Position Title: Assistant Lecturer in Law (2 Positions)

Position No's: VBL012 and LBD011

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 to legal education 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 Assistant Lecturer level.

USP Law enrolls 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, appointees will be expected to conduct research, publish their work, and actively engage with Pacific communities and society. Candidates at the Assistant Lecturer level must meet the entry requirements for our higher degree research programmes and will be required to enrol in a 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.

PD - AL in Law

The Person We Seek

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

Assistant Lecturer

• a postgraduate degree (Masters/PhD) in a relevant discipline;
• Evidence of an interest in conducting research and/or experience in legal practice;
• Some experience teaching in a higher education setting and a genuine interest in legal education and professional practice; and/or

Remuneration

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

Assistant Lecturer: VUV 4,849,468 – VUV 5,819,362 per annum

Enquiries & Closing Date

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

Closing date: 8 November 2026

How to Apply

Click the Apply button on the USP website to submit your application online. Full selection criteria are available at www.usp.ac.fj under Employment Opportunities.

Please include the following documents with your application: academic transcripts and credentials; a cover letter clearly addressing the key selection criteria; and a current CV with the names and contact details of three referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent direct supervisor. Referees will only be contacted if you are shortlisted.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

USP is an equal opportunity employer committed to ensuring that all staff are treated with respect and given equal opportunities within an inclusive working environment. We encourage applications from qualified candidates regardless of racial or ethnic background, religion, cultural identity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.