Apply for a Writing Advisor Position in the Social Sciences Core

The Social Sciences Collegiate Division (SSCD) writing program supports students and instructors across the Social Sciences Core sequences. The program is designed to supplement classroom instruction by providing resources, such as workshops, small-group tutorials, writing exercises, and one-on-one consultations. The SSCD now invites applications from graduate students and UChicago alumni, including those of the University's undergraduate and MA programs, with relevant teaching experience to serve as writing advisors. The review of applications will begin on June 15th, 2023, and continue until the positions are filled.

Writing advisors can expect to be assigned to multiple sections in one or more sequences and to support each class by leading student workshops, holding weekly office hours, and regularly reporting to instructors about writing assignments. Crucially, writing advisors are also expected to contribute to the ongoing development of the writing program’s curriculum and participate in its expansion across the SOSC Core. While instructors may call on writing advisors to help them diagnose writing problems in student papers and craft useful feedback, writing advisors will not be expected to grade assignments or attend classes. Writing advisors will receive $5,000 per quarter for a single appointment; some writing advisors wish to apply for a double appointment. Some advanced PhD students may be eligible for higher compensation as determined by their division’s Dean of Students. Writing advisors should expect to commit approximately 13 hours to these responsibilities each week and will be required to attend a weekly staff meeting on campus each Wednesday.

Please contact the Social Sciences Collegiate Division at sscd-gradteaching@lists.uchicago.edu with questions about the position. More information about the program can be found online at, https://voices.uchicago.edu/soscwriter/for-students/.

Applicant Requirements
Positions are open to recent UChicago graduates and current graduate students (MA or PhD) with experience teaching writing and/or an area relevant to the Social Sciences Core. MAPH/MAPSS alumni and College alumni with strong writing skills are welcome to apply. We welcome applicants with teaching experience in both the empirical and more humanistic social sciences.

Required September Training
Writing Advisors are required to attend an in-person orientation on campus that will begin on September 11. The full schedule will be posted here as soon as it is finalized, and comprehensive details will be shared before offers are made. All Writing Advisors are required to attend all of the orientation seminars, and no exception will be made.

Application Instructions
To apply, please complete the form below and upload the following materials in a single PDF:

• Curriculum vitae
• Writing sample of 5-10 pages with cover sheet (download here): Please provide a sample or excerpt of 5-10 pages and complete the cover sheet form, which asks you to reflect on your work.
• Your comments on a sample student essay (download here): Please comment on the sample student essay as if you were the student’s writing coach, providing feedback aimed to help the author improve the paper. Spend no more than one hour on this exercise. You may handwrite your comments and upload a scanned copy of the essay or upload a file with comments provided digitally.

Current Writing Advisors can reapply by filling out the form below. No supplemental materials are required.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview via Zoom before final decisions are made.