Adjunct Faculty job description.
Adjunct faculty are part-time instructors hired by a college or university to teach specific courses within their subject-matter expertise. They design lesson plans, deliver instruction, and assess student performance, typically working on a per-course or semester basis without the full-time commitments of tenure-track faculty.
The Adjunct Faculty job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Adjunct Faculty Reports to: Department Chair
Adjunct faculty are part-time instructors hired by a college or university to teach specific courses within their subject-matter expertise. They design lesson plans, deliver instruction, and assess student performance, typically working on a per-course or semester basis without the full-time commitments of tenure-track faculty.
- Prepare and deliver course lectures, discussions, or lab sessions per the syllabus
- Develop assignments, exams, and grading rubrics aligned with course objectives
- Grade student work and provide timely, constructive feedback
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
5 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Department Chair
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Prepare and deliver course lectures, discussions, or lab sessions per the syllabus
- Develop assignments, exams, and grading rubrics aligned with course objectives
- Grade student work and provide timely, constructive feedback
- Hold office hours or scheduled availability for student questions
- Maintain accurate attendance and grade records in the institution's system
- Adhere to academic integrity policies and institutional standards
- Communicate with the department chair on curriculum or scheduling matters
- Participate in course evaluations and instructional improvement as requested
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Master's degree or higher in the relevant subject area (or equivalent professional experience)
- Prior teaching or training experience in a classroom or online setting
- Strong subject-matter expertise in the assigned course area
- Effective verbal and written communication skills
- Availability to teach on the institution's scheduled course times
- Doctoral degree in the relevant field
- Experience teaching in a higher-education or community college setting
- Familiarity with learning management systems (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle)
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Adjunct Faculty job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Adjunct Faculty job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The mid band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Department Chair) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- Is adjunct faculty a full-time position?
- No, adjunct faculty are typically part-time, hired per course or semester, and generally do not receive the benefits or job security of full-time faculty.
- What qualifications are required to teach as adjunct faculty?
- Most institutions require at least a master's degree in the subject area, though relevant professional experience can sometimes substitute depending on the course and accreditation requirements.
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This Adjunct Faculty job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.