Assistant Professor Jobs in Illinois
Assistant Professor jobs in Illinois are concentrated in Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, and Evanston, where institutions like the University of Illinois system, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago maintain large and active faculties across disciplines. Demand is strongest in STEM fields, social sciences, and professional programs such as business, law, and public health, with both research-intensive and teaching-focused positions available at every stage of the academic career. Illinois is one of the most active markets for academic hiring in the Midwest, drawing candidates from national and international pools for tenure-track and visiting roles alike. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 4 of 82+ Assistant Professor jobs
Full-time Faculty Positions
Full-time faculty positions will be posted on a per-opening basis. Postings are organized by college/school and department. Applicants will be evaluated at the college/school level for the position which they are submitting an application. Unless noted by a close date, positions will remain open until they are filled. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
Part-time Faculty Positions
DePaul University invites expressions of interest for a pool of qualified Part Time Faculty to teach courses in a variety of disciplines across all 10 colleges and schools. Individuals may enter expressions of interest by submitting their credentials to any posting for which they are qualified to teach. Postings are organized by college/school and department. Screening of individuals in the pool is ongoing, depending on curricular need and funding. Individuals will be contacted by the department if they reach the finalist stage for teaching a particular course or set of courses. The pool will remain in place until the closing date specified in the posting details; those interested in remaining in the pool beyond that time must resubmit. All individuals in the pool will be notified by email when the posting is closed.
Below you will find the details for the posting including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening or submitting your interest in teaching.
Posting Details
Job ID: 187080
Rank: Assistant ProfessorCollege/School: Chicago, IL - College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Position Description:The Art School, part of DePaul University's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in Chicago, Illinois, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in PaintingStudio Fine Art (with a secondary focus in Drawing), for the Academic Year 2027-28 beginning September 1, 2027.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Creative Practice: Produce and exhibit high-quality artwork and/or engage in related creative activities.
- Teaching: Teach 2 undergraduate classes each of the three quarters in painting and/or painting and drawing studio fine art within The Art School, with additional teaching opportunities available through the university's Liberal Studies and Honors Programs.
- Community Engagement: Engage with faculty colleagues and actively contribute to The Art School's academic environment.
- Service: Participate in service activities and related meetings for The Art School, the college, and the university.
- Student Support: Support student recruitment, mentoring/advising, retention, and individual student mentorship.
- Visibility: Contribute to the visibility and impact of The Art School through active involvement in exhibitions, creative activities, events, and other related engagements.
Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, The Art School at DePaul University offers three degree programs:
- BA in Art
- BA in Art, Media, and Design
- BFA in Art, Media, and Design
The school also offers seven minors/shared minors in art. Teaching and creative spaces/studios include dedicated painting, drawing, printmaking, photography (darkroom and digital), sculpture studios, and digital computer studios.
- Professional Background: Candidates must be a practicing artist with established exhibition/creative activities record and experience teaching painting, or both painting and drawing.
- Education: A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting or in Painting and Drawing (fine art studio).
- Teaching Experience: A minimum of 2 years of college/university-level teaching experience completed after graduate school (excluding any graduate-level teaching experience). This experience can include full-time term, part-time, or other related faculty positions at the college/university level.
- Cover Letter detailing your interest in the position, and your qualifications
- Curriculum Vitae
- 20 examples of current studio artwork focused in painting, with any accompanying list of works submitted (including media, size, and year completed)
- Two syllabi from courses you have taught in Painting (or courses that combine Painting with Drawing)
- 20 examples of student work in relationship to the submitted syllabi
DePaul University has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the qualifications, education, experience, and training of the selected candidate, the scope and responsibilities of the position, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.
Except for the College of Law, DePaul University operates on a quarter system. Classes in Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters are 11 weeks in length (including finals week) and Summer courses, in two sessions, are typically 5 weeks in length. The College of Law operates on the semester system. Classes in the Fall and Spring semesters are 16 weeks in length (including finals week) and it offers a Summer Session of 7 weeks (including final exams).
Close Date: Oct 1, 2026
Applicant Documents
Cover Letter(1)C.V.(1)
Contact Reference(1)
Creative Work(1)
Syllabus(2)
Full-time Faculty Positions
Full-time faculty positions will be posted on a per-opening basis. Postings are organized by college/school and department. Applicants will be evaluated at the college/school level for the position which they are submitting an application. Unless noted by a close date, positions will remain open until they are filled. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
Part-time Faculty Positions
DePaul University invites expressions of interest for a pool of qualified Part Time Faculty to teach courses in a variety of disciplines across all 10 colleges and schools. Individuals may enter expressions of interest by submitting their credentials to any posting for which they are qualified to teach. Postings are organized by college/school and department. Screening of individuals in the pool is ongoing, depending on curricular need and funding. Individuals will be contacted by the department if they reach the finalist stage for teaching a particular course or set of courses. The pool will remain in place until the closing date specified in the posting details; those interested in remaining in the pool beyond that time must resubmit. All individuals in the pool will be notified by email when the posting is closed.
Below you will find the details for the posting including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening or submitting your interest in teaching.
