Job description

Northern Illinois University (NIU), founded in 1895, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and designated as a Carnegie High Research Activity (R2) institution. Located in DeKalb, approximately 65 miles west of Chicago, NIU serves over 15,000 students and is committed to rigorous academics, hands-on research, and a welcoming, student-centered learning environment.

The School of Nursing, one of the five schools within the College of Health and Human Sciences at NIU, fulfills its mission to prepare practice-ready nurses who serve all communities by providing holistic and equitable academic support, empowering them to make meaningful and lasting contributions to population health. The school offers a B.S. in Nursing through pre-licensure and degree-completion programs, an M.S. in Nursing with specializations in Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. All programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Currently, over 550 students are enrolled across these programs.

The school has adopted Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model as a framework to guide the development of students’ clinical reasoning and to support their growth in learning to “think like a nurse”. Faculty are expected to maintain current clinical knowledge and professional credentials within their areas of expertise to ensure high-quality teaching and mentorship. The school highly values integration of research, teaching, and service that support student success, advances health equity, strengthens community partnerships, and contributes to NIU’s mission as a student-centered, research-engaged, and access-focused public university.

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate a balanced commitment to teaching, research, and service. Responsibilities include:

• Teaching a diverse student population at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels across multiple instructional modalities, including didactic (in-person and/or online) and clinical delivery, and providing academic mentoring.
• Developing and sustaining a productive, well-defined program of research that advances nursing science, promotes interdisciplinary innovation, and aligns with national priorities for extramural funding.
• Providing effective service to the school, college, university, profession, and community, including participation in campus-wide committees, contributions to community partnerships, and collaboration with colleagues through collegiality and leadership.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Earned doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in nursing or a closely related field.
• Unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in Illinois prior to employment date.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three or more years of teaching experience in both in-person and online formats.
• Clinical experience in one or more of the following areas: population/community health, pediatrics, medical-surgical nursing, women’s health, mental health, or nursing informatics.
• Current national certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner with active clinical practice experience.
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching or commitment to high quality, student-centered teaching.
• An active record of research, publication, and dissemination aligned with the candidate’s field of expertise.
• A record or strong potential for securing extramural grant support.
• Documented academic service experience contributing to program development and evaluation.
• A record of professional engagement and service to the nursing profession and broader communities at the local, state, and/or national level.

Physical Demands Summary

• For physical demands and requirements please see human resources policies and protocols.

How to apply

For full consideration, prospective applicants should visit Assistant Professor of Nursing to create an application profile and submit the following materials by January 12, 2026:

• Cover Letter outlining how you meet the position of qualifications and summarizing your philosophies on teaching, clinical practice, scholarship, and service.
• Curriculum Vita.
• Contact information for three references to include one supervisor, one colleague, and one mentee/direct report. Please note the relationship with each reference.
• Transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable for initial review of application; official copies required to confirm appointment).

Additional documents may be required to verify eligibility for faculty appointment rank, and for pre-tenure or tenured status.

Preference will be given to applications received by January 12, 2026, though applications will be accepted until the position is filled.