Assistant Professor, Literacy Education

Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA

77d

About The Position

The Virginia Tech School of Education is seeking applications for a nine-month tenure-track faculty position in reading/literacy at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning August 2026 on the Blacksburg, VA, campus. This position requires literacy scholarship and teaching focused on transitional and/or early secondary students. An active agenda of research in the areas of comprehension, content/disciplinary literacy, vocabulary, and/or morphology with a well-defined line of inquiry and clear potential for meeting tenure requirements at Virginia Tech is essential. Service to the School, College, University, and profession is expected. The successful candidate will possess a strong foundation in creating and translating reading science. The position will support the Elementary Education and Secondary Education licensure programs as well as the Reading Specialist master's degree and revised doctoral programs. The teaching responsibilities include methods courses in reading and literacy instruction for grades 4-8, including content area/disciplinary literacy. Courses will be delivered in both face-to-face and online environments. The standard teaching load is two/two courses per academic year.

Requirements

• Earned Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Reading Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Literacy Education, or Literacy Studies from an accredited institution, completed by the time of appointment (August 10, 2026).
• Evidence of a focused line of literacy research.
• Expertise in reading science that informs effective instruction for students in grades 4-8.
• Experience teaching literacy to K-8 students.
• Experience teaching undergraduate and/or graduate reading/literacy/ELA courses.
• Evidence of commitment to and alignment with Virginia Tech's Principles of Community.

Nice To Haves

• Record of teaching undergraduate and/or graduate reading/literacy courses focusing on grades 4-8 as the instructor of record.
• Record of literacy scholarship with a focus on comprehension, vocabulary, disciplinary literacy, and/or morphology.
• Classroom literacy teaching experience with grades 4-8 in an accredited institution.
• Experience with externally funded research.
• Experience advising master's and doctoral students, including chairing/serving on dissertation committees.

Responsibilities

• Conduct literacy scholarship and teaching focused on transitional and/or early secondary students.
• Maintain an active research agenda in comprehension, content/disciplinary literacy, vocabulary, and/or morphology.
• Provide service to the School, College, University, and profession.
• Support the Elementary Education and Secondary Education licensure programs.
• Teach methods courses in reading and literacy instruction for grades 4-8.
• Deliver courses in both face-to-face and online environments.

Benefits

• Professional development opportunities.
• Participation in university shared governance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree