Assistant Instructor

Position Description:

The University of South Florida, School of Social Work invites applications for an Assistant Instructor. This position is based on the Tampa campus. Term of appointment shall be 12 months continual appointment subject to annual evaluations. Salary is commensurate with experience. Promotional opportunities are provided in accordance with University of South Florida Career Path for Instructors: Promotion Guidelines. Social work faculty members contribute to the mission of the College by preparing professional social workers for social work practice, evidence based social work practice and social justice. Candidates should demonstrate strong cultural humility, verbal communication and interpersonal skills necessary for effective collaboration with a diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and external constituents.

https://www.usf.edu/cbcs/social-work/

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Responsibilities

This position is dedicated to providing instruction in the BSW and MSW programs and contributing to the service needs in the School.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• MSW from a CSWE-accredited social work program. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Two years of post-MSW professional social work practice experience or equivalent relevant professional experience. 
• Doctorate in Social Work (PhD or DSW) or a related field and/or current LCSW or equivalent clinical licensure. 
• Demonstrated ability to teach across multiple areas of the social work curriculum, with particular interest in candidates capable of teaching both practice and research/data-informed courses. 
• Experience developing, implementing, or evaluating simulation-based education, including standardized clients/patients, role-play, virtual simulation, immersive learning, or other experiential learning approaches. 
• Experience using artificial intelligence or emerging technologies in social work education, practice, research, or evaluation, including attention to ethical, responsible, and critically informed use. 
• Experience integrating AI literacy, data literacy, or digital practice competencies into teaching and learning. 
• Experience with innovative pedagogy, such as competency-based education, experiential learning, flipped classrooms, case-based learning, team-based learning, or authentic assessment. 
• Experience designing or evaluating educational innovations, including scholarship of teaching and learning, implementation research, simulation research, or educational evaluation. 
• Demonstrated ability to translate social work research and evidence into applied practice instruction. 
• Experience teaching across face-to-face, online, hybrid, and/or technology-enhanced modalities. 
• Experience collaborating across disciplines or professions, interprofessional 

Criteria for the evaluation of candidates

To ensure the fair and equitable evaluation of all candidates, the following criteria will be used in reviewing the applicants’ qualifications. Ranges for rating the criteria are weighted in terms of importance to the position.

Applicants are required to submit the following in support of their application:

Cover Letter

CV

• Teaching Philosophy and Innovation Statement (2-3 pages)
• Candidates should describe their overall approach to teaching and preparing students for contemporary social work practice. The statement should address: 
• Approaches to engaging students and supporting competency development
• Ability and interest in teaching across multiple areas of the BSW and/or MSW curriculum
• Use of experiential, simulation-based, or other innovative teaching strategies 
• Experience with or perspectives on the ethical and responsible integration of artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and/or data-informed approaches in social work education and practice
• How the candidate connects classroom learning with real-world social work practice and evolving workforce needs.
• practice, and evolving workforce needs.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: 

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.  This job description does not constitute an employment contract.