UCLA Spanish and Portuguese AY 2026-27 Faculty Fellows Program

The goals of the Faculty Fellows Program are:

* to provide a small number of recent PhD graduates with appointments that offer mentored training and experience in teaching and research;

* to provide high-quality undergraduate courses to help accommodate areas of high demand, and to expand and enhance our course offerings.

Faculty Fellows (official payroll title: Assistant Adjunct Professor) must be recent PhDs who demonstrate promise of excellence in both research and teaching. Successful candidates must have satisfied one of the two options below:

a) Received their PhD between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 (the last day before the beginning date of the appointment)

OR

b) Advanced to candidacy, be in the final stages of writing their dissertations, and have plans to complete all requirements for the degree by the appointment date of July 1, 2026.

Fellows cannot be appointed and placed on payroll until the dissertation is filed and they have valid work authorization. A copy of the "Certificate of Completion" will be required in order to be appointed by July 1, 2026.

The number of Assistant Adjunct Professors to be awarded each year in the Faculty Fellows Program will depend on available funding.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Candidates will primarily be selected for their promise as excellent teachers and scholars. Candidates must present evidence that they have been actively applying for employment. The advisor's letter of recommendation should confirm that the candidate has been applying for jobs in the current academic year. Selection will also be based on the candidates' ability to help meet critical departmental needs in undergraduate teaching and their proposal for an undergraduate course that is broadly conceived and calibrated for its intended audience.

Finally, selection will be based on the plan for mentoring the nominee. Faculty Fellows must have a faculty mentor for teaching activities and one for research activities; in some cases, the same faculty member might fill both mentoring functions. Candidates and their mentors should outline clear goals to be achieved during the year of the program. Examples include expanding the dissertation into a book; publishing portions of the dissertation, or other research materials, in refereed journals; creating a professional portfolio; and so forth. Candidates and mentors are also encouraged to explore innovative teaching assignments to enrich undergraduate education. Mentors should plan to work closely with the Faculty Fellow on developing appropriate course syllabi for undergraduate courses and on issues which may arise related to teaching.

Candidates will be reviewed by the Search Committee and ranked based on qualifications and how well their proposals meet Department needs. The Department will then hold a vote and appoint Faculty Fellows based on the approved ranking.

TERM OF APPOINTMENT

Appointments are effective for the academic year from July 1 to June 30 (start date is dependent on valid work authorization in addition to meeting the eligibility requirements). The service period for the appointment is the beginning of the Fall Quarter to the end of the Spring Quarter. Initial appointment as a Faculty Fellow is for one year. Consistent with other non-Senate appointments, appointments will be made on a year-to-year basis, subject to renewal within the established limitations of the program.

Most appointments will involve teaching 5 (five) undergraduate courses. Both the percent time of appointment and the actual courses assigned will vary according to the needs of the department and available funding.

TITLE AND COMPENSATION

The appointment will have the official title of Assistant Adjunct Professor (Title Code 3278). SeeTable #1 for the salary range for this position. A reasonable estimate for this position is $80,800-89,400 and is equivalent to the Assistant Professor rank on Table #1. The salary is subject to range adjustments (when applicable), but appointees are not eligible for merit increases due to the length of the appointment.

The dissertation must be filed by June 12, 2026 and a copy of the "Certificate of Completion" must be submitted prior to the start of the appointment for the candidate to be hired officially.

Faculty Fellows may be eligible for funding to support research, teaching supplies, and conference-related expenses. Funding amounts depend on budget availability and are subject to change.

BENEFITS

Appointees at 100%, who have valid work authorization and are hired for the full 12 months, will be provided Health and Welfare benefits. This includes full medical insurance (dental and vision), basic life insurance, employer paid disability, and other benefits.

These titles do not accrue vacation, but are eligible for six days of paid sick leave per calendar year. Please refer to the Academic Personnel Manual for further information. The University provides administrative holidays as set forth annually in the University calendar. Appointees are also eligible for all University privileges, such as library access, parking permits, access to recreational sports facilities, and so forth.

FACULTY FELLOWS APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications will only be accepted through the job posting on UCLA Academic Recruit

(job# JPF10745). You will need to create an applicant profile and submit the following information in the areas provided in the system.

Materials to be submitted include:

1. Cover letter from the candidate that provides:
   
   * A summary assessment of their qualifications and promise for excellence in research and teaching; proposed teaching and research; and mentoring plan;
   
   * A statement of expected completion date of the PhD and total time since advancement to candidacy.

2. Letter(s) of Reference from proposed teaching and research mentor(s) that:
   
   * Evaluates the candidate's teaching and research qualifications, proposed teaching, research proposal, and promise for the future;
   
   * Describes detailed plans for mentoring the candidate during the year of the program;
   
   * Certifies the expected completion date;
   
   * Certifies that the candidate has actively applied for employment.
   
   * A maximum of two letters total is allowed.

3. Candidate's proposed syllabus for an undergraduate upper-division course, together with a statement of other courses the candidate is prepared to teach.

4. Candidate's proposed research plan during the fellow's program year (one page).

5. Candidate's curriculum vitae, including actual or projected PhD completion date and publications.

6. Candidate's writing sample (up to 25 pages, published or unpublished).

7. Candidate's teaching evaluations from the last three courses taught.

Application submission deadline through UCLA Academic Recruit is

11:59pm (PT) on Monday, February 23, 2026.

For questions regarding the program, please contact Spanish & Portuguese Graduate Advisor Gloria Tovar at gtovar@humnet.ucla.edu.

For questions regarding the application, UC Recruit, and benefits, please contact Spanish & Portuguese Academic Personnel Officer Claudia Huey at RCAPO@humnet.ucla.edu.

a) Received their PhD between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 (the last day before the beginning date of the appointment)

OR

b) Advanced to candidacy, be in the final stages of writing their dissertations, and have plans to complete all requirements for the degree by the appointment date of July 1, 2026.

• 1-2 letters of reference required

Letter(s) of Reference from proposed teaching and research mentor(s) that:

* Evaluates the candidate's teaching and research qualifications, proposed teaching, research proposal, and promise for the future;

* Describes detailed plans for mentoring the candidate during the year of the program;

* Certifies the expected completion date;

* Certifies that the candidate has actively applied for employment.

* A maximum of two letters total is allowed.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• 
  UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• 
  UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment