Director of Jazz Studies and Assistant Professor

Position Summary

The University of Maryland School of Music seeks a dynamic and dedicated musician, educator, and leader to serve as the Director of Jazz Studies starting in the 2026–2027 academic year. The candidate should have a record of national and/or international accomplishments and a broad range of skills necessary to mentor students in the creation and performance of jazz music. The successful candidate will provide leadership to the Jazz Studies program by maintaining a high level of performance excellence, integrating the program into the broader School of Music community, collaborating with colleagues in other divisions, developing and supervising the undergraduate and graduate degree programs and curricula, overseeing the annual program budget, and coordinating teaching assignments of full‑time and adjunct faculty and graduate assistants.

• Advanced degree in jazz performance or a closely related field, or extensive professional national and/or international profile of performance in jazz.
• Leadership experience and skills necessary to lead a collegiate jazz studies program.
• Demonstrated pedagogical success.

• Experience teaching jazz at the collegiate level.
• Doctoral degree in jazz or a closely related field.

• Teaching responsibilities include leading the UMD Jazz Ensemble(s), coaching and mentoring the Fellowship Graduate Combo, and advising undergraduate and graduate students in the Jazz program.
• Apply teaching in improvisation, music business, courses on the culture and/or history of jazz, jazz theory, jazz arranging and/or composition.
• Serve on School of Music, College of Arts and Humanities, and University committees as assigned or elected; participate on recital and dissertation examination committees as appropriate.
• Recruit diverse graduate and undergraduate students.
• Maintain an active and visible performance profile at the local, national, and international level; build professional relationships with regional and national jazz institutions.
• Promote engagement with the immediate community surrounding the University and throughout the State of Maryland, contributing to a positive learning environment.
• Contribute to the pillars of the ARHU Strategic Plan—Transformative Thinking, Boundless Creativity, Expansive Empathy, and Meaningful Futures—through leadership in teaching, mentoring, research, or service toward an equitable and inclusive scholarly environment and increasing access or participation equitably and fairly.

• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three references

The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.