Assistant Professor of English, Creative Writing and African American Literature

Kalamazoo College invites fiction writers to apply for a tenure-track position in creative writing and African American Literature to begin September 2027. Curricular contributions will include a multi-genre introduction to creative writing (poetry, creative nonfiction, fiction) and intermediate and advanced workshops in fiction, with flexibility for shaping introductory through advanced courses around the candidate’s areas of specialization. Contributions would also be to the teaching of American Literature through a dedicated class in African American literature, and one of our period courses in American Literature, preferably with an approach that centers Black, Indigenous, and /or Afro-Indigenous perspectives and that uses trans-Atlantic and/or hemispheric approaches. A final course would alternate between contributions to the College’s interdisciplinary Shared Passages program and a gateway “Reading the World” class.

The teaching load is six courses per year (two per term). The person who holds this position will also be expected to advise students and supervise senior projects. The successful candidate will demonstrate a high aptitude for and interest in undergraduate teaching, a commitment to the liberal arts, and the ability to establish an ongoing record of publication. MFA or PhD required (or evidence it will be completed by September 1, 2027), with preference given to candidates who can demonstrate substantial training in both fiction writing and African Americanist literary study. In keeping with our departmental commitments to examining issues of power, identity, and social justice in every course, an ideal candidate will be able to teach courses that help students examine the personal and cultural contexts in which their own writing and all literature emerges. Salary is competitive and consistent with the level of experience.

Completed applications received by September 4, 2026, will receive full consideration, with later applications reviewed as needed until the position is filled. Please electronically submit the following application materials in PDF format: cover letter, curriculum vitae, and a two-page statement of teaching philosophy. Additional materials will be requested for candidates moving forward after the initial review: three letters of recommendation, an article-length writing sample and a fiction sample, and graduate transcripts. Preliminary interviews will be conducted via Zoom.

Kalamazoo College is a highly selective liberal arts college offering an integrated undergraduate experience that weaves a traditional liberal arts curriculum into educational experiences and civic engagement in both domestic and international settings. As such, it attracts students from diverse backgrounds interested in social justice and activism. The College partners with the Posse Foundation and is home to the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership. The college is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a diverse and vibrant city in western Michigan and home of the first nationwide city-based college tuition remission program, the Kalamazoo Promise. Halfway between Detroit and Chicago, the city has its own lively arts scene and is home to many art studios, a local teen poetry collective focused on social justice, and the annual Kalamazoo Poetry Festival. Since it is located half-way between Detroit and Chicago, Kalamazoo enjoys close access to those cities’ expansive cultural and archival resources, including the Charles H. Wright and DuSable Museums, The Gwendolyn Brooks Center, the Black Abolitionist Archive, and the Bronzeville Center for the Arts, to name just a few. Kalamazoo itself has several active Black arts and community organizations including Face Off Theatre Company, Rootead, and the Douglass Community Center. Kalamazoo also houses a large research university that shares many of its resources with members of the Kalamazoo College community. Thirty-five miles from the beautiful beaches and coastal towns of Lake Michigan, the area also offers many opportunities for outdoor activities. For more information about the College, see our home page and the English department homepage.

The College has a nationally recognized study abroad and study away program, as well as a Center for Civic Engagement that supports community- and place/land-based learning. Members of the English department are also heavily involved in the College’s interdisciplinary programs, including Critical Ethnic Studies; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Environmental Studies; Film and Media Studies; and African Studies.

Kalamazoo College encourages candidates who will contribute to the cultural diversity of the College to apply and to identify themselves if they wish.

Equal Opportunity Employer.