University of California, Berkeley
Assistant Professor - Diversity and Democracy - Goldman School of Public Policy
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States, 94709
Position overview
Assistant Professor - Diversity and Democracy - Goldman School of Public Policy and the Othering & Belonging Institute
Position title:
Assistant Professor
Salary range:
The current salary range for this position is $80,800-$128,700 (9-month academic year salary). Off-scale salary and other components of pay may be offered to meet competitive conditions.
Anticipated start:
7/1/2026
Application Window
Open date:
October 6, 2025
Next review date:
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date:
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.
Position description The Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) and the Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI) at the University of California, Berkeley seek applicants for a tenure-track, Assistant Professor appointment in democracy policy. This position is part of a cluster hire through the Othering & Belonging Institute, in which the successful candidate will be an integral part of the Diversity and Democracy Cluster in addition to having a tenure-track faculty appointment in GSPP. OBI's Democracy and Diversity Cluster focuses on three overlapping areas: 1) diversity and identity; 2) diversity, civil society and political action; and 3) legal or philosophical frameworks for diverse democracies. This search has a particular interest in democracy policy – research and teaching that protects, promotes, and delivers on the promises of democracy through public policy.
We seek accomplished scholars who use rigorous methods to study how public policy shapes civic identity, civic participation, and disputes about civic standing. Specific areas of focus can include, but are not limited to: determinants of belonging; the role of educational institutions in promoting democracy and strategies for co-governance; policy implementation and the role of community organizations, bureaucracies, and experts; the courts and legal analysis of voting and election systems, political incorporation and civil rights; and the influence of technology and the broader information environment on civic learning and participation. We welcome applicants from any relevant discipline who use empirical approaches (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) to address issues with clear relevance to contemporary policy challenges. We will prioritize candidates with a strong track-record of research in the areas above or adjacent ones and who contribute actively to our rigorous interdisciplinary, evidence-based community of scholars and practitioners. We will also prioritize candidates who actively disseminate their research to, and learn from, diverse audiences of practitioners, policymakers, and affected communities.
Successful candidates will support and advance the research goals of GSPP's “Democracy Policy” initiative and OBI's Diversity and Democracy Cluster at the University of California, Berkeley. The Democracy Policy initiative and OBI's cluster both aim to build hubs of teaching, practice, and scholarship that examine how public policy shapes democratic processes and institutions, and how those processes and institutions in turn shape public policy. Democracy policies include policies governing elections and voting; speech and expression; policies that shape the functioning of educational institutions wherein quality public education is a gateway public good; information, journalism, and media integrity; civic, social, and political identity; institutional trust and responsive, accountable government; and data and technology.
The successful applicant's faculty home unit will be at GSPP, and the faculty member would also join a dynamic cluster of OBI faculty across academic units who together will connect and advance the study of democracy and diversity on the Berkeley campus. The cluster structure will provide support and cross-disciplinary opportunities intended to foster the success and career development of faculty hired into the cluster.
The department is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths or who have taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit:
information not available in this format.
Qualifications Basic qualifications
(required at time of application): PhD (or equivalent international degree), or enrolled in PhD or equivalent international degree-granting program at the time of application.
Preferred qualifications : Candidates should have a strong track-record of independent and/or collaborative research excellence, experience teaching, familiarity with or interest in a professional graduate school setting, and a commitment to interdisciplinary perspectives and collegial service. The ideal candidate will be a scholar whose work directly informs urgent policy questions facing democratic societies today.
Application Requirements Document requirements
Cover Letter - A cover letter detailing the applicant's research and teaching interests, and their reason for applying for the position. The cover letter should separately address the candidate's research accomplishments/interests as well as their teaching interests.
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
Research Statement - Please discuss research accomplishments and proposed plans. This can include, for example, your publication record, awards, presentations, inclusive research practices that promote the excellence of your research, and areas for future research.
Significant Research Sample
Optional Significant Research Sample #1
Optional Significant Research Sample #2
Teaching, Mentoring, and Service Statement - Please discuss prior teaching experience, teaching approach, and future teaching interests. This can include, for example, specific efforts and accomplishments, and future plans to support the success of all students through inclusive curriculum, classroom environment, and pedagogy. Please also discuss your mentoring experiences and approach. This can include, for example, past efforts and future plans to support the success of all students, and to foster an inclusive research environment that removes barriers and promotes equitable access and advancement of the research program. Finally, please discuss specific prior and proposed academic, professional and/or public service activities.
Authorization to Release Information Form - A reference check will be completed only if you are selected as the candidate to whom the hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer. Download, complete, sign, and upload the Authorization to Release Information form.
Reference requirements
3-5 letters of reference required
Reference letters must be requested by the deadline to have a complete application in APRecruit, but the search committee expects to receive the letters by the deadline, or asap afterwards.
Apply link:
Essays and materials should be submitted via the official posting on APRecruit.
Help contact:
aaschiller@berkeley.edu
About UC Berkeley UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals can work and learn together in a safe environment free of violence, harassment, or discrimination.
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining misconduct.
Job location : Berkeley, CA
To apply, visit the official posting on APRecruit.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Position title:
Assistant Professor
Salary range:
The current salary range for this position is $80,800-$128,700 (9-month academic year salary). Off-scale salary and other components of pay may be offered to meet competitive conditions.
Anticipated start:
7/1/2026
Application Window
Open date:
October 6, 2025
Next review date:
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date:
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.
Position description The Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) and the Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI) at the University of California, Berkeley seek applicants for a tenure-track, Assistant Professor appointment in democracy policy. This position is part of a cluster hire through the Othering & Belonging Institute, in which the successful candidate will be an integral part of the Diversity and Democracy Cluster in addition to having a tenure-track faculty appointment in GSPP. OBI's Democracy and Diversity Cluster focuses on three overlapping areas: 1) diversity and identity; 2) diversity, civil society and political action; and 3) legal or philosophical frameworks for diverse democracies. This search has a particular interest