Assistant Professor of Creative Writing

The Department of English and Creative Writing at Rice University in Houston, Texas, seeks candidates for an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing with an anticipated start date of July 1st, 2027. They seek a writer actively publishing in more than one genre, at least one of which must be in fiction or nonfiction prose. Secondary genres may also include but are not limited to poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, graphic literature, literary journalism, literary translation, art writing, cultural criticism, children’s literature, as well as hybrid and emergent genres.

Candidates who demonstrate through their teaching, mentorship, and writing a commitment to the inclusion of historically underrepresented perspectives and who bring multilingual, international, and/or cross-cultural perspectives to their work are especially encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to design and teach a wide range of introductory and advanced undergraduate workshops, to work with talented undergraduate students on the production and publication of an award-winning journal, R2, and to teach in an innovative, community-engaged MFA in Creative Writing. Rice University has a semester-based teaching schedule with a 2-2 teaching load. The University expects faculty members to maintain an active program of creative work and publication and to contribute service to the Department, University, and profession.

Candidates will also have the opportunity to work with a variety of interdisciplinary research centers, including the Humanities Research Center, the Center for African and African American Studies, the Center for Environmental Studies, the Medical Humanities Research Institute, the Chao Center for Asian Studies, the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality; and the Center for Latin American and Latinx Studies, among others.

Rice University is a comprehensive and highly selective private research university consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the US. The university is strongly committed to an intellectually and culturally diverse community. Rice is located in Houston, the fourth largest city in the U.S., which is also the most diverse metropolitan area in the nation. Houston is home to several universities, the nation’s leading medical center, a flourishing arts and theater scene, world class museums, an opera, ballet, and a symphony.

Requirements

The successful candidate will hold an MFA or PhD in Creative Writing by the time of the appointment, with an ongoing record of teaching excellence. They are particularly interested in candidates who integrate community engagement as part of their creative practice and/or who emphasize the study of place in their creative work, including a possible focus on the Gulf Coast.

Application Instructions

Applications should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, writing sample (25 pages maximum), teaching statement, research statement, a description of how candidates would contribute to the development of a diverse and inclusive learning community at Rice through their teaching, research, and/or service, and names and contact information for three recommenders (letters will be solicited for applicants who advance beyond the initial review). Finalists will be asked for teaching evaluations. Review of applications will begin November 15 and will continue until the position is filled. Applications must be submitted via Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/194429. Initial interviews will be conducted over Zoom in December 2026.