Job description
Department Name: 8E000:College of Arts & Sciences
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Tenure Track Status
Tenure Track
Required Education: PhD in Political Science
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.
How to apply
Applicants must include the following:
- letter of application (upload as Cover Letter)
- Curriculum Vita
- Two publications or writing samples
- Research Statement (upload as specific statement 1)
- Teaching statement and evidence of teaching experience (upload as specific statement 2)
- Transcript
- In addition, please provide the names and contact information for three references when prompted in the academic profile. This information may be utilized to solicit recommendation letters from your references within the employment system.
Questions about the search may be directed to Dr. Bridgett King, Search Committee Chair, Department of Political Science, University of Kentucky, at [email protected].
Application Deadline is 09/29/2026. This position will remain open until filled.
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.
University of Kentucky is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from minorities and women.
