"Assistant Professor - Planning and Landscape Architecture"

Job Details

Salary:
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Job Category: Faculty

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile: Assistant Professor

Job Summary:

The Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin–Madison invites applications for a tenure-track, assistant professor position in landscape architecture. This is a 9-month, academic year, full-time position with responsibilities for teaching, research, and service.

Classroom teaching and student mentoring: This position will teach undergraduate and graduate classes, including at least one design studio in the accredited BLA program and, depending on the successful candidate's expertise and interests, courses supporting the department's other degree programs. Mentor undergraduate and graduate students, particularly at risk-, first-generation and/or underrepresented students, to help them achieve success.

Research: Disciplinary research, creative work, and/or practice-based scholarship that advances knowledge and has the potential to inform evidence-based practice in landscape architecture. Candidates with diverse research interests are welcome to apply.

Service: Serve on department and campus committees; engage in relevant disciplinary initiatives; engage with communities and/or governments locally, regionally, or internationally.

This position is part of UW–Madison’s Excellence in Mentoring Initiative. The Excellence in Mentoring Initiative aims to recruit outstanding faculty who, in addition to their demonstrated excellence or strong potential in research and teaching, have demonstrated the ability and commitment to mentor at-risk, first generation, or underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students to achieve academic success.

The successful candidate will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science that values, prioritizes, and actualizes evidence-based and student-centered teaching and (undergraduate student) mentoring. They will contribute to an environment that fosters engagement and a sense of belonging for faculty, staff, students and members of the broader community.

Candidates for this position may be eligible for participation in the Excellence in Mentoring Initiative. The Excellence in Mentoring Initiative aims to recruit outstanding faculty who, in addition to their demonstrated excellence or strong potential in research and teaching, have demonstrated the ability and commitment to mentor underprepared or under-resourced students to help them achieve academic success and the undergraduate and/or graduate levels. In this case, the faculty member will join a cohort of Excellence in Mentoring Initiative faculty across campus and become part of a growing community of scholars dedicated to inclusive mentorship and student success.

The successful candidate will demonstrate fostering or the ability to foster a teaching, learning, mentoring, departmental, and a research environment where all can thrive. Demonstrated evidence in mentoring at-risk, first generation, and/or underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students to help them achieve academic success.

The successful candidate, as a member of the College of L&S, will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college’s commitment to excellence among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public land-grant university and prolific research institution that strives for relevance to society and inclusivity in the broadest sense. UW–Madison is consistently rated among the world’s top universities and defines itself through research, teaching, and public service in support of the “Wisconsin Idea,” which stipulates that education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom.

The Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture has a diverse, multidisciplinary faculty with expertise and interests that include urban planning and design, land use policy, ecological restoration, community health, resilience, and sustainability. We offer two undergraduate degrees: a LAAB-accredited BLA and a BS/BA in Landscape and Urban Studies; two master’s degrees: a PAB-accredited MS in Urban and Regional Planning and a research-based MSLA; and a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning. Courses in our department serve a broad range of students from degree and certificate programs across campus. The successful candidate will join a collegial and productive community of scholars who strive for excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and service. For more information about the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, please visit our website: https://dpla.wisc.edu/.

In the College of Letters & Science, we provide a liberal arts education that is both broad and deep through excellent, empathic teaching. We hire faculty who are interested in pursuing difficult questions, making new discoveries, and making an impact in their field. We reward excellent teaching and classroom innovation, and we are committed to shared governance. Learn more about the L&S mission on our webpage: https://ls.wisc.edu/about/mission.

Key Job Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will demonstrate fostering or the ability to foster a teaching, learning, mentoring, departmental, and a research environment where all can thrive. Demonstrated evidence in mentoring at-risk, first generation, and/or underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students to help them achieve academic success.

Department:

College of Letters and Science, Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture

Compensation:

Negotiable – 9 months / ongoing / renewable

Education:

An accredited professional degree in landscape architecture (BSLA, BLA, MLA, or similar) with a terminal degree in landscape architecture or related field by position start date.

How to Apply:

Apply online at "Jobs at UW" (http://jobs.wisc.edu) under Job Requisition JR10006734. Applications must be received through UW–Madison's online application system. Applications submitted outside of this system will not be considered. Click the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. Applicants should submit the following 4 items (each as an individual PDF):

1. A cover letter (2-pages, max.) summarizing your teaching and research interests and your qualifications for this position
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Portfolio (15 pages, max.) with work samples and/or abstracts of relevant publications (additional work samples may be requested from semi-finalists)
4. List of three references with their contact information.

Applicants who move forward in the process will receive an email requesting the contact information for three references; each reference will each receive an electronic link through which they can upload a signed letter of reference.

For full consideration, all materials must be received no later than 11:59pm on January 19, 2026. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Please note that applicants will be evaluated based upon submitted application materials and therefore should speak to and include evidence of their qualifications.

Application materials must clearly demonstrate the applicant’s dedication to excellence in student-centered teaching and mentoring. Additionally, materials should showcase the applicant’s ability to purposefully plan their teaching practices, evidenced through goals, action plans, reflection, and related documentation. This portion of the application materials must be created by the applicant and may include supporting letters. It cannot be only in the form of letters and testimony by others.

Contact Information:

Edna Ledesma, Associate Professor and Search Committee Chair

eledesma@wisc.edu