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).

Working with significant independence, in conjunction with faculty and staff, the Specialist ( DD- Deputy Director) leads the development (i.e., preparation of contract and grant applications, and establishment of new contracts or grants) and implementation (i.e., project management and delivery) of social welfare research and evaluation projects, at the local, state, and federal levels for the Agile Visual Analytics Lab (AVAL). The Specialist (DD) also collaborates with other AVAL senior staff to develop and implement strategic plans, policies, and procedures to achieve AVAL’s department goals. The Specialist (DD) facilitates processes to identify and address needs for department-level technologies, staff development, and other resources to ensure efficient and effective operations.

The Specialist (DD) directly manages AVAL research and evaluation, information systems, and event staff members across its portfolio of projects that operate within complex technical environments involving a wide-range of softwares, data systems, and other technologies. The Specialist (DD)leads change management, capacity building, and other collaborations with local, state, and federal stakeholders to accomplish project goals such as facilitating knowledge acquisition and driving the utilization of data and research and evaluation findings to support continuous improvement and innovation efforts in social welfare programs, policies, and practices. To that end, the Specialist (DD) oversees project teams in the planning, development, and execution of research, evaluation, software, and information systems activities including complex data collection, management and storage, modeling and system architecture, engineering, analysis, and reporting.

The UCLA Agile Visual Analytics Lab (AVAL) empowers national, state, and local stakeholders to use data to make more timely and sound decisions impacting children, families, communities, and the workforces that serve them. We do this through 1) putting vital information into the hands of stakeholders in the form of data visualizations that efficiently and effectively meet their diverse and dynamic information needs, 2) implementing utilization-focused and developmental evaluation of programs and policies of mission-driven organizations and systems, and 3) building the capacity of systems and organizations to grow, use, and sustain data ecosystems. In these ways we work with our partners in different capacities, depending on their specific needs, ranging from leading full-scale evaluations to data collection, data management and processing, and data visualization.

Apply link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF11211

Help contact: brooks@luskin.ucla.edu

Field Work Consultant, Academic Year (9 month), 100% time.
OVERVIEW: Responsible for the operation and implementation of practicum education experiences for students that focus on the delivery of the Council on Social Work Education competencies for master’s level students. Includes the development of educational programs for students and collaboration and coordination with public and private agencies in Los Angeles, and surrounding counties with a special focus on public mental health. Candidate will be expected to teach courses and to support the recruitment of students for stipend programs as well as participate in university and department service.
RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Demonstrated success in agency-based social work practice with diverse populations
• Consults with practicum agency field instructors and/or preceptors to develop internship sites for students.
• Identifies, develops, and provides training, seminars and other practicum work support that focus on the delivery of the competencies specific to stipend training programs, for practicum instructors, preceptors, and students to enhance the field work placement experience.
• Works and collaborates with the Principal Investigator, Director of Practicum Education, State funding sources, and other Practicum Education Faculty
  to plan and implement educational experiences and activities for the practicum education with special attention to state-funded public mental health training programs.
• Works and collaborates with other Project Coordinators, instructional and practicum faculty in the development and teaching of specialized seminars
  and training opportunities specific to their assigned stipend program.
• Facilitates and functions as practicum faculty in assigned practicum seminar.
• Interprets school policies and requirements; monitors and evaluates students’ progress; advises assigned students; evaluates practicum instructors
  and agency’s performance; mediates problems and/or disputes.
• Assists in the development of student orientations, practicum education coursework, and practicum instructor trainings.
• Contributes to relevant written materials as needed, e.g. field manual, learning agreements, school policies that impact the field education curriculum and support the internships.
• Monitors and evaluates liability, malpractice, and risk management issues for students and agencies. Provide due process, input, and feedback for agencies, field instructors, and students.
• Supports the job search procedures and requirements and employment monitoring systems for stipend program students.
• Participates in departmental committees, curriculum development and special projects, as assigned.
• Teaches in the MSW program.
  

Incumbent must possess a Master’s Degree in Social Work.

View this position online: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF11252

Working with significant independence, in conjunction with faculty and staff, the Specialist (SPD-Senior Project Director) leads the development (i.e., preparation of contract and grant applications, and establishment of new contracts or grants) and implementation (i.e., project management and delivery) of social welfare research and evaluation projects, at the local, state, and federal levels for the Agile Visual Analytics Lab (AVAL). The Specialist (SPD) also collaborates with other AVAL senior staff to advise on the development and implementation of strategic plans, policies, and procedures to achieve AVAL’s department goals. The Specialist (SPD) supports processes to identify and address needs for department-level technologies, staff development, and other resources to ensure efficient and effective operations.

The Specialist (SPD) directly manages AVAL research and evaluation staff members across its portfolio of projects that operate within complex technical environments involving a wide-range of softwares, data systems, and other technologies. The Specialist (SPD) leads collaborations with local, state, and federal stakeholders to accomplish project goals such as facilitating knowledge acquisition and driving the utilization of data and research and evaluation findings to support continuous improvement and innovation efforts in social welfare programs, policies, and practices. To that end, the Specialist (SPD) oversees teams in the planning, development, and execution of complex, multisite research and evaluation projects including data collection, management and storage, analysis, and reporting.

The UCLA Agile Visual Analytics Lab (AVAL) empowers national, state, and local stakeholders to use data to make more timely and sound decisions impacting children, families, communities, and the workforces that serve them. We do this through 1) putting vital information into the hands of stakeholders in the form of data visualizations that efficiently and effectively meet their diverse and dynamic information needs, 2) implementing utilization-focused and developmental evaluation of programs and policies of mission-driven organizations and systems, and 3) building the capacity of systems and organizations to grow, use, and sustain data ecosystems. In these ways we work with our partners in different capacities, depending on their specific needs, ranging from leading full-scale evaluations to data collection, data management and processing, and data visualization.

Apply online: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF1121