Visiting Assistant Professor - Screenwriting and Writing Television

Position Overview

Position title: Visiting Assistant Professor

Salary range: $13,466.67 per course, per quarter

Anticipated start: March 30, 2026

Open date: December 22, 2025

Next review date: Monday, Jan 26, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Monday, Jan 26, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.

The Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production seeks a Visiting Assistant Professor (VAP) in Screenwriting with demonstrated expertise in writing for Television for Spring 2026. The successful candidate will teach two courses, one in our undergraduate program (TFDP 166C - Rewriting the Screenplay), and another in our MFA Program (CWPA 268 - Writing the Half-Hour Television Comedy). We are particularly interested in candidates with professional credits in screenwriting and TV writing, who can connect students to the professional world of film, television, and streaming content.

The ability to bring in industry guests – either in person or remotely – is highly desirable. Candidates should demonstrate a strong commitment to inclusive teaching practices, student mentorship, and fostering creative development within a diverse student body. The ideal candidate will bring both professional expertise and pedagogical skill to help graduate students develop original work for Film and TV screen, understand the mechanics of storytelling, and navigate the creative and collaborative processes of screenwriting.

Note: All applicants who currently hold an appointment at another University of California campus are ineligible for the Visiting Assistant Professor title at UC Riverside and should instead apply to JPF
02205 Adjunct Assistant Professor.

Two parallel recruitments are being conducted to address the department's instructional need:
Adjunct Assistant Professor (for applicants who are currently employed by the UC) and Visiting Assistant Professor (for applicants who are not currently employed by the UC). Applicants should apply to the recruitment for which they are eligible.

• Teach a range of Screenwriting and writing for Television for both the undergraduate and the MFA level.
• Prepare and deliver dynamic, engaging lectures and workshops that reflect current industry practices and artistic trends.
• Develop and update course materials, including syllabi, readings, writing assignments, and project guidelines that reflect best practices in Screenwriting.
• Provide individualized and group feedback to support students' artistic growth and technical skill development in storytelling, structure, and voice.
• Assess and evaluate student work, including written scripts and performance-based projects, with transparency and consistency using established rubrics.
• Foster a collaborative classroom environment that encourages critical thinking, creative risk-taking, and professional discipline.
• Stay current on evolving industry standards, platforms, and formats, particularly in television, digital storytelling, and new media.
• Collaborate with colleagues in Theatre, Film, and Digital Production to ensure alignment with departmental learning goals and interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Support student career development by leveraging professional networks and facilitating industry connections through guest speakers, panels, and mentorship.

Our department is committed to reflecting our student diversity in the ways in which we construct our syllabi in content and course design, including expansive and wide-ranging perspectives in the scripts, texts, and artists we teach.

The salary is approx. $13,466.67 per course, per quarter. Positions are contingent upon funding and enrollment.

Area of Specialization: Screenwriting & TV writing

• Terminal degree (MFA, PhD) in Screenwriting, Playwriting, Creative Writing, Theatre, Film, Television, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience in screenwriting or television writing.
• Demonstrated professional credits in screenwriting and/or television writing.
• Documen…