Associate Professor of Practice, School of Social Work

Located in Boston’s historic Fenway area, Simmons University has a strong tradition of empowering women and challenging traditional gender roles. Simmons was founded for equality 125 years ago as one of the first higher education institutions dedicated to helping women become leaders. Today, our university continues to grow and evolve and now offers Boston’s only women’s undergraduate program and graduate programs open to all. 

You’re joining our community at an especially exciting time as we continue to innovate for the future. Simmons recently launched a six-school academic structure that leverages our expert faculty and longstanding expertise in professions that make our communities stronger. In addition, we continue to highlight our high-value education proposition that is delivering greater ROI to students and putting them on the fast track to career growth and success. You’ll find that people who work here truly believe in our mission of preparing students to become social justice-oriented leaders who excel in their professions and their communities. This commitment and pride make for a dynamic workplace.

As a university that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices–at all levels, for all positions–ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.

Associate Professor of Practice, School of Social Work
The Simmons University School of Social Work (SSW) is now accepting applications for an Associate Professor of Practice position. This is a non-tenure track position with primary teaching responsibilities in our online DSW program.  We seek candidates who are licensed practitioners with substantial clinical social work experience to teach across our curriculum.

This position will be located on our campus in Boston, MA, but is eligible to be fully remote. In addition to teaching, candidates will be required to contribute to curriculum development, maintain deep connections to the social work practice community, engage in professional development and/or scholarly activities, and participate in service to the School, University, and social work profession. This position is a full-time, twelve-month academic appointment with a start date of January 1, 2026, or before, subject to the selected candidate’s availability.

Simmons University is a highly collegial and dynamic university located in the heart of Boston’s world-renowned Longwood Medical Area. Simmons comprises an undergraduate liberal arts education program for women and those who identify as women, plus professional graduate schools with masters and doctoral programs for all genders, presenting unique and rich opportunities for interdisciplinary research and collaboration. At approximately 1500 students, the SSW offers degrees at the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral levels (BSW, MSW, DSW, PhD).

Program Description:
The Simmons School of Social Work Online DSW program prepares experienced social workers to further their careers as advanced practitioners who are trained to engage with complex and diverse client systems using cutting-edge, evidence- based approaches in both the private and public sectors; to take their place as leaders of social service departments or agencies; or as social work educators who are prepared to teach in face-to-face and online domains.

The DSW program provides students with an intimate and rigorous educational experience where they are challenged to deepen and build upon accumulated practice wisdom through a combination of self-paced, independent work and regular synchronous sessions where students from all over the country come together face-to-face on the online platform to construct knowledge, build capacity and skill, and develop a cohesive community of practice. The DSW Associate Director provides leadership for this dynamic program that will admit students at three entry points in the calendar year.

Primary Responsibilities

• Participate in shaping the “brand” and marketing strategy of the program in conjunction with 2U and Simmons’s internal marketing and communications.
• Attend DSW core team meetings and other operations-related meetings necessary to the creation and maintenance of the program.
• Assist with the development of admissions processes and policies.
• Read admissions applications as needed and act as an escalated reviewer as needed.
• Participate in course development and build.
• Participate in faculty searches, interview, hire, and mentor adjunct doctoral faculty.
• Teach 7 courses per calendar year.
• Participate in innovations related to building a strong culture for online doctoral students that may include regional gatherings, outreach to MSW alumni to promote the DSW program, community meetings, identity groups, peer mentoring, First Generation mentoring initiatives, and other activities/events that engender a holistic experience for current and future students, and faculty.
• Participate in the development of program assessment tools and accreditation and help with oversight of ongoing​ assessment.
• Liaise with internal SSW committees.
• Engage in program, school, and university-wide community service per requirements of full-time faculty as established by the Faculty Policy Manual and Implementation Guidelines.
• Promote the DSW program at professional conferences (CSWE, relevant social work, and distance ed conferences).
• Other projects and activities as assigned.

Required Education and Clinical Experience:

• A CSWE-accredited MSW or MSSW and either a DSW or Ph.D. in Social Work.
• A minimum of 5 post-MSW years of social work practice experience and demonstrated expertise working with diverse, vulnerable, and marginalized client populations.
• A minimum of 2 years post-DSW or Ph.D.

Required Administrative Experience:

• Ability to demonstrate some record of leadership and strong organizational skills in either a social service agency, professional board, or academic institution.

Required Teaching Experience:

• A minimum of 3 years of teaching experience in a social work program and/or related field.
• Two years of experience teaching online is preferred.

Required Application Materials
Please upload the following documents with your application:

• CV
• Cover letter summarizing your interest in and qualifications for the position
• A statement summarizing your teaching philosophy and describing your teaching experience
• A statement summarizing your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and examples of applying your commitment in your practice and/or teaching 
• Names and contact information for three professional references

Additional Information for Applicants

The salary range for this position is $76,500-$93,500 (annual).

Please contact sswdean@simmons.edu with any questions.

In accordance with applicable pay transparency laws effective October 29, 2025, Simmons University is committed to pay equity, transparency and clear communication throughout the hiring process.

This is benefits eligible position.

Actual compensation will be based on factors such as experience, education, skills, equity, and external market benchmarks that help guide compensation decisions. Our compensation philosophy is centered around a comprehensive package that includes pay, health benefits, and retirement savings offerings that can be seen here, as well as work-life balance initiatives such as flexible hours and remote work opportunities. We are committed to offering a package that empowers individuals to thrive in their roles, contribute meaningfully, and lead with confidence.

Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv, cover letter, writing sample, teaching philosophy, etc.) in the Application Materials box on page 2 ("My Experience") of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).

Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual’s community experience. As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices–at all levels, for all positions–ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.