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Instructor/Assistant/Associate/Professor - Warfighting Studies

U.S. Air Force Academy · Department of the Air Force · Air Force Academy, Colorado

💵 $85,423–$168,838 per year⏳ Closes Nov 13, 2026
Federal agencyAD-21
At a glance

A 31-may-2030 job with U.S. Air Force Academy in Air Force Academy, Colorado. It pays $85,423–$168,838 per year at grade AD-21. Applications close on Nov 13, 2026 — 11 days left.

Working pattern
Telework eligible
Who can apply
Open to the public
Clearance
Not Required

Main duties

  • Deliver structured undergraduate general-education instruction within the common curriculum under academic direction.
  • Select and adapt approved instructional materials consistent with common course objectives, evaluate student performance, provide academic advising, maintain professional currency, and participate in assigned course-team, School, and Academy service.
  • Assistant Professor (AD-22): Deliver and assess undergraduate courses within the common curriculum and contribute to their planning and continuous improvement.
  • Assume increasing course leadership and coordination responsibilities, such as serving as a Course Director.
The original posting

Full details

About the role

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below for IMPORTANT information.

What you will do

  • Deliver structured undergraduate general-education instruction within the common curriculum under academic direction.
  • Select and adapt approved instructional materials consistent with common course objectives, evaluate student performance, provide academic advising, maintain professional currency, and participate in assigned course-team, School, and Academy service.
  • Assistant Professor (AD-22): Deliver and assess undergraduate courses within the common curriculum and contribute to their planning and continuous improvement.
  • Assume increasing course leadership and coordination responsibilities, such as serving as a Course Director.
  • Maintain appropriate scholarly or professional engagement while contributing to course teams, School service, and interdisciplinary integration.
  • Associate Professor (AD-23): Provide sustained teaching excellence and lead major multi-section courses or significant curriculum components.
  • Maintain sustained scholarly or professional engagement appropriate to the educational mission.
  • Lead course-team and School-level curriculum and assessment efforts and actively mentor junior faculty.
  • Professor (AD-24 - Nonsupervisory): Provide distinguished instruction and senior academic leadership in the design, integration, and continuous improvement of the common curriculum.
  • Maintain mature scholarly or professional engagement appropriate to the educational mission.
  • Lead major School- and institution-level academic initiatives and mentor and develop faculty colleagues across academic areas.
  • The School of Integrated General Studies (SIGS) provides the common core academic education upon which later specialized disciplinary education builds.
  • It forms cadets as Citizens, Leaders, Warfighters, and Scholars.
  • The SIGS curriculum integrates civics, humanities, arts, and social sciences (CHASS), STEM and Artificial Intelligence, and Warfighting threads.
  • Faculty work across conventional disciplinary boundaries to build a rigorous, ordered, and mission-aligned general education for future Air Force and Space Force officers.
  • The Warfighting thread prepares cadets for the high-end fight through a coherent developmental curriculum rather than separate courses in tactics, operations, and strategy.
  • It builds a cumulative Airman and Guardian mental model: how air, space, and cyber combine with joint and multidomain effects; how tactical actions create operational effects; and how campaigns and strategy serve constitutional authority, political purpose, and the national interest.
  • Military theory and history, contemporary operations, emerging technologies, and immersive wargaming are integrated so cadets repeatedly test and refine their judgment against adaptive adversaries.
  • These are teaching-centered positions.
  • SIGS seeks educators who work beyond a single specialty; connect theory, history, tactics, operations, strategy, technology, human judgment, ethics, law, policy, and national purpose; and cultivate an Airman and Guardian perspective while remaining fully joint.
  • Faculty should prepare cadets to decide well in contested, high-consequence environments.
  • Scholarly, operational, and professional activity supports this mission, but the paramount purpose of these positions is excellent undergraduate teaching and related service supporting a coherent, integrated Warfighting thread.

Education

EDUCATION: If selected, you will be requested to provide original copies of ALL OFFICIAL transcripts for degrees being pursued or obtained (or letter of degree completion if an OFFICIAL transcript is not available due to recent graduation) to support your educational claims as stated in your curriculum vitae.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a transcript to be considered OFFICIAL, it should be printed on university letterhead and the registrar's official seal/signature must appear on the transcript. Your transcripts must also reflect the degree awarded/conferred date.

Transcripts labeled UNOFFICIAL will not be accepted. Upon request, ensure you include ALL transcripts to support your educational claims as stated in your curriculum vitae (resume) even if not required for this position. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the educational requirements.

However, you must show proof that the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying in the form of an "official" statement of U.S. equivalency from a Department of Education approved (non-federal) agency (i.e. AICE, NACES), who will complete a U.S. Standard of Education Conversion.

How you will be evaluated

Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to contribute to the teaching-centered, integrated mission of SIGS, including: Academic or professional preparation, warfighting expertise and breadth, and undergraduate or professional military teaching effectiveness.

Ability to build a coherent Airman and Guardian mental model across tactical, operational, and strategic levels while remaining fully joint and multidomain. Knowledge of high-end conflict and the emerging character of war, including AI and rapidly evolving technologies.

Experience with immersive wargaming, simulation, digital operational environments, scenario-based instruction, or comparable applied learning. Ability to integrate military theory, history, technology, strategy, policy, ethics, law, operational practice, and national purpose.

Cadet mentorship, intellectual, operational or professional engagement, service, collaboration, and leadership appropriate to rank.

Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae or resume and a cover letter describing how they would contribute to an integrated Warfighting thread; prepare cadets for high-end conflict from a fully joint Airman and Guardian perspective; and use immersive exercises or wargaming to integrate military, technical, humanistic, and strategic judgment.

Starting September 27, 2025, USAJOBS began restricting all resumes to two pages in length. The restriction does NOT apply to this position. Please upload your Resume/Curriculum Vitae using the Other Documents - Curriculum Vitae option.

You are still required to provide a document in the Resume section to successfully submit your application. In the Resume section, please upload a document informing your Resume/Curriculum Vitae was submitted using Other Documents. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This position is not in the competitive civil service and late applications from veterans do not apply. Applicants will be assessed based on their teaching credentials, scholarship, relevant professional or operational experience, service, and education.

Your application package (curriculum vitae / resume and cover letter) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

Interested persons should submit a curriculum vitae and cover letter addressing how their qualifications meet the requirements of this announcement, including evidence of teaching excellence; academic depth and intellectual breadth in the study of war; ability to connect military theory, history, technology, contemporary operations, and national and military strategy; ability to contribute to an integrated common curriculum; relevant operational or professional experience; and sustained scholarly or professional engagement appropriate to the rank sought.

Additional documents are required to complete your application package, please reference the "How to Apply" and "Required Documents" section for more information.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Documents you must provide

  • The following documents are required and must be received by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Letter of application (cover letter) Resume/Curriculum Vitae: When applying, please submit your Resume/Curriculum Vitae using the Other Documents - Curriculum Vitae section on the Documents page due to the resume length restriction addressed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section above.
  • Veterans' preference documents, if applicable (i.e. DD-214 or Proof of Service letter (if active duty military), SF-15, Veterans Affairs letter for federal employment) It is highly desired that your cover letter and/or curriculum vitae address the following areas, as appropriate: Teaching Accomplishments: Include teaching experience and teaching awards.
  • Scholarly and Professional Accomplishments: Scholarship, publications, professional practice including operational or command experience, public or military service, consultations, curriculum development, wargaming, and awards demonstrating sustained intellectual or professional engagement.
  • Service Accomplishments: Include memberships, leadership roles, nature of service and contribution in collegial and/or professional organizations, societies, etc. Please also reference the "Required Qualifications" section for other documents desired by the hiring committee.
  • Any supplemental documents intended for the hiring committee should be attached to the cover letter as a single file.
  • Supplemental documents with large file sizes can be substituted with a link to comply with the 5MB maximum size of files submitted through this platform.
  • An incomplete package will result in non-consideration of your application.

What to expect next

You will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application. You will receive an email notification upon referral/non-referral. If you are determined to be ineligible, you will receive an email of non- referral and your application will receive no further consideration.

If you are determined to be eligible, you will receive an email of referral and your application will be forwarded to the selection committee for further consideration. If referred to the selection committee, you will be notified when a selection or final disposition is made. Hard copy notifications will not be sent.

The USAFA Faculty Recruitment team will not have any updates while the applications are with the selection committee. If the selection committee has any questions or requires further documentation, they will contact applicants directly. We do not have the authority to disclose the hiring committees' information.

If selected, the following may be requested: OFFICIAL copies of your transcripts that also reflect the degree awarded/conferred date. For a transcript to be considered OFFICIAL, it should be printed on university letterhead and the registrar's seal/signature must appear on the transcript.

You MUST provide original copies of ALL transcripts for degrees being pursued or obtained (or letter of degree completion if a transcript is not available due to recent graduation) to support your educational claims as stated in your curriculum vitae.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities (e.g. Oxford) may be used to meet requirements, but applicants must obtain a statement of U.S. equivalency from a Department of Education approved (non-federal) credentialing agency (i.e. AICE, NACES), who will complete a U.S. Standard of Education Conversion for education completed in foreign colleges or universities.

List of three professional references (to include name, complete mailing address, email, and phone number)

Additional information

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required by PL 104-134 to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit. Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Svc are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Current Federal Civilian employees may apply for temp and term positions and if selected, a break in service may be required prior to appointment to the position. Temp and Term Appointments: If you are selected for a temp or term position in the excepted service, your appointment may be extended to the maximum period allowed by law without further competition.

Individuals who are eligible for Schedule A, 213.3102(u) appointments cannot be referred under the Air Force (AF) Selective Placement Program process for faculty positions. Schedule A applicants must apply via instructions in the "How to Apply" section and applications must be received by the closing date of the announcement.

Late or incomplete application packages will not be considered. USAFA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) and provides reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants with disabilities. The AF believes that diversity is essential to accomplishing its mission.

The AF Academy highly values individuals who have a demonstrated ability to work successfully with and help develop individuals of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

For the AF, diversity encompasses personal life experiences, geographic background, socioeconomic background, cultural knowledge, educational background, work background, language abilities, physical abilities, philosophical/spiritual perspectives, age, race, ethnicity, and gender. Please ensure your application package DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY PHOTOGRAPHS.

Applications submitted with any documents that include photographs will not be considered. Applications submitted under this announcement will be considered ONLY for this vacancy.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order (EO)14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees.

Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to EO14043, that req does not currently apply.

Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and restriction from the workplace.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here. Salary will be calculated based on years of experience, academic rank at which one is hired, andcommensurate with average USAFA, regional, and national salaries for the disciplinary area.

You may receive a one-time taxable recruiting/relocation incentive if eligible and authorized. If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

How to apply

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Details on this page reflect the source posting as of Nov 3, 2026. Closing dates and salary ranges can change without notice — the official listing is always authoritative. How our coverage works.