Public Policy Professional Track Faculty Member
The School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland (UMD) seeks to hire a professional track faculty member to start in the 2019/2020 academic year (or earlier, if available). Since 2014, UMD has used the term professional track faculty to describe faculty who are making significant teaching and/or research contributions “off the tenure track” (see link for list of Professional Track Faculty Titles). Successful candidates should be able to teach core courses in the School’s Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy (BAPP) and Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) programs and have an excellent reputation in teaching and as an engaged practitioner. Expertise in leadership, governance, public policy analysis and implementation, and foundational skills and/or theories in public policy is a plus. Applicants who would enhance the diversity of the school, particularly those from minority populations, are especially encouraged to apply. We anticipate that the successful candidate will be offered a three to five year contract with the option of renewal.
Public policy problems are growing ever larger and more complex, with both global and domestic impact. Effectively dealing with complex policy problems requires fearlessly working across boundaries to address some of the world’s most challenging problems such as poverty, access to quality education, unemployment, immigration, terrorism and climate change, to name a few. For these problems, solutions must often be forged through joint action and analyses that are consistent with multiple societal interests. Faculty in the School of Public Policy, positioned just outside of the Nation’s capital and only 30 miles from the center of Maryland state government, are key to helping students understand, analyze and move toward solutions.
The successful candidate will be passionate about helping students understand how to make an impact on these challenging problems. She/He should appreciate the need for rigorous analysis of details and the capacity to weigh multiple and often equally compelling choices. The successful candidate will integrate the approaches of different disciplines in an effort to help students produce the best policy decisions and the most effective policy implementation. Rather than focusing on theories or institutions, the discipline of Public Policy focuses on the problem and generating policies in response to that problem. Faculty in the School of Public Policy encourage and mentor students as tomorrow’s leaders who will provide bold, innovative solutions required to foster the change we need to see.
The successful candidate is expected to deliver high-quality instruction based on engagement with students and the use of best practices in instructional delivery and course development that reflects advances in current pedagogy focused on experiential education. The candidate should be able to connect theory to practice, and committed to advancing global capacities in college students.
Minimum Qualifications
- An earned graduate degree in a related field
- Previous practitioner and/or scholarly experience in public policy, government, nonprofit, consulting, public service, and/or roles aimed toward positive social impact and public good
- College/University-level teaching experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Evidence of high-quality instruction and current techniques/approaches including experiential education
- Professional public policy experience and/or substantial experience leading and managing organizations focused on finding solutions to societal problems
- A strong undergraduate teaching record
- A record of teaching large classes is a plus
Application materials should include a letter of interest describing the candidate’s qualifications, a curriculum vitae (including a list of courses taught), a teaching portfolio (e.g., recent teaching evaluations, syllabi, and related materials), and contact information for at least three references.
To apply: Visit http://ejobs.umd.edu, to locate the position announcement or visit https://ejobs.umd.edu/postings/64290 and apply online. Application materials sent outside of the online system will not be accepted. Questions concerning the application process may be addressed to Katharine Zang, at kzang@umd.edu. Review of applications will commence on December 14, but the position will remain open until filled.
The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
Founded in 1856, University of Maryland, College Park is the flagship institution in the University System of Maryland. Our 1,250-acre College Park campus is just minutes away from Washington, D.C., and the nexus of the nation’s legislative, executive, and judicial centers of power. This unique proximity to business and technology leaders, federal departments and agencies, and a myriad of research entities, embassies, think tanks, cultural centers, and non-profit organizations is simply unparalleled. Synergistic opportunities for our faculty and students abound and are virtually limitless in the nation’s capital and surrounding areas. The University is committed to attracting and retaining outstanding and diverse faculty and staff that will enhance our stature of preeminence in our three missions of teaching, scholarship, and full engagement in our community, the state of Maryland, and in the world.