Open Positions

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Global Public Affairs, JPF 11174

The Department of Public Policy in the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs seeks an Assistant Professor of Public Policy who will contribute to the Department’s research and teaching missions, including a new Master of Global Public Affairs.

We seek scholars from political science, public policy, sociology, and related fields whose work relates to Global Public Affairs, broadly defined. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to economic development, innovation, and trade; comparative and international political economy, including analyses of cultural, labor, and social policies, as well as the interplay of domestic and international institutions; social movements, conflict, and human rights; demography and immigration; and environmental sustainability. Applicants’ research should have policy implications, and applicants should be prepared to teach core and elective courses to master’s and undergraduate students. In addition to research and service commitments, the standard teaching load for this position is four courses across three quarters.

UCLA’s Public Policy Department is multi-disciplinary and values scholarly excellence, effective teaching, and collegiality. The Public Policy Department currently includes 19 tenure-track faculty members, many of whom hold courtesy or joint appointments in other departments on campus (including in political science and sociology). The Department offers a Master of Public Policy degree, undergraduate courses, and will contribute courses to a new Master of Global Public Affairs. The Master of Global Public Affairs (MGPA) is a two-year interdepartmental program that emphasizes rigorous training in problem formulation, policy design, and impact evaluation for students planning to work at the intersection of local and global issues across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Public Policy faculty may advise doctoral students from other departments.

The Department sits within the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, which is home to two other top-ranked departments (Urban Planning and Social Welfare) and a number of research centers. UCLA is a leading global university and among the top-ranked public universities in the US.

The position is open until filled, but early applications are encouraged. Applications will be accepted starting on August 1, 2026, and the selection committee will begin to review completed applications starting on September 18, 2026. Interested candidates should apply through the UC Recruit JPF11174 application link. Please submit a curriculum vitae, cover letter (maximum two pages), research statement (maximum five pages), teaching statement (maximum two pages), two academic writing samples, and three letters of reference. For questions related to the position, please contact Search Committee Chair, Darin Christensen (darinc@luskin.ucla.edu), or Department Manager, Stacey Hirose (stacey@luskin.ucla.edu).