Popular Music Lecturer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position overview
Position title: Ethnomusicology Lecturer
Salary range: Approximately $8,201 per course (pending final budget approval)
Anticipated start: September 21, 2026
Review timeline: August 31, 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: Friday, Sep 11, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
The Department of Music at the University of California Riverside invites applications for a part-time Lecturer in Ethnomusicology to teach undergraduate courses in ethnomusicology and popular music studies during the 2026-2027 academic year. We seek an outstanding teacher with a strong foundation in ethnomusicological theory and practice, broad knowledge of global musical traditions and popular music, and a demonstrated commitment to excellence in undergraduate education. This posting is for one lecturer to teach both MUS 006 (Fall 2026) and MUS 008 (Winter 2027).
Position Responsibilities
The successful candidate will teach two large-enrollment undergraduate survey courses:
• Introduction to World Music - A survey of people, identity, and music making. Includes listening to music from many cultural contexts. Also covers a variety of scholarly topics in world music.
• Popular Music Cultures of the U.S. - a survey of American popular music traditions, examining the social, historical, cultural, and political dimensions of popular music in the United States.
The lecturer will be responsible for course preparation, classroom instruction, assessment of student work, and maintaining regular office hours. Because these courses enroll large numbers of students and may include discussion sections led by teaching assistants, the position may involve supervising and mentoring graduate
teaching assistants, coordinating course materials, and supporting consistency across multiple sections.
Required Qualifications
• Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology, Popular Music Studies, or a closely related field.
• Strong background in ethnomusicological theories, methods, and scholarship.
• Demonstrated experience teaching at the university level.
• Ability to teach effectively in large, diverse undergraduate classroom settings.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience teaching courses on world music, popular music, and/or music and culture.
• Experience supervising or coordinating teaching assistants.
• Experience working with graduate students in instructional capacities.
• Evidence of inclusive and student-centered teaching practices.
• Ability to engage students from a wide range of academic backgrounds and levels of musical experience.
The salary is approx. $8,201 per course, per quarter. Positions are contingent upon funding and enrollment.
Application Instructions:
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. Please submit the following:

1. A cover letter describing qualifications and teaching experience.
2. Curriculum vitae.
3. A teaching statement.
4. Evidence of teaching effectiveness, such as course evaluations or sample syllabi.
5. Contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Selection Criteria:

1. Teaching; teaching evaluations and teaching experience
2. Research potential; relevance of past training and research to job description
3. Service; past service and evidence of good citizenship
4. Publications; number of papers published/exhibitions curated, quality and impact of research

Selection Plan:
The committee will evaluate the candidate pool at set dates and conduct in-person meetings to screen those who should be seriously considered. Committee will reconvene to decide who will be invited for interviews. After conferring with the Chair of the committee, the department will schedule in-person or telephone interviews with potential candidate.
Department: https://music.ucr.edu/
Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
• Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology, Popular Music Studies, or a closely related field.
• Strong background in ethnomusicological theories, methods, and scholarship.
• Demonstrated experience teaching at the university level.
• Ability to teach effectively in large, diverse undergraduate classroom settings.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Preferred qualifications
• Experience teaching courses on world music, popular music, and/or music and culture.
• Experience supervising or coordinating teaching assistants.
• Experience working with graduate students in instructional capacities.
• Evidence of inclusive and student-centered teaching practices.
• Ability to engage students from a wide range of academic backgrounds and levels of musical experience.
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

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Teaching
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness, such as course evaluations or sample syllabi.

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

Three professional references.
Apply link: https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/JPF02316
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 ). For Non-Senate faculty positions, review criteria and duties are governed by the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
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