Michigan State University Hiring for Creative Writing Research Associate at East Lansing, Michigan Full Time

The Department of English and the Creative Writing Program at Michigan State University invite applications for a post-doctoral and/or post-MFA position in Creative Writing, with special expertise in fiction and a secondary genre, such as creative nonfiction or poetry. This research associate would be part of the College of Arts & Letters postdoctoral/post-MFA fellows program.

Teaching responsibilities include one course per semester to fill areas of department need. The successful applicant must be able to teach a multi-genre Introduction to Creative Writing course, as well as single-genre workshops in fiction at the introductory and advanced levels.  Experience teaching in other genres, such as creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, or playwriting is highly desirable. We also welcome candidates with experience in arts programming and curation, literary editing and publishing, or creative writing pedagogy. Strong applicants should be committed to inclusive learning practices, and have experience mentoring students from diverse backgrounds.

Housed in the Department of English, the Creative Writing Program offers a new minor in creative writing, as well as a rigorous undergraduate concentration within the BA in English, emphasizing the relationship between creative and critical practice and invested in community- engagement. The Department of English is a dynamic inclusive community that encourages intellectual and cultural diversity, prepares students for a range of careers that require global cultural knowledge, and is an integral part of the College of Arts & Letters and Michigan State University’s international engagement.

As part of its intentional commitment to amplifying the intellectual leadership of BIPOC artists, writers, and scholars of the global majority, the College of Arts & Letters announces a new postdoctoral or post-MFA fellows program in the Arts & Humanities. The goal of the program is to create a cohort of early career scholars who will contribute to and benefit from a diverse, vibrant, and inclusive intellectual community in the College. In the College of Arts & Letters, the postdoctoral/post-MFA fellows program offers full-time Research Associate positions who will pursue research and/or creative activities, teach a 1-1 course load, and engage in the intellectual life of the department. They are supported by a network of mentors who help them embark on an academic career and chart their pathway to intellectual leadership by way of sharing knowledge, expanding opportunities, and mentorship and stewardship. Successful candidates will also participate in College-cohort programming organized by a Mentoring Team that includes presenting in an inter-departmental colloquium series and opportunities for faculty development. The College understands the term BIPOC as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and the global majority to be broadly inclusive of people who are Asian, Black, Latinx, Indigenous, multi- heritage, or have been racialized as “ethnic minorities.”

To be eligible, applicants must have completed their PhD, MFA, or equivalent during or after the 2018-2019 academic year and prior to the start date. The 2- year fixed-term Research Associate positions will begin on August 16, 2023. Appointments will be made to applicants who show promise for tenure-track positions in Michigan State University’s College of Arts & Letters in accordance with MSU academic hiring process. Each appointment is for a minimum of 9 months, renewable for an additional year, contingent upon a demonstration of meeting the performance expectation in research and teaching, with an emphasis on demonstrated research productivity. Transitioning into a tenure-track faculty position at Michigan State University will require a series of structured, merit-based evaluations, which will include substantial peer input. MSU’s academic hiring process will be followed in appointing the candidates that advance into the tenure-track.