The Music Department at Occidental College seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Music Theory. The successful candidate will have an established or emerging record of scholarly excellence and will be an effective and dynamic teacher with a demonstrated commitment to pedagogy and creating an inclusive classroom environment. Preference will be given to candidates whose principal or secondary area of research engages with one or more of the following areas: jazz, popular or other vernacular music; race, gender, or sexuality; and non-Western traditions and cultures. Preference will also be given to candidates with a demonstrated commitment to writing pedagogy and interdisciplinarity. A demonstrated commitment to community engagement or community-based learning is welcome, as is evidence of being able to contribute to the administrative workload of a music department. The position will begin in August 2022.
Responsibilities of the successful candidate include the following: teaching the core theory sequence, senior seminar, first-year seminars, research seminars in their area of expertise, and possible survey courses that contribute to the College’s general education requirement; advising senior comprehensive projects; maintaining an active program of research and scholarly publication; and contributing to departmental and college service.
The Department of Music and Occidental College are committed to academic excellence in an inclusive community and seek candidates who will further our mission with their teaching, scholarship, and service. We strongly encourage underrepresented minorities, women, and LGBTQIA+ candidates to apply.
The successful candidate must have the following:
• by the start of the appointment, a doctoral degree in music with an emphasis in music theory
• a record or promise of scholarly achievement
• demonstrated success as a teacher of undergraduate music theory courses
• a demonstrated commitment to creating an inclusive classroom environment
Please submit (or, in the case of recommendation letters, have submitted) all of the following required materials as electronic files to musicsearch@oxy.edu:
1. A cover letter detailing your interest in teaching at a liberal arts institution
2. A statement of teaching philosophy that includes a discussion of your demonstrated commitment to, past evidence of, and future plans for creating equitable opportunities for learning and mentoring especially for underrepresented students
3. Evidence of strong teaching of undergraduate music theory courses (teaching evaluations and corresponding syllabi)
4. A research statement
5. Three letters of recommendation, with at least one attesting to your teaching
6. Your Curriculum Vitae
Occidental College is a nationally-ranked small liberal arts college recognized for its diverse student body, its commitment to academic excellence and equity, and its outstanding undergraduate research programs. With major concentrations that include music production and composition & film scoring, the Music Department has developed a curriculum that is at once embedded in the liberal arts and connected to Los Angeles’s music industry. For more information about the Music Department, please visit the Music website at https://www.oxy.edu/academics/areas-study/music. The mission of Occidental College is accessible at https://www.oxy.edu/about-oxy/mission.
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 teaching, research, advising, and other activities 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 whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding 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/human-resources/benefits-information.
We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, 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).