Job Description for the Assistant Professor of Political Science & Public Policy and Environmental Studies position. Review job description, requirements, and qualifications. Apply or register interest for the position.

Title: Assistant Professor of Political Science & Public Policy and Environmental Studies

Position Type: Faculty Full-Time

VP Area: Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs

Department: Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences

Position Summary

Elon University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Political Science & Public Policy and Department of Environmental Studies, with expertise in U.S. public policy and the environment. The position will begin mid-August 2026 and requires candidates to:
- Hold a PhD in Public Policy, Political Science, or another policy-related field by time of appointment
- Be committed to high-quality undergraduate teaching in a liberal arts context
- Have an active, significant research agenda at the intersection of public policy and environmental studies

Responsibilities include teaching Introduction to Public Policy (PUB 1000), Policy Analysis (PUB 3010), a sophomore seminar in Environmental Inquiry (ENS 2000), Environmental Policy (PUB 3240), and offering upper-level courses in Public Policy and Environmental Studies. Ability to teach in the university’s interdisciplinary Elon Core Curriculum is also desired.

The course load for this position will be six courses per year. Additional responsibilities include student mentorship through advising and collaborative undergraduate research, contributions to the life of the Public Policy and Environmental Studies programs, departments, university, and to their discipline or profession.

We welcome a diverse range of methodological and theoretical approaches in a candidate’s scholarship. To support Elon’s teacher-scholar-mentor model, we offer an attractive package of research support that includes a pre-tenure sabbatical, course reassignment times, a summer research grant, and funds for conference travel.

To apply, please upload a letter of application, curriculum vitae, teaching statement and/or portfolio, research/scholarly plans (not to exceed 3 pages), unofficial copies of graduate school transcripts, and a writing sample to the PageUp application platform. In addition, candidates must provide three contacts for letters of reference within the application form.

Candidates who have experience working with a diverse range of people are encouraged to identify their experiences in contributing to a climate of inclusivity in their cover letters. Elon is a dynamic private, co-educational, comprehensive institution that is a national model for actively engaging faculty and students in teaching and learning in a liberal arts-based residential campus. To learn more about Elon, please visit the University website. Applications received by Oct. 13, 2025 will be given full consideration. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

Benefits of Working at Elon

Elon values and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and perspectives of our community members. As an equal opportunity employer, decisions related to hiring, compensating, training, evaluating performance, are made fairly, and we provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees. We examine our unconscious biases and take responsibility for always striving to create an inclusive environment that makes every candidate feel welcome. At Elon we strive to follow our mission, where our employees are empowered to respect human differences, have a passion for lifelong learning, an emphasis on personal integrity and an ethic of service.

Minimum Required Education and Experience

Hold a PhD in Public Policy, Political Science, or another policy-related field by time of appointment