Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing/Managing Editor of Pleiades

Faculty in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Central Missouri support the University’s mission of providing a high-quality education and are committed to the success of their students. 

The University of Central Missouri's Department of English invites applications for a tenure-track position as an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing, as well as Managing Editor of Pleiades: Literature in Context magazine, starting in fall 2026.

The primary responsibilities of this position are to (i) provide instruction to students enrolled in the Department’s Creative Writing program and its general education programs in literature and First-year Composition, and (ii) serve in a substantial editorial role for Pleiades. The annual course load is 4/3, including one course release for work on Pleiades.

Teaching in the Department’s programs entails diligent course preparation, effective course design and delivery of instruction, being available to meet students outside the classroom during office hours and tutorials, and timely and fair evaluation and feedback of student progress. The expectations of this position include, but are not limited to: remaining current in the discipline; facilitating student engagement through the use of high-impact practices; taking part in ongoing assessments of the curriculum and student learning; and participating in professional development opportunities, including training to stay informed about the use of instructional technology. 

The position’s responsibilities for Pleiades include maintaining the submissions form, contributor communications, administering annual contests, grant writing, coordinating interns, soliciting special folio editors, and developing ongoing projects in collaboration with other editors. In addition to the responsibilities of the magazine, this position involves organizing events for the Pleiades Visiting Writers Series and the annual AWP conference. 

The person who fills this position will be expected to comply with all departmental, college, and University standards and regulations and contribute to cultivating a collegial atmosphere when interacting with other University faculty and staff.

An MFA or PhD in Creative Writing with a specialization in poetry is required; candidates with an ABD may be considered. Previous editorial work for a literary journal is required. The ideal candidate will have a strong record of publication, including at least one poetry collection from a respected press as well as evidence of promise of future recognition in the field; substantial editorial experience; and experience teaching general education courses in literature or Composition. Candidates should submit a cover letter, CV, three confidential letters of reference, unofficial transcripts, and a sample of creative work.
The three confidential letters of reference need to be emailed directly to Professor Marc Joseph (mjoseph@ucmo.edu).

Questions about the position may be directed to Professor Marc Joseph (mjoseph@ucmo.edu).

Special Instructions:

Full-time benefits-eligible position: Benefits include competitive salary; health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD & D, long-term disability; 3 weeks paid vacation per year; 3 weeks of accrued sick leave per year; 13 paid holidays; retirement; and generous education assistance for an employee, spouse and dependent children taking classes at UCM.

Part-time benefits-eligible positions: Benefits include generous education assistance for the employee.

Temporary, adjunct, student employment, or graduate assistant positions: Benefits are not included.

Completed UCM online application for employment required. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

A review will begin immediately and continue until filled unless indicated otherwise.

NOTE: A background check is required for the selected candidate of all staff, faculty, adjunct, and temporary positions and any job offer is contingent on the results of this check. Student employees and graduate assistants do not require a background check to be conducted prior to employment.

The University of Central Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.