Assistant or Associate Professor of Political Science

University of Kentucky; Lexington (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Kentucky invites applications for a tenure-eligible Assistant or Associate Professor position in Political Science, focusing on law, courts, and democracy. Start date August 1, 2027, nine-month appointment with 45% teaching, 45% research, 10% service.

PhD in Political Science required, and the candidate will teach in the Law and Justice major and political science courses. Open until filled with an expectation of strong research potential, extramural funding, and effective

Qualifications

• PhD in Political Science required.

Responsibilities

• Teach courses in the Law and Justice major and political science courses in law and courts.
• Conduct high-quality research in law, courts, and democracy.
• Contribute to undergraduate and graduate instruction and program development.

Education

PhD in Political Science

Job description

Posting Details

Job Title

Assistant or Associate Professor of Political Science

Requisition Number

FE05012

Department Name

8E110:Political Science

Work Location

Lexington, KY

Type of Position

Faculty

Position Time Status

Full-Time

Tenure Track Status

Tenure Track

Required Education

PhD in Political Science

Required Related Experience

N/A

Required License/Registration/Certification

N/A

Job Summary

The Department of Political Science in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Kentucky invites applications for a tenure-eligible faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the field of law, courts, and democracy. Preference will be given to scholars whose research and teaching bridge traditional subfield boundaries. This is a nine-month appointment in the regular title series with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2027. The anticipated Distribution of Effort will be 45% teaching, 45% research, and 10% departmental service. The successful candidate will demonstrate either an established record or strong potential for producing high-quality research, securing extramural funding, employing rigorous quantitative and methodological approaches, and providing effective instruction at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The successful candidate will be expected to teach courses in the Law and Justice major, a rapidly growing program housed within the Department of Political Science, as well as Political Science courses in law and courts. A PhD in Political Science is required at time of appointment.

Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ medical coverage and in addition, offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?

No

Open Until Filled

Yes

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus. The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulations concerning smoking. Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.

Application Deadline

09/29/2026. This position will remain open until filled.