Opportunities for Commissioned Officers Officers can serve at West Point in either rotating or permanent positions. Rotating positions are normally for more junior officers and can take several forms while permanent positions require switching to Functional Area 47 or being selected as a PUSMA. Opportunities for Commissioned Officers Officers can serve at West Point in either rotating or permanent positions. Rotating positions are normally for more junior officers and can take several forms while permanent positions require switching to Functional Area 47 or being selected as a PUSMA. Breadcrumb opportunities for commissioned officers draft prod Work at West Point MENU Work at West Point Commissioned Officers Non-Commissioned Officers Civilians Volunteer Career-Building Opportunities at West PointTeaching, mentoring, and leading at the United States Military Academy is a rare and rewarding opportunity to shape the Army’s future leaders while advancing your own career. Whether serving as Rotating Military Faculty, applying to become a Tactical Officer, joining as a Direct Hire, or pursuing a role as Permanent Faculty, each path offers distinct ways to combine scholarship, leadership, and service. From earning advanced degrees to gaining hands-on experience in cadet development, West Point provides officers with professional growth that extends well beyond the classroom - preparing you for future success in both academic and operational roles. Join the Rotating Military Faculty Rotating military faculty are drawn from among the Army’s most talented captains, majors, and lieutenant colonels. A faculty tour at West Point is more than just a teaching assignment - it’s a career-enhancing opportunity that combines graduate-level education, academic leadership experience, and the chance to directly shape the next generation of Army leaders.To be considered, officers must apply through the CAC-enabled TEACH system, which serves as the common application for all West Point academic departments. From there, you can indicate your areas of interest and review additional department-specific requirements. Because each department has unique expectations, starting your application early is strongly encouraged.West Point offers teaching positions across a wide range of departments and organizations, each requiring different skills and expertise. Explore where your knowledge, experience, and leadership can make the greatest impact - while advancing your own career as a scholar, leader, and Army officer. Start a TEACH application Learn about career-enhancing opportunities Explore timelines and eligibility Explore the USMA faculty model Become a Tactical Officer As a Tactical Officer (TAC) at West Point, you’ll do more than command - you’ll shape the next generation of Army leaders. TACs serve as the legal company commander for a cadet company, integrating West Point’s physical, military, academic, and moral-ethical programs. You’ll coach, mentor, and inspire cadets, empowering them to lead with confidence and character.What makes this opportunity unique is the chance to pair that role with a fully funded, one-year master’s degree in Social-Organizational Psychology at Columbia University. Through the Eisenhower Leadership Development Program (ELDP), you’ll gain world-class insight into organizational behavior, leadership development, and the science of building effective teams - skills that will directly advance your Army career and serve you in future command and staff roles. Start a TEACH application Learn more about becoming a TAC officer and the ELDP Explore timelines and eligibility TEACH Application Deadline is November 1 Start your application Explore Direct Hire OpportunitiesOfficers with an existing master's degree or Ph.D. in a relevant field are occasionally assigned to the USMA faculty without the need to attend additional schooling. This is done by exception to fill unforecasted personnel shortfalls. Learn more about direct hire positions Explore Permanent Faculty Positions Permanent faculty positions are usually for lieutenant colonels and colonels. Permanent military faculty positions involve leaving one’s basic branch and joining the Functional Area 47 career group or becoming a Professor USMA (PUSMA). View current permanent faculty positions USMA Faculty FAQs What is the difference between an academy professor and a rotating faculty position? Rotating faculty positions are for officers who will come to West Point to teach for three years before returning to their basic branch or functional area. These officers will also attend graduate school through the Advanced Civil Schooling process for two to three years before coming to teach. Thus, the entire tour ("round trip") as a rotating instructor is typically five years. These faculty members are selected through the TEACH online application discussed below. Academy Professors are permanent professors at USMA that must earn a Ph.D. and become a Functional Area 47 (FA 47) officer for the remainder of their career. This hiring process is handled by an external committee. View current academy professor positions What is the difference between a Ph.D. rotator position and a Functional Area 47 slot? Both slots typically include three years of ACS (for a Ph.D.). The major differences between the two are: The Functional Area 47 (FA 47) slot is tenured. This means that you can stay at USMA until 30 years of commissioned federal service as a COL, and 28 years as a LTC. The FA47 positions are USMA advertised and selected positions. They really belong to the Dean, and a special selection committee is established, usually chaired by a Professor, USMA, normally a Department Head or Vice Dean. It is very competitive with an average of 30-50 very qualified personnel competing for 1-2 positions in each advertisement (in the Army Times). Rotating PhD positions are controlled by individual department heads, who establish internal procedures to conduct the selection process. Rotators have a three-year utilization (teaching) tour. Learn more about advanced degree opportunities What is the difference between an assistant professor and an instructor? These titles reflect the officer’s academic rank:New rotating faculty with master’s degrees are typically instructors and advance to senior instructor during their utilization tour. Faculty with a Ph.D. are eligible for the assistant professor title. Learn more about advanced degree opportunities How are instructors evaluated? Instructors are evaluated based on their performance and potential, as in any other Army unit. This involves an assessment of performance across West Point’s five domains, including teaching, cadet development, faculty development, service, and scholarship. We expect each faculty member to contribute to our community through a combination of activities in the five domains, and program directors will work with instructors to develop an individual plan for their tour and placement beyond their time in the department. Learn more about USMA's faculty model Start Your Application Early The CAC-enabled TEACH application is used by all departments at West Point, with additional application requirements for the departments in which you express interest. Get step-by-step help completing the application and view FAQs. Get application help Why Teach at West Point? Teaching at West Point is a career-enhancing assignment, with numerous rotating faculty going on to become commanders at the battalion and brigade levels. Several recent and current general officers have also served as faculty at West Point. Hear from former USMA faculty Teaching at West Point The USMA faculty model is deliberately designed to include individuals with varying career paths to meet the needs of the academy's mission. Learn more about the USMA faculty model