Job Opportunity: Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina–Wilmington

The UNCW Department of Sociology and Criminology is seeking to hire a nine-month, tenure-track sociologist at the Assistant Professor level starting August 2024. Upon initial appointment, the successful candidate will teach a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in the program’s curriculum. Further, the successful candidate will write grants, advise students, and provide community engagement and professional service.

This position carries a teaching load of three courses per term while maintaining an active research agenda in their specialization area. The position also includes the opportunity for additional summer school teaching. The selected candidate should have the potential for innovation and leadership in teaching, research and service. We are seeking to hire a sociologist who complements our existing strengths in public and applied sociology.

The Department of Sociology and Criminology is committed to increasing knowledge of human societies from a broad diversity of perspectives and experiences, and believe that our students, our faculty, and our curricula are essential elements in that vision. We are seeking a colleague who shares that commitment and is interested in being an integral part of the department.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Candidates must possess a PhD in sociology or a related discipline, prior to August 1, 2024. Note: ABD will be considered; however, PhD must be obtained within the first academic year of employment.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Preference will be given to candidates with:

  • the ability and interest in teaching quantitative data analysis and/or program evaluation at the graduate level, as well as other core courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
  • teaching and research specializations in one or more of the following areas: social inequalities (broadly conceived), technology, and/or urban sociology.
  • experience in innovative methods and working with culturally diverse populations are especially encouraged to apply.

Primary Function of Organizational Unit

The Department of Sociology and Criminology (www.uncw.edu/soccrm) at the University of North Carolina Wilmington has 26 full-time faculty members, over 350 undergraduate majors, and offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in sociology and criminology (general and public), including an online bachelor’s degree in criminology, and a Master of Arts in sociology and criminology.

College/School Information

The College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (CHSSA) is home to 14 academic departments and offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs including the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, and Master of Public Administration as well as combined bachelor’s/master’s degree programs in Spanish and English. The CHSSA also houses the Gender Studies and Research Center, an interdisciplinary and intersectional community of students, scholars, and advocates committed to social justice and equity.

In addition, the CHSSA offers a full complement of minors including interdisciplinary minors such as Africana studies, American studies, Asian studies, classical studies, European studies, forensic science, journalism, Latin American studies, medical humanities, Middle East and Islamic studies, Native American studies, and women and gender studies. Undergraduate certificates for professional writing and publishing, as well as a number of post-baccalaureate certificates such as conflict management and resolution, emergency and disaster management, forensic science, science and medical writing, women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, and Hispanic studies are a part of the college’s offerings.

The CHSSA contributes significantly to the curriculum that comprises UNCW’s University Studies Program, through which all undergraduates gain a foundation in the liberal arts and develop the transferable skills essential for life in the twenty-first century. The CHSSA strives in its undergraduate programs and in its University Study offerings to nurture creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, diversity and inclusion, and academic integrity in students while providing them with a solid foundation of knowledge in their chosen fields. Graduate programs in the CHSSA are designed to develop intellectual competence and to prepare the student for careers in business, industry, government, teaching or for further study at the doctoral level.

Applied learning is a hallmark of the student experience in the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts. Each of the CHSSA’s departments requires an applied learning experience as a part of the curriculum for its undergraduate majors. Examples include faculty-directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various strands of knowledge and to apply that knowledge to broader, real-world or real disciplinary situations.

Upon completion of their studies, all CHSSA students will have the necessary preparation for rewarding careers, advanced study, effective citizenship, and meaningful lives. The College of Humanities, Social Science, and the Arts offers limitless opportunities to engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary research and service while also making a positive societal impact. Come and join our vibrant academic environment that values discovery, innovation, and creativity.

University Information

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

EEO Statement

At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Special Notes to Applicants

Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59PM EST on October 30th, 2023, the posting closing date.
To apply, please complete the online application process available at https://jobs.uncw.edu/ and attach the following materials as an Adobe PDF document including:

  • Cover Letter, addressed to Chair, Sociology Search Committee
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Teaching Philosophy: one or two page statement of teaching philosophy
  • Research Summary: one or two page statement of research program
  • List of 3 Professional references, **if ABD one of the references must be Dissertation Chair.
  • If needed, applicants may upload additional materials under the Other category.

Please note that a minimum of three references are required for all applications. **if ABD one reference must be Dissertation Chair. Letters of reference may be requested at a later date.

Letters of application without the requested components will not meet the application requirements.

Please direct questions concerning the search or regarding the online application process to soccrm@uncw.edu.