ucr.edu
About UC Riverside
The University of California, Riverside is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate student body. UCR is a member institution of the American Association of Universities (AAU) and the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU). A commitment to the UCR mission ( https://apro.ucr.edu/mission-statement ) is a preferred qualification.
We seek to hire scholars who will both advance our research directions and effectively educate our undergraduate and graduate students, while also engaging with University and Professional service activities. Research and teaching statements that are included with application materials are opportunities for candidates to share knowledge, experience, and goals that support the mission of UCR. For more information on UC's criteria for successful faculty, refer to the Academic Personnel Manual (APM) 210 - Criteria for Appointment, Promotion, and Appraisal ( https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-210.pdf ).
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under state or federal law. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.
As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, State, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.
"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer. A Misconduct Disclosure Survey will be completed through Truescreen, which is the vendor that administers this process for the campus.
For the University of California's Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy please visit:
https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH .
For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students, and Third Parties, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination .
For the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy, please visit: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-035.pdf .
Job location
Riverside, CA