Position Title: Teaching Assistant in Law (4 Positions)

Position No's: VBL053, VBL058, VBL059, VBL060, 

The University 

The University of the South Pacific (USP) is the premier tertiary institution in the Pacific region. Established in 1968, USP upholds international standards of research and teaching excellence, with a particular focus on issues central to the region. It is jointly governed by 13 member countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Courses are delivered face-to-face and online, reaching students spread across 33 million square kilometres of ocean on both sides of the International Date Line. Situated at the heart of the world's most linguistically diverse region, USP is a uniquely stimulating institution in which to build a career. USP Law is the premier provider of legal education in the Pacific. With these academic appointments it is seeking to grow and provide the highest level of legal education and support the development of Pacific law and society research agendas.

The School of Law and Social Sciences

The successful candidates will be based in the School of Law and Social Sciences (SoLaSS), which brings together the disciplines of Law, Psychology, Diplomacy and International Affairs, Sociology, Social Work, and History. SoLaSS is committed to producing work-ready graduates through degree programmes that are impactful, relevant, and accessible to students across the South Pacific. The School fosters a culture of collegiality and is invested in building a dynamic scholarly community that responds directly to regional priorities. With large student enrolments spanning the Pacific, SoLaSS provides meaningful higher education opportunities to a significant number of Pacific Islander students.

The Opportunity

USP Law is the leading higher education institution for legal study across the Pacific. We are seeking to significantly strengthen our staffing at the Emalus Campus to drive the online support we provide across the region. It is also seeking to consolidate and develop its contribution to Pacific inspired socio-legal studies. We are inviting applications from dedicated, experienced professionals to join the discipline at the Teaching Assistant level.

USP Law enrols more than 600 first-year students across the Pacific each year. Appointees will teach into the core and elective courses of the LLB programme. We welcome applicants who can contribute across our core courses; where possible, academic staff are supported to teach in areas that align with their research interests.

The staff who will be based at the Emalus Campus in Vanuatu are primarily responsible for online teaching across the Pacific, as well as face-to-face teaching on campus. Emalus has substantial campus accommodation and serves as a hub for international students from throughout the region. We also offer the LLM and maintain a large cohort of higher degree research students (PhD and LLM by Thesis). All suitably qualified appointees will be expected to contribute to the LLM and higher degree research programmes.

In addition to teaching, all appointees will be expected to conduct research, publish their work, and actively engage with Pacific communities and society. Candidates at this level must meet the entry requirements for our higher degree research programmes and will be required to enrol in the LLM (Thesis) or PhD programme within six months of appointment. Completion of this research training will serve as a substitute for standard research performance expectations during that period.

Preference will be given to candidates with experience in, or a research focus on, Pacific communities and societies. We also welcome applications from candidates who have the right qualifications and aptitude to teach Pacific law and legal systems. Appointees at the Lecturer and Senior Lecturer levels must hold research publications that meet the University's Quality of Research criteria at the appropriate academic level.

PD - Teaching Assistant in Law

The Person We Seek

To be considered for appointment, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Teaching Assistant

• A Teaching Assistant is normally expected to have completed four years of tertiary study, including at the postgraduate level, in the relevant discipline, and/or have equivalent qualifications and/or professional experience.
• Professional experience may include teaching experience, experience in research, experience outside tertiary education, creative achievement, professional contribution, and/or contributions to technical achievement.
• For appointment at Band 2, a Teaching Assistant is required to have at least a Master’s degree in Law and experience teaching.

Preferences

• An LLB with a GPA of 3.0 or above if awarded by USP, or 3.5 or above if awarded by another university in the Pacific, with commitment to enrol in a research higher degree programme; and
• Experience teaching in a higher education environment; and/or
• Demonstrated aptitude for, or experience in, legal research.

Remuneration

Appointments are offered on a five-year term and may be renewed by mutual agreement. 

Teaching Assistant salary range: 

BAND 1 - VUV 2,630,345 to VUV 3,073,041 per annum

BAND 2 – VUV 3,241,334 to VUV 3,593,725 per annum

Enquiries & Closing Date

Enquiries:            Email myhr@usp.ac.fj      Phone: (679) 323 1000

Closing date: 25 October 2026

How to Apply

Click the Apply button to apply for this position online.

The advertisement criteria is available on our University website (www.usp.ac.fj) under Employment Opportunities.

Please include the following documents in your application: Academic Credentials/Transcripts, Cover letter clearly addressing key Selection Criteria and Resume with names of three referees, one of which must be your current or most recent direct work supervisor. Referees will only be contacted if you are selected.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

USP is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities to work in an inclusive environment. USP encourages all qualified candidates to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities.