Adjunct Professor Job Description Template for Recruiters

Crafting a comprehensive job description is crucial for attracting top talent in academia. Your template should outline the specific duties, qualifications, and values your institution prioritizes. This article will provide you with a detailed adjunct professor job description template to ensure you’re not only reaching the right audience but also enticing them to join your academic community. Let’s dive into creating a compelling template that stands out to prospective hires.

What Is an Adjunct Professor?

An adjunct professor is a part-time faculty member at a college or university who is hired on a contractual basis rather than being a full-time, tenure-track professor. They typically teach one or more courses per semester and might have other professional responsibilities outside academia, such as working in industry or conducting research. Unlike full-time faculty, adjunct professors do not generally participate in departmental responsibilities, governance, or committees. They often have less job security and fewer benefits than their full-time counterparts. Despite these challenges, adjunct professors bring valuable real-world experience and specialized knowledge to their students, enhancing the educational experience by offering practical insights and diverse perspectives.

Where to Find an Adjunct Professor?

• Institutional job boards: Post the role on the college/university’s career portal under part-time or adjunct faculty listings. Many institutions maintain a pool of adjunct faculty candidates.
• Higher-education specialized job platforms: Sites such as HigherEdJobs list faculty-adjunct roles by discipline.
• Professional/practitioner networks: Since many adjuncts may be working professionals in industry (for example, business, data science, or engineering), they use LinkedIn, specialist associations, and alumni networks of relevant departments.
• Academia and professional conferences: Departments may invite applicants to conferences or through discipline‐specific mailing lists (e.g., statistical societies) for adjunct instructor roles.
• Local/regional institutions and non-traditional hires: Because adjuncts may teach online or part-time, geography and schedule flexibility allow more sourcing options (e.g., practitioners in the city, remote adjuncts).

Adjunct Professor Job Description Template

Our company has an exciting opportunity for a dedicated and knowledgeable adjunct professor to join our team! Our ideal candidate will have demonstrated previous experience in teaching at the college or university level and possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills. The focus of the role is to provide high-quality instruction to students and facilitate learning and growth in the subject area.

Adjunct Professor Responsibilities

• Create and administer assessments to evaluate student understanding of the course material.
• Develop course syllabus and materials consistent with departmental curriculum and learning outcomes.
• Deliver lectures/seminars, lead discussions, and assign and grade coursework, exams, and projects.
• Maintain regular office hours (or virtual equivalent) for student support and consultation.
• Use the institution’s Learning Management System (LMS) [name] and adhere to academic policies.
• Collaborate with department faculty on assessment, curriculum alignment, and student progress monitoring.
• Participate in required faculty orientation/training.
• Other duties as assigned (e.g., tracking attendance, submitting grade rolls, participating in program review).

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or above in the subject area or a related field
• Minimum of three years of previous experience in teaching at the college or university level
• Proficient in the use of technology for instruction and record-keeping
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and growth in the field of study
• Ability to use/learn LMS and online/hybrid teaching technology (if applicable).

Required Skills:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to effectively engage and motivate students to facilitate their learning and growth
• Strong organizational and record-keeping skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and academic staff

Challenges in Hiring an Adjunct Professor

• Talent shortage/quality of applicants: Because adjunct roles are part-time and often lower paid, fewer high-quality candidates may apply or may prefer full-time roles.
• Scheduling and availability: Adjuncts often juggle multiple roles (teaching at several institutions and industry work), so coordinating schedules, times, and availability can be complex.
• Onboarding and institutional integration: Adjuncts may have less time to engage in institutional life (meetings, office hours) and so may be less familiar with institutional systems and culture.
• Retention and continuity: Because adjunct roles are temporary and less secure, turnover tends to be high, which can disrupt course continuity and student experience.
• Compensation and equity concerns: Adjunct pay and conditions are often lower than those of full‐time faculty, which may deter candidates and raise institution-reputation risks.
• Diversity and inclusion: Ensuring adjunct faculty reflect the diversity goals of the institution may be harder if the pool is limited.
• Administrative overhead: Even though adjuncts cost less than full-time faculty, each hire still involves administrative processes (hiring, background checks, contract, and orientation) and might not scale easily. (See below in the cost section.)

How Much Does It Cost to Hire?

• Annual salary average: The average base salary for an adjunct professor is ~$47,536 in 2025, and the average hourly pay for an adjunct professor in the U.S. is approximately $67.56/hour.
• Benefits: Many adjunct roles don’t include full benefits (health, retirement), which reduces cost but may reduce the attractiveness of the role.
• Recruiting/hiring cost: Advertising, screening, interviews, background checks, and onboarding, while lower than full‐time hiring, are still non-trivial.
• Administration: Contracting, payroll entry, scheduling, classroom assignment, access to technology/learning-management systems.

Conclusion

Hiring adjunct professors is a strategic way for institutions to meet teaching demand flexibly, bring in practitioner expertise, and manage budget constraints. For recruiters, a well-crafted adjunct professor job description helps clarify expectations, attract qualified candidates, and set the foundation for effective teaching assignments. However, you must be mindful of challenges such as recruitment competition, scheduling complexity, pay competitiveness, and ensuring teaching quality and institutional fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should be included in an adjunct professor's job description?

A: At minimum: course(s) to be taught, modality (in-person/online), term/semester, teaching load, required qualifications (degree, teaching experience), application instructions, and compensation. Also include duties (syllabus development, grading, office hours), institutional expectations, and whether benefits are included.

Q: How should we write the “Adjunct Professor Job Description” to reflect expectations clearly?

A: Use clear headings (Duties, Qualifications, Terms, Compensation, and Application Instructions). Specify course title, credit hours, semester, modality, number of sections, office hour expectations, required credentials, preferred experience, and how to apply. Also note whether the appointment is renewable, if benefits are included, and any special institutional values (diversity, inclusive teaching).

Q: What qualifications should be required for an adjunct professor in my job description?

A: At a minimum, a relevant master’s degree; for some fields, a Ph.D. may be preferred. Teaching experience is a plus. Also consider modality skills (online teaching) and professional/practitioner experience if applicable.

Q: Where can we find qualified adjunct professor candidates?

A: Use higher-education job boards (e.g., HigherEdJobs), internal adjunct pools, alumni or practitioner networks, LinkedIn/professional associations, and advertise on departmental websites. See the “Where to Find” section above.