Posting Details
Job ID: 187080
Rank: Assistant ProfessorCollege/School: Chicago, IL - College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Position Description:The Art School, part of DePaul University's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in Chicago, Illinois, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in PaintingStudio Fine Art (with a secondary focus in Drawing), for the Academic Year 2027-28 beginning September 1, 2027.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Creative Practice: Produce and exhibit high-quality artwork and/or engage in related creative activities.
- Teaching: Teach 2 undergraduate classes each of the three quarters in painting and/or painting and drawing studio fine art within The Art School, with additional teaching opportunities available through the university's Liberal Studies and Honors Programs.
- Community Engagement: Engage with faculty colleagues and actively contribute to The Art School's academic environment.
- Service: Participate in service activities and related meetings for The Art School, the college, and the university.
- Student Support: Support student recruitment, mentoring/advising, retention, and individual student mentorship.
- Visibility: Contribute to the visibility and impact of The Art School through active involvement in exhibitions, creative activities, events, and other related engagements.
Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, The Art School at DePaul University offers three degree programs:
- BA in Art
- BA in Art, Media, and Design
- BFA in Art, Media, and Design
The school also offers seven minors/shared minors in art. Teaching and creative spaces/studios include dedicated painting, drawing, printmaking, photography (darkroom and digital), sculpture studios, and digital computer studios.
- Professional Background: Candidates must be a practicing artist with established exhibition/creative activities record and experience teaching painting, or both painting and drawing.
- Education: A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting or in Painting and Drawing (fine art studio).
- Teaching Experience: A minimum of 2 years of college/university-level teaching experience completed after graduate school (excluding any graduate-level teaching experience). This experience can include full-time term, part-time, or other related faculty positions at the college/university level.
- Cover Letter detailing your interest in the position, and your qualifications
- Curriculum Vitae
- 20 examples of current studio artwork focused in painting, with any accompanying list of works submitted (including media, size, and year completed)
- Two syllabi from courses you have taught in Painting (or courses that combine Painting with Drawing)
- 20 examples of student work in relationship to the submitted syllabi
DePaul University has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the qualifications, education, experience, and training of the selected candidate, the scope and responsibilities of the position, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.
Except for the College of Law, DePaul University operates on a quarter system. Classes in Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters are 11 weeks in length (including finals week) and Summer courses, in two sessions, are typically 5 weeks in length. The College of Law operates on the semester system. Classes in the Fall and Spring semesters are 16 weeks in length (including finals week) and it offers a Summer Session of 7 weeks (including final exams).
Close Date: Oct 1, 2026
Applicant Documents
Cover Letter(1)C.V.(1)
Contact Reference(1)
Creative Work(1)
Syllabus(2)
See All 82 Assistant Professor Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Assistant Professor JobsAssistant Professor Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Assistant Professor Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- SIU Medicine18
- DePaul University12
- Midwestern University8
- University of Illinois7
- Loyola University Chicago6
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in assistant professor jobs across Illinois.
- Earned doctorate or terminal degree in the relevant discipline required
- Active record of scholarly research, publication, or creative achievement expected
- Evidence of effective undergraduate or graduate teaching experience required
- Ability to develop and sustain an externally funded research program preferred
- Commitment to student mentorship, advising, and departmental service expected
- Experience with curriculum development or interdisciplinary collaboration valued
Assistant Professor Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a assistant professor in Illinois?
Becoming an assistant professor in Illinois requires completing a terminal degree, typically a PhD or MFA, in your discipline. Illinois does not require a state-issued teaching license for university-level faculty. Candidates build their applications through dissertation completion, peer-reviewed publication, and teaching experience, then apply through national academic job markets. Illinois research universities and liberal arts colleges each weigh research output, teaching record, and fit with departmental needs when making offers.
Which companies hire assistant professors in Illinois?
Companies currently hiring assistant professors in Illinois include SIU Medicine, DePaul University, and Midwestern University, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's density of research universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges across the Chicago metro and downstate creates consistent demand for faculty at multiple institution types throughout the year.
Which Illinois cities have the most assistant professor jobs?
The cities with the most assistant professor openings in Illinois are Chicago, Springfield, and Downers Grove. Chicago dominates because of its concentration of private universities, professional schools, and community colleges, while Champaign-Urbana and Evanston reflect the large footprints of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University, which are among the state's largest single employers of academic faculty.
Are there remote assistant professor jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're less common than in many other fields. About 0% of assistant professor openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the on-campus expectations of most faculty roles. Online and hybrid programs at institutions like the University of Illinois system and several Chicago-area colleges are the most consistent source of fully remote teaching positions for assistant professors.
How can I get hired as a assistant professor in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a postdoctoral fellowship or visiting assistant professor appointment, which Illinois research universities and liberal arts colleges regularly offer to recent PhDs. Institutions like the University of Illinois system, Loyola University Chicago, and DePaul University post one- and two-year visiting or lecturer roles that provide teaching experience and time to strengthen a research profile. Candidates who complete a postdoc, accumulate peer-reviewed publications, and hold a strong teaching portfolio are well positioned to compete for tenure-track openings in Illinois.
Where can I find and apply to assistant professor jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to assistant professor jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings from institutions across the state. Search for roles that match your discipline and experience level, review the position requirements, and apply directly to the ones that fit your background.
See All 82 Assistant Professor Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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