In 1775, he was appointed deputy librarian (суб-библиотекарь) of the university library (only a professor could hold this post) and editor-in-chief of the Moskovskie Vedomosti for the next three years.
In 1776, Khariton Chebotaryov became an extraordinary professor at the Russian Literature Department, simultaneously remaining a philosophy and world history teacher at the gymnasium.
Upon the death of Professor Johann Gottfried Reichel, Chebotaryov delivered lectures on European history and Russian literature at the gymnasium.
At the behest of the Empress, he and Anton Barsov were engaged in copying out notes from Russian chronicles, located at synodal and patriarchal libraries and Moscow State Archive.
After the transformation of the university charter, Chebotaryov was elected its rector (being in the rank of collegiate councilor) and awarded with the Order of Saint Anna (2nd Class).