Visiting Assistant Professor of Theory and Practice In Critical Race and Media Studies
Occidental College

Position Summary

Occidental College's Media Arts & Culture Department (MAC) invites applications for a Visiting Assistant Professor of Theory and Practice in Critical Race & Media Studies for a 1-year full-time, terminal appointment. We are seeking a theorist/practitioner or critically-engaged media practitioner/scholar with demonstrated teaching/mentoring abilities and a compelling body of research or research-practice oriented around the representation and underrepresentation of race and ethnicity in film, television, social media, video games/interactive media, and /or other forms of popular entertainment. The candidate should have a commitment to high-impact teaching and to fostering an inclusive learning environment.

The position start date is August 2025. For more information about the College and the Media Arts & Culture Department, please visit the MAC website at http://www.oxy.edu/mac.

Summary of Duties, Responsibilities and Goals

The new hire will teach 5 courses total (3 in the Fall, 2 in the Spring), including one of our gateway courses- Introduction to Digital Media and Culture. Candidates will also offer topical electives in the candidate's area of interest, listed under such thematic headings as: Topics in Media Representation; Topics in Film History; Topics in Media Theory and Practice; or Topics in Digital Culture. In addition to these courses, the position also requires curating a semester of the Oxy Cinematheque event series in the Spring 2026 semester. In addition, the candidate will serve as a second reader on senior comprehensives projects as directed by the department chair.

Qualifications

The position requires a PhD in film/media studies or related field.

We are open to various specialties, but of particular interest are candidates whose teaching addresses critical race approaches to non-cinematic media in addition to film, such as television, social media, gaming, remix, etc.; and/or media activism.

Special consideration will be given to candidates with expertise or practice in diasporic, transnational media studies, or African, African American or Black diasporic, Latinx/Chicanx, Indigenous and/or Global South media studies whose teaching forges interdisciplinary connections, involves media-making, and/or expands the forms that research can take within a liberal arts context.

Our ideal candidate will help us continue developing and supporting our signature approach to media arts and culture, which combines media history, theory, and practice; leverages Occidental's location in Los Angeles; and manifests our four cornerstones of Excellence, Equity, Community, and Service. Black, Latina/o/x, Native American, and other historically underrepresented candidates are encouraged to apply.

Salary Range

EXPECTED SALARY: starting at $61,000 (for a 9 month appointment)

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your salary compensation will be determined based on the collective bargaining of the non- tenure track union, while also taking into account factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the salary mentioned above is the base salary for the role.

Application Instructions

The deadline for receiving application materials is Friday, February 7th, 2025 at 5pm PST.

Please submit the following via Interfolio (http://apply.interfolio.com/161122):

a cover letter detailing your professional activity and pedagogical experience, as well as how each resonates with the position criteria and your interest in teaching in a liberal arts environment a current CV a link to a professional work sample a sample course syllabus names and contact information of three professional references, at least two of which can attest to the candidate's teaching experience

Additional Information

This position is included in the NonTenure Track Bargaining Unit, and the successful applicant employee, subject to the terms of the College's Collective Bargaining will be a bargaining unit Agreement with SEIU Local 721.

Occidental is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding or related medical condition, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic characteristic or information, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. Occidental is strongly committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum, and to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and just environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. Candidates who can contribute to this goal through their work are encouraged to identify their strengths and experiences in this area. Individuals advancing the College's strategic equity and justice goals and those from groups that are underrepresented in the field are particularly encouraged to apply.

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. A comprehensive benefits package is available that includes: excellent health, dental, life, and retirement benefits; tuition benefits for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and dependents; additional extras including use of gym facilities and the College Library. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https: //www.oxy.edu/offices-services/humanresources/benefits-information.

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

Occidental College is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with qualifying disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the application or employment process, please contact Human Resources (hr@oxy.edu).

As a condition of hire for a staff position and for appointment to a faculty position, Occidental College requires that all candidates who have received a conditional offer of employment complete an application form (if they have not already done so) and consent to a background check. Satisfactory completion of a background check, along with pre-employment verifications and references are required as a condition of employment, but only as permitted by federal, state, and local law, including the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.