Program Director/Sr. Lecturer, Science Writing Program Job at Johns Hopkins Univ

Requisition #: A-177748-61

Status: Full Time

Type: Faculty

School: Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences

Department/Program: Advanced Academic Programs

Location City: Telecommuting

Location State: MD

Closing Date: 12/19/2025 at 11:59 PM US Eastern Time

POSITION: Program Director/Sr. Lecturer, Science Writing Program

REPORTS TO: Associate Dean, Graduate and Professional Programs

INSTITUTION: Johns Hopkins University

Institution Description

The Johns Hopkins University invites applications for the position of Program Director of the Master of Arts in Science Writing, within the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences' Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Division. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Programs and the Program Chair of Science Writing, the Faculty Program Director will have significant interaction with other Program Directors, Program Coordinators, AAP staff, and administrators. The Program Director will create and sustain the excellence of the program, will foster and lead ongoing innovation in the curriculum, and will pursue efficiency and excellence in support of the program's faculty and students. JHU is committed to hiring candidates who, through their teaching and service, will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.

Advanced Academic Programs

The Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) offers high-quality master's degrees at its Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., at JHU's Homewood Campus in Baltimore, Maryland, and online. AAP distinguishes itself through its intensive instructional assistance, selective admissions, and over 60 dedicated full-time faculty. Tenured Krieger School faculty members serve as program chairs to oversee the academic rigor of AAP's graduate offerings. For more information, see https://advanced.jhu.edu/ .

The Program Director position is a full-time, non-tenure-track, 12-month renewable faculty position with the academic title of Senior Lecturer. The Program Director will have significant interaction/collaboration with departmental staff and other Program Directors within AAP.

Academic Responsibilities

Three graduate courses per year, which includes the preparation for and time spent in the classroom (online or onsite), using best practices for online teaching, engaging and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds in the learning process, and responding to student questions

Engage, advise, and mentor students from diverse backgrounds in the learning process

Provide innovative leadership for curriculum design and new course development to ensure the growth and delivery of the programs

Other academic duties normally performed by full‑time faculty, such as participating on committees, keeping current in this academic field, attending academic conferences, or contributing to other academic endeavors

University Service

Administrative Responsibilities

Supervise full‑time and adjunct faculty hiring, development, and evaluation, making personnel decisions in consultation with the Program Chair and KSAS Dean or designee

Manage an operational budget for the MA in Science Writing

Oversee program admissions, including reviewing and approving prospective students' admissions materials

Schedule courses, set teaching assignments, and offer administrative oversight on the logistics and planning of residency courses

Oversee thesis process, including assigning thesis advisors and coordinating thesis submissions

Serve as faculty advisor for the program's student magazine

Coordinate with staff in student and faculty services, online education, marketing, finance, and enrollment services departments on operational issues related to program administration

Lead alumni outreach and social media

Coordinate program promotion and outreach, including interacting with outside groups and developing external/internal partnerships

Qualifications

The Program Director role is critical to maintaining the overall high quality of the program. The Program Director must be entrepreneurial, energetic, collaborative, and inclusive. They will bring passion for education and its power to change lives, especially for part‑time and non‑residential students, combined with the business acumen necessary to lead a successful professional‑education enterprise. The Program Director will have expertise in and knowledge of the ongoing changes and challenges facing the fields of science journalism and communication and have a clear vision and innovative ideas for how to prepare students for today's job market. A track record of building successful graduate courses, as well as skills in instructional technology, are important, as is experience with delivering an excellent student experience. Candidates who have experience teaching and engaging students from diverse backgrounds are of particular interest.

To be considered, candidates should meet a set of minimum qualifications and ideally meet several additional preferred qualifications.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate degree in Science Writing or a relevant field such as journalism, nonfiction writing, or a science discipline.
• Five‑plus years of higher education teaching experience online and/or at the graduate level
• The ability to teach a wide variety of Science Writing courses, including workshops and Thesis & Careers in Science Writing
• Demonstrated track record of excellence in teaching and innovation in curriculum design
• 3 or more years of management or leadership experience
• Extensive science writing portfolio (books, essays, and/or news articles that communicate science to the layperson)
• Strong organizational skills
• The ability to work independently in a fast‑paced environment with competing demands and multiple deadlines
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Three to five years of work experience as a writer
• Experience managing a degree program
• Ph.D.

Application Instructions

The position will remain open until filled. Candidates must submit the following:

• Cover letter that contains a program vision statement
• CV
• Teaching evaluations for the two most recent courses taught
• Word document with links to three or more publications
• Names of three references and their contact information

The selected candidate will undergo a background check, provide references upon request, and submit official transcripts for all degrees awarded.

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/ .

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Pre‑Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre‑employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu . For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu .

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre‑employment background check including education verification.

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID‑19 vaccine. The COVID‑19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine . Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID‑19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/ .