"Assistant Professor, Political Science"

Location

Hickory, North Carolina

Faculty Position

Full-time, non-tenure track position in Political Science

Position Summary

Lenoir-Rhyne University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences seeks applications for a full-time, non-tenure-track faculty member at the rank of Teaching Assistant Professor in political science (or as determined by the provost) beginning in August 2026. Promotion is per the Lenoir-Rhyne University Faculty Handbook.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Minimum of an earned master’s degree from an accredited institution, or equivalent, with a terminal degree preferred.
• Evidence of teaching excellence.
• Demonstrated commitment to Lenoir-Rhyne's Teacher-Scholar Model.
• Demonstrated initiative in professional development.
• Ability to engage with the campus community and contribute to university service and governance.

Teaching responsibilities include 24 credit hours (4/4 course load) across the academic year, with professional development and service expected. Although scholarship is not required for this position, it is an additional activity that a teaching assistant professor can choose as part of their professional pathway requirement. Successful candidates will display a commitment and capacity for teaching excellence, student mentorship, and collaborative work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in international relations or comparative politics, with the ability to teach broadly in both areas.
• Demonstrated ability or interest in teaching research methods.
• Familiarity with or interest in various instructional modalities, including in-person and asynchronous formats.
• Demonstrated excellence or interest in academic and professional advising of majors/minors.
• Commitment to fostering student opportunities in high-impact practices, including undergraduate research and applied/experiential learning.

Compensation

Lenoir-Rhyne University offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Salary transparency is a priority; detailed information will be provided to candidates during the interview process.

Application Process

While completing the application, candidates will be prompted to submit:
1. Letter of application,
a. The application letter should discuss specifically how one’s professional experiences and perspectives relate to the needs of the position and of Lenoir-Rhyne University.
2. Curriculum Vitae (including the names and addresses of three references).
3. Statement of teaching philosophy, that explains how you incorporate varied perspectives and traditions in your teaching and learning.

The University’s mission, vision, and values statements may be reviewed using About LR.

The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and will continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, please submit materials by March 6, 2026. Any questions regarding the position or the search process should be submitted electronically to the search chair, Dr. Clinton Jenkins, Assistant Professor of Political Science, at Clinton.Jenkins@lr.edu.

Lenoir-Rhyne University promotes a welcoming campus environment that is integral to the university's commitment to excellence in engagement and education. We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience nurturing a welcoming community, working with faculty, staff and/or students from all walks of life and/or incorporating varied perspectives and traditions in their current or previous positions. This commitment is rooted in our Lutheran tradition of fostering wisdom, nurturing vocation and preparing students for lives of purpose while serving the common good.

About the College of Humanities and Social Sciences

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences prepares students for life by cultivating critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and cultural understanding. As a distinctive hub of scholarly and vocational transformation, the college equips graduates for meaningful service in the world. Our faculty is dedicated to mentoring, empowering, and challenging students to make a lasting impact in their communities. The college includes undergraduate programs and coursework in criminal justice, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, religious studies, sociology, and world languages.

About Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private, comprehensive institution founded in 1891, with its traditional campus located in Hickory, North Carolina, a city of more than 40,000. The university has additional graduate centers in Asheville, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lenoir-Rhyne is less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 365,000. The university now offers more than 45 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs to approximately 2,400 students. Lenoir-Rhyne University seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build community, and promote responsible leadership for service to the world. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne is open to people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.