Part-time Faculty, Songwriting Focus

Job Description:

Berklee College of Music invites applications for a Part-Time Faculty position in the Songwriting and Production Department at BerkleeNYC, with a primary focus on teaching graduate-level songwriting courses in the Fall 2026 semester. 

The Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology: Songwriting and Production specialization explores contemporary songwriting as an integrated creative practice encompassing writing, collaboration, sonic identity, and artistic world-building. Through intensive creative development, critical analysis of contemporary music, and hands-on collaborative work, students refine their artistic voice while building the creative and professional skills necessary for today’s evolving music landscape.

The program emphasizes practical, contemporary approaches to songwriting across a wide range of genres and creative practices, including pop, hip-hop, R&B, electronic, indie, alternative, and emerging hybrid forms. Students engage with adaptable creative frameworks, current songwriting aesthetics, and collaborative workflows while developing transferable artistic tools that can evolve alongside changing genres, technologies, and industry practices.

While the broader specialization incorporates music production and technology, this position is specifically focused on the teaching and mentorship of songwriting craft, including lyrics, melody, harmony, arrangement, artistic identity, collaboration, and creative process within contemporary music contexts..

Reporting to the Program Director of Songwriting and Production, the ideal candidate will combine professional creative experience with strong pedagogical practice and a student-centered approach to teaching. Candidates should be passionate about developing artists within a collaborative graduate environment and skilled at delivering rigorous, actionable, and artist-centered feedback that supports both creative growth and professional readiness.

Primary responsibilities for this position may include teaching Songwriting Techniques and related graduate songwriting coursework; guiding students through advanced songwriting practices across a variety of contemporary musical styles and creative workflows; mentoring students individually as they develop their Culminating Experience projects and transition into professional creative careers; and contributing to the ongoing evolution of curriculum in response to shifts in contemporary music, culture, and industry practices.

This is a 9-month part-time faculty position with a renewable contract, with an appointment beginning September 1, 2026. Compensation is commensurate with professional experience.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Professional experience as a songwriter, artist, producer, collaborator, or creative practitioner within contemporary music culture.

• Experience teaching at the university level and mentoring emerging artists in collaborative, project-based creative environments.

• Demonstrated ability to write commercially competitive and artistically compelling songs across a range of contemporary genres and creative contexts.

• Strong understanding of contemporary songwriting, production, and artist development across a wide range of genres and creative practices, including pop, hip-hop, R&B, electronic, indie, alternative, singer-songwriter, and emerging hybrid forms.

• Ability to teach songwriting through a flexible, tools-based approach that emphasizes practical techniques, transferable creative strategies, and actionable artistic development, while adapting methodologies to support different genres, creative workflows, and artistic identities.

• Awareness of the relationship between songwriting, production, and sonic world-building in contemporary music, with the ability to contextualize songwriting within modern collaborative production workflows.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze and articulate the compositional, lyrical, sonic, and cultural elements that define contemporary music and evolving industry trends.

• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to manage detailed feedback, student development, curriculum materials, and project-based learning in a fast-paced graduate environment.

• Exceptional communication and feedback skills, with the ability to give clear, actionable, artist-centered critique that supports both creative growth and professional standards.

• Experience mentoring artists and collaborators with diverse creative identities, backgrounds, and workflows.

• Commitment to fostering experimentation, artistic individuality, collaboration, and creative risk-taking while maintaining high professional expectations.

• Command of technology to support professional work and advance teaching and learning.

• Commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Teach courses in Songwriting Techniques  on campus at BerkleeNYC.

• Teach songwriting concepts through frameworks that emphasize practical techniques, transferable creative strategies, and contemporary relevance across genres and workflows.

• Provide highly detailed, constructive, and actionable feedback on songwriting, lyrics, melody, harmony, arrangement, artistic identity, and creative direction.

• Help students develop fluency in contemporary songwriting aesthetics and practices, including an understanding of the stylistic, cultural, and collaborative nuances of genres such as hip-hop, pop, R&B, electronic, indie, and experimental music.

• Submit syllabi and course materials for all assigned courses.

• Attend department meetings and contribute to the faculty community of Songwriting and Production, BerkleeNYC, and Berklee.

• Contribute to the ongoing development of curriculum and learning outcomes to reflect changes in contemporary music, technology, and creative culture.

• Engage in professional development to maintain and continually advance teaching skills.

Submissions: Electronic applications only. Please submit the following application materials in PDF or Word format.  All materials can be uploaded to the Resume/Cover letter application section.

Please send:

• A letter of application

• A current resume or CV

• Three professional references & their contact information.

• Links to websites or online resources with representative samples of your work

• You may be asked to submit additional materials after your application has been reviewed by the search committee.

Deadline: Review of application materials will start on June 15th, and will continue until the position is filled.

Hiring Range: Part-time Faculty as of 9/1/26: $66.96-$138 per hour.

Salaries for faculty positions vary by academic rank; Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. Candidates are placed into a rank following the final completion of the interview process, based on qualifications, experience, and alignment with institutional needs. 

 Please visit the Berklee Total Rewards page for a complete listing of benefits.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee: 

We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance.  Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at [email protected] or call 617-747-2375.

*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*

Employee Type:

Faculty