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Assistant Professor of Political Science

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI · Full time

Posted Jun 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Describe your research on environmental politics and the main question it answers.

What they are checking: Whether they have a clear, original agenda that will lead to strong publications.

Where do you see your book or article pipeline in three years?

What they are checking: Whether they have a realistic publication plan that matches tenure expectations.

Tell me about mentoring a student on a research project.

What they are checking: Whether they invest in student research and can guide it well.

What would you do

How would your work contribute to the RISE-EARTH initiative and connect with scholars outside political science?

What they are checking: Whether they would actively collaborate across campus, which the RISE hire is designed to encourage.

How would you teach a contentious topic like climate policy to students with very different political views?

What they are checking: Whether they can keep a classroom fair and rigorous on divisive subjects.

How might your research matter to Wisconsin specifically?

What they are checking: Whether they can connect scholarship to issues important to the state, as RISE intends.

What service roles do you see yourself taking on early in your career?

What they are checking: Whether they understand service expectations without letting them crowd out research.

About the work

What methods do you use, and why are they right for your questions?

What they are checking: Whether they choose methods deliberately and can defend them to political scientists in other subfields.

The usual load is three courses a year. What undergraduate course on environmental politics would you teach first?

What they are checking: Whether they can design an engaging course that fits departmental needs.

What graduate seminar could you offer, and how would it train PhD students?

What they are checking: Whether they can contribute to graduate training, not just undergraduate teaching.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at University of Wisconsin-Madison from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process. Job Category: Faculty Employment Type: Regular Job Profile: Assistant Professor Job Summary: The Department of Political Science seeks to hire an Assistant Professor with a research focus in American Political Thought and/or American Constitutionalism. We are particularly interested in scholars of the American founding period who demonstrate the enduring value and significance of founding-era political and constitutional thought. Applicants for the position should have a PhD in Political Science with an impressive record of scholarly publication or a productive research program with excellent publishing potential, as well as demonstrated rigor in ongoing and future scholarship. The expectation is that this scholar will teach graduate and undergraduate courses in Political Theory, American Political Thought, the History of Western Political Thought, and/or Constitutional Law. Applicants should therefore demonstrate a record of or potential for teaching excellence in these areas. While the minimum teaching load of 12 credits per academic year is set by State statute and UW policy, through a combination of allowable adjustments, the usual teaching load in the Department of Political Science is three courses per academic year (two in one semester and one in the other). The successful candidate will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science that values, prioritizes, and actualizes evidence-based and student-centered teaching and (undergraduate student) mentoring. They will contribute to an environment that fosters engagement and a sense of belonging for faculty, staff, students and members of the broader community. The successful candidate, as a member of the College of L&S, will also proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college’s commitment to excellence among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service. In the College of Letters & Science, we provide a liberal arts education that is both broad and deep through excellent, empathic teaching. We hire faculty who are interested in pursuing difficult questions, making new discoveries, and making an impact in their field. We reward excellent teaching and classroom innovation, and we are committed to shared governance. Learn more about the L&S mission on our webpage: https://ls.wisc.edu/about/mission . Key Job Responsibilities: The Department of Political Science seeks to hire an Assistant Professor with a research focus in American Political Thought and/or American Constitutionalism. We are particularly interested in scholars of the American founding period who demonstrate the enduring value and significance of founding-era political and constitutional thought. Applicants for the position should have a PhD in Political Science with an impressive record of scholarly publication or a productive research program with excellent publishing potential, as well as demonstrated rigor in ongoing and future scholarship. The expectation is that this scholar will teach graduate and undergraduate courses in Political Theory, American Political Thought, the History of Western Political Thought, and/or Constitutional Law. Applicants should therefore demonstrate a record of or potential for teaching excellence in these areas. Department: Political Science Compensation: Negotiable – 9 months / ongoing / renewable Required Qualifications: Applicants for the position should have a PhD in Political Science with an impressive record of scholarly publication or a productive research program with excellent publishing potential, as well as demonstrated rigor in ongoing and future scholarship. In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate fostering or the ability to foster a teaching, learning, mentoring, departmental, and a research environment where all can thrive. Preferred Qualifications: NA Education: PhD in Political Science or similar by the start of appointment . How to Apply: Apply online at "Jobs at UW" ( http://jobs.wisc.edu ) under Job Requisition JR10011980. Applications must be received through UW- Madison's online application system. Applications submitted outside of this system will not be considered. Click the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. Applicants should submit the following items: 1. a letter of application, 2. curriculum vitae, 3. a research statement, 4. a teaching and mentoring statement, 5. a writing sample. Applicants will receive an email requesting the names and contact information for three references; each reference will each receive an electronic link through which they can upload a signed letter of reference. For full consideration, all materials must be received no later than 11:59pm on September 15. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Please note that applicants will be evaluated based upon submitted application materials and therefore should speak to and include evidence of their qualifications. Application materials must clearly demonstrate the applicant’s dedication to excellence in student-centered teaching and mentoring. Additionally, materials should showcase the applicant’s ability to purposefully plan their teaching practices, evidenced through goals, action plans, reflection, and related documentation. This portion of the application materials must be created by the applicant and may include supporting letters. It cannot be only in the form of letters and testimony by others. Contact Information: For questions please contact Professor Jeffrey Church, Search Committee Chair, at jchurch4@wisc.edu Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. Institutional Statement on Diversity: Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website . To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you. Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department .

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