STANFORD UNIVERSITY
LECTURERS FOR THE PROGRAM IN WRITING AND RHETORIC
Stanford University seeks a number of highly-qualified lecturers to develop and teach intensive first- and second-year writing courses in its Program in Writing and Rhetoric (PWR), a program housed in the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE).
The Program in Writing and Rhetoric teaches courses that fulfill the undergraduate writing and rhetoric requirement as well as advanced courses supporting Notations in Science Communication and Cultural Rhetorics, with additional Notations planned for the future. Required PWR courses number approximately 200 each year; these courses are taught primarily as workshops, enrolling 17 students each. Classes in the first year emphasize the development of each student’s analytical and research-based writing, with individual classes exploring writing, rhetoric, and research across a range of thematic perspectives and disciplinary contexts. The second required course, generally taken by sophomores, also includes focused attention on the study and development of oral and multimedia texts to expand students’ understanding and practice of varied modes of contemporary language and argument. We seek applicants with strong interests in writing pedagogy and participating in a teaching community from a broad range of disciplinary backgrounds, including the natural sciences, engineering, and the social sciences as well as humanities and the arts.
PWR lecturers develop syllabi for their sections in accord with course and assignment guidelines established by PWR. Lecturers also participate in professional development activities provided by the program, including pedagogy workshops focused on rhetoric, composition, and the teaching of writing and speaking. Additional responsibilities of lecturers in PWR include work in the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking and service on program committees; lecturers will also have the opportunity to participate in writing initiatives across the campus (e.g. the Notations) and in supporting writing across campus. Lecturers participate in a lively community of teachers, writers, and researchers committed to improving student writing and speaking and the teaching of writing and speaking more widely at the University.
Initial appointments of lecturers will be made for a term of two years beginning in the 2027–2028 academic year, with a start date of September 1, 2027. PWR renews lecturer appointments based on strong performance across the range of duties and programmatic need (including budgetary considerations). PWR lecturers may eventually have the opportunity to apply for promotion to the rank of Advanced Lecturer, contingent on rigorous annual review by the program directors and appropriate committees, programmatic need, and available opportunities. We offer a competitive salary, research and travel funds, research grants, and a comprehensive benefits package.
Qualifications
Applicants should hold a terminal degree (Ph.D. preferred) and have significant teaching experience at the university level; while many PWR lecturers come from Writing Studies or a related field, we encourage applicants from all fields with a strong record of excellent teaching and abiding interest in the teaching of writing and communication more generally.
To learn more about the Program in Writing and Rhetoric, visit our website at: http://pwr.stanford.edu. If you have questions about PWR or the lecturer position, write to Marvin Diogenes, PWR Director and Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, at marvind@stanford.edu.
To apply and learn more about the details of this position, please follow the instructions found at apply.interfolio.com/196838.
Application Instructions
Please send a letter of application outlining your experience and interests in the teaching of writing and speaking and the field of rhetoric and composition, including how you connect your disciplinary training to the teaching of writing, speaking, and research; curriculum vitae; three letters of reference; and a teaching philosophy statement to Professor Adam Banks, Faculty Director, Program in Writing and Rhetoric. The deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. EST, Monday, January 11, 2027. All application materials must be submitted via Interfolio.
Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.
This position will pay at least $94,900.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Stanford also welcomes applications from others who would bring additional dimensions to the University’s research, teaching and clinical missions.
