"Assistant Professor of Public Policy - Department of Political Science"

Assistant Professor of Public Policy - Department of Political Science

Company: West Virginia University

Job Location:

Category: Public Administration and Policy

Type: Full-Time

Description

The Department of Political Science at West Virginia University seeks to hire a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in Public Policy. The preferred start date is August 14, 2026. We welcome applications that can contribute broadly to the public policy curriculum.

The Department of Political Science offers a full range of academic programs (B.A., M.A., and Ph.D.) and has 14 full-time faculty, 36 graduate students, and about 400 undergraduates, a majority of whom are in the Pre-Law Area of Emphasis. The department faculty are active in research on American and state politics, class politics, comparative elections, computational methods, conflict analysis, congressional politics, International Relations, political and economic inequality, public opinion, public policy, racial and ethnic politics, religion and politics, representation, and state courts. The department's methodologically rigorous doctoral program offers fields in American politics, comparative politics, international politics, and public policy. Additionally, the department houses the International Studies Program, which is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major focusing on national security, diplomacy, and development.

Responsibilities:

The person hired in this position will maintain an active research agenda that advances the Department's program in the area of public policy, and candidates from across all policy subfield specializations are encouraged to apply. The successful candidates will be expected to teach classes that complement the Department's current offerings at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, develop new course offerings, and advise students. The teaching load is two courses per semester. They will be expected to regularly publish in high-quality peer-reviewed journals. The candidate will also be expected to serve the community, university, and profession.

Qualifications

Professional Qualifications:

The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in Political Science, or a closely related field. We will consider ABD candidates, but the Ph.D. must be conferred by the start date. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate evidence of the following: potential to develop an active research agenda that will secure external funding; appropriate methodological skills; evidence of and commitment to establishing an excellent record of teaching and mentorship/advising; and excellent communication skills.

To apply, please visit https://careers.wvu.edu/career-opportunities and upload (1) a cover letter addressed to the Search Committee, (2) a curriculum vitae including a complete list of publications and relevant teaching experience, (3) a description of teaching interests and capabilities, (4) samples of written work (5) complete contact information for three professional references. Letters of recommendation from professional references will only be requested from finalists. For more information, please visit our website https://politicalscience.wvu.edu. Questions regarding this position may be directed to the chair of the search committee, John Kilwein (john.kilwein@mail.wvu.edu). Review of applications will begin on March 6, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.