Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes Best Employers lists each year. Including:
2025 - Ranked 1st in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes Americas Best Employers by State list.
2024 - Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
2023 - Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
2022 - Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes Americas Best Employers by State list.
Western Carolina University is the UNC systems westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.
Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans - eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.
WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences - many of which are offered free of charge.

The primary location of this position may be either 100% remote or on the main Cullowhee, NC campus, depending on the successful applicants preferences.

The School of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management, and Hospitality & Tourism Management (MESH), one of three schools in the College of Business, invites applications for a nine-month, fixed-term faculty position in Marketing at the rank of Instructor. Anticipated begin date is August 1, 2026.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to contribute to the mission of the Marketing program, which seeks to prepare graduates to be Business Ready to meet the needs of the industry and become leading professionals in their field. The mission is achieved through sound theoretical course work, research and innovative learning activities, industry engagement and service learning.

This position requires teaching courses at the undergraduate level, delivering experiential and applied learning to students. Teaching may include online and/or face-to-face courses and service activities. The normal teaching load is 24 semester hours per academic year (4 classes per semester).

The successful candidate will engage in scholarly research leading to publication in quality journals. Western Carolina University recognizes and rewards all legitimate forms of scholarly activity described by Ernest Boyer: scholarship of discovery, scholarship of integration, scholarship of application, and scholarship of teaching and learning.

The successful candidate will contribute in the further development and growth of the Marketing program at Western Carolina University. Willingness/ability to participate in and/or develop collaborative working environment will be required.

Candidates must be team-oriented and willing to work in a highly energized and collaborative environment. Successful candidates must be committed to working with diverse student and community populations.

Application materials must be submitted online. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate has been selected for hire.

Please include the following: letter of application, current CV, list of three professional references with complete contact information, and unofficial transcripts showing degree conferral dates for all degrees at the masters degree level and higher*.

For questions or additional information please contact Dr. Charlie Parris at ctparrish@email.wcu.edu or 828-227-4882. Please do not email application materials.

*All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript of their highest attained degree, showing all completed coursework and the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must state Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or a similar phrase. For candidates who are ABD, please submit your most recent doctoral program transcript along with your masters degree transcript, if you hold such a degree. The masters degree transcript must have a notation such as Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or similar phrase, to verify it as your highest completed degree.