Associate Professor of Sociology

Job Summary:

The Department of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison invites applications for an Associate Professor (with tenure) position in the field of population research beginning in August, 2025. The successful candidate will have a primary appointment and tenure home in the Department of Sociology, will teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students, engage in scholarly research, and participate in University and professional service.

Specialization within population research is open, but we are especially interested in a scholar whose work contributes to our understanding of social stratification by race/ethnicity or nativity. Work could also connect to immigration, health equity, and/or sociology of the family, aging and the life course. We are agnostic to research methods and welcome applications from ethnographers, experimentalists, demographers, and others engaged in empirical research that fits this call. We take a broad view of what constitutes population research.

The successful candidate will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science (L&S), that values, prioritizes, and actualizes evidence-based and student-centered teaching and student mentoring. They will contribute to an inclusive, fair and equitable environment that fosters engagement and a sense of belonging for faculty, staff, students and members of the broader community. Our understanding of mentoring is expansive and includes a wide range of practices, such as: offering undergraduate research opportunities, advising graduate students, connecting students with professional networks, creating an inclusive learning environment, offering culturally responsive guidance and support, facilitating peer mentorship initiatives, and other activities.

This position is part of UW-Madison's Excellence in Mentoring Initiative and the College of Letters & Science's "Reducing Social Inequalities" Cohort. The Excellence in Mentoring Initiative is designed to recruit outstanding faculty who, in addition to their demonstrated excellence in research and teaching, have demonstrated the ability and commitment to mentor first-generation and other underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students to help them achieve academic success. The "Reducing Social Inequalities" Cohort in L&S brings together three scholars from the fields of Sociology, Social Work, and Communication Arts who share a commitment to nurturing and developing the next generation of scholars who share an academic focus and pedagogical commitment to reducing social inequalities. While their individual research areas will remain independent, members of the cohort will be encouraged to create cross-disciplinary research teams and regularly connect with their fellow cohort members for support and continued success.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will have a primary appointment and tenure home in the Department of Sociology, will teach undergraduate and graduate students, will engage in scholarly research, and will participate in university and professional service. They will provide ongoing mentorship to first-generation, and/or underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students to help them achieve academic success. As a member of the College of L&S, they will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college's commitment to equity among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service.

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.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Education:

Required
PhD in Sociology or a similar field prior to the start of the appointment.

Qualifications:

Successful candidates will have a record of:
- Excellence in scholarly research in the field of population research or demography;
- Working with, teaching, and mentoring diverse groups and diverse students;
- Teaching and curriculum development in higher education.
- Fostering or the ability to foster an inclusive and equity-centered teaching, learning, mentoring, departmental, and research environment where all can thrive.
- Demonstrated evidence in mentoring at-risk, first-generation, and/or underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students to help them achieve academic success.

Work Type:

Full Time: 100%

It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Anticipated Begin Date:

AUGUST 18, 2025

Salary:

Negotiable
ACADEMIC (9 months)

Additional Information:

The College of Letters & Science is committed to creating an inclusive environment in which all of us - students, staff, and faculty - can thrive. Ours is a community in which we all are welcome. Most importantly, we strive to build a community in which all of us feel a great sense of belonging.

There is no excellence without diversity in all its forms; diverse teams are more creative and successful than homogeneous ones. We are better when we are diverse and when we acknowledge, celebrate and honor our diversity. In acknowledging and honoring our diversity, we also assume a responsibility to support and stand up for each other.

Diversity and inclusion are primary values for the Department of Sociology, as well as other units on campus and are integral to achieving our strategic goals. We seek a diverse set of faculty candidates with an awareness of and commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion across all spectrums.

How to Apply:

To begin the application process, please click on the 'Apply Now' button. Applications must be received through UW - Madison's online application system. Applications submitted outside of this system will not be considered.

You will be asked to create a profile and upload the following documents:

1) C.V.
2) Cover letter
3) One (1) document containing (a) a research statement and (b) a teaching statement
4) One (1) document containing three (3) samples of your written work
5) Evidence of commitment to excellence in mentoring

Additionally, candidates will be asked to provide contact information for three references; we will only contact references for letters of recommendation for finalists.

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.

For full consideration, all materials must be received no later than 11:59pm on January 6, 2025. However, the position will remain open and applications may be considered until the position is filled.

Employment will require an institutional reference check regarding any misconduct. To be considered, applicants must upload a signed 'Authorization to Release Information' form as part of the application. The authorization form and a definition of 'misconduct' can be found here: https://hr.wisc.edu/institutional-reference-check/

Contact:

Max Besbris
besbris@wisc.edu
608-265-6480
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Official Title:

Associate Professor(FA030)

Department(s):

A48-COL OF LETTERS & SCIENCE/SOCIOLOGY/SOCIOLOGY

Employment Class:

Faculty

Job Number:

308186-FA

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.