"Knight Professorship of Public Policy"

Job Details

The College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences (CHESS) invites applications for the Knight Distinguished Professorship of Public Policy, a full-time, tenured faculty position to begin August 15, 2026.

The Knight Professorship of Public Policy serves as a catalyst for studying critical regional needs in Charlotte and other rapidly growing urban areas in the southeastern United States. Such needs include, but are not limited to, transportation, growth management, economic development, health, education, economic mobility, sustainability, and environmental issues, especially energy policy.

The Knight Professor will have an appointment within an appropriate CHESS Department and will act as a faculty affiliate to the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute. The Urban Institute is a non-partisan, applied research and community outreach institute at UNC Charlotte, seeking solutions to the social, economic, and environmental challenges facing our region. The Knight Professor will also be a core member of the interdisciplinary Public Policy Ph.D. program, teaching and mentoring doctoral students.

Requirements:

• Candidates will have a Ph.D. in a social science discipline, with preference for Political Science.
• Candidates will be a tenured full professor.
• Candidates will have an exceptional record of scholarly accomplishment with significant national and/or international stature.
• Candidates will have a record of success in teaching, advising, and mentoring students of all backgrounds in higher education and will be able to contribute to the success of UNC Charlotte students.
• Candidates will show an interest in fostering engagement and dialogue among the departments in the College and across the University.
• Candidates will have a scholarly agenda with a public-facing dimension capable of attracting the interest of and engaging the Charlotte community and region.

As the largest and most academically diverse college at UNC Charlotte, the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences houses 15 departments, 13 interdisciplinary programs, and 7 applied centers. We offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs with extensive honors and early-entry options. The College plays a pivotal role in delivering on the university’s goals in the areas of research excellence, student success and experience, and community engagement. Through their scholarship and teaching, the College’s 350+ faculty members seek to deepen our understanding of complex problems and lead the university in interdisciplinary collaboration. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is the second largest institution within the University of North Carolina system. This past Fall, UNC Charlotte enrolled 32,207 students and experienced record growth with its incoming first-year class and graduate programs. UNC Charlotte is also the fastest growing institution in the UNC System, comprising eight academic colleges offering 83 programs leading to Bachelor’s degrees, 64 Master’s degrees, and 25 Doctoral degrees. UNC Charlotte is proud to have 3,747 passionate and committed faculty and staff members and more than 185,000 living alumni.

Applicants should apply online at https://jobs.charlotte.edu (position # XXXX) and submit the following materials: 1) a letter of interest discussing the applicant’s professional qualifications and how the applicant would contribute to the program, college, and university’s research, teaching, and service mission; 2) a curriculum vitae; and 3) names of three references. Confidential letters of reference will be requested later for applicants selected for further consideration. To ensure full consideration, complete applications should be submitted by January 31, 2026. Questions about the position should be directed to Greg Weeks, the Search Committee Chair (gbweeks@charlotte.edu).

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is committed to equality of educational and employment opportunity and does not discriminate against applications, students, or employees based on any protected status. The candidate chosen for the position will be subject to Criminal Background Check. The selected candidate will be required to provide Official Transcripts of their highest-earned degree upon hire. Hiring subject to budget availability.