Associate Professor (tenure-track) and Graduate Programs Director, Childrens Literature

About the role

Tenure‑track Associate Professor and Graduate Programs Director in Children’s Literature, Simmons University Main Campus (Boston, MA). Position begins Fall 2027, marking the 51st year of the graduate programs. Sponsored by the Children’s Literature Alumni Fund for Faculty, the role provides leadership as Graduate Programs Director and Director of the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature, including oversight of the Summer Institutes in Children’s Literature.

Responsibilities

• Teach graduate seminars, undergraduate general education courses, and specialized courses in the candidate’s area of expertise.
• Advise graduate students in the Children’s Literature programs and may advise undergraduate literature and writing programs.
• Maintain an active research and scholarship agenda.
• Provide administrative leadership as Graduate Programs Director and Director of the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature.
• Oversee the Summer Institutes in Children’s Literature.
• Develop and oversee curriculum, ensure academic quality, supervise faculty, and promote excellence.
• Lead student recruitment and retention efforts; work with the graduate student advisory group.
• Manage the BookNook and supervise the Graduate Fellow and Teaching Assistants.
• Engage in service to the Simmons community through leadership roles in Children’s Literature.

Requirements

• MA or MFA considered; PhD in Children’s Literature or a related discipline preferred.
• Evidence of excellent teaching at the college level and a commitment to providing high‑quality education.
• Strong record of scholarship.
• Administrative experience.
• Potential for and/or demonstrated ability to teach students with diverse backgrounds at undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Demonstrated commitment to collegiality when interacting with others within the university community.

Qualifications

Candidates should have a demonstrated record of teaching excellence, strong scholarship, and leadership experience.

Skills

• Literary theory and critical approaches to children’s and young adult literature.
• Genre and form.
• History and historicity.
• Intersections of critical and professional practices.

Benefits

• Benefits‑eligible position.
• Health benefits and retirement savings offerings.
• Work‑life balance initiatives, including flexible hours and remote work opportunities.

Pay

Salary range: $84,000 – $88,000. Actual compensation will be based on experience, education, skills, equity, and external market benchmarks, in accordance with Simmons University’s pay equity and transparency commitments.

Schedule

Flexible hours and remote work opportunities are available as part of the work‑life balance initiatives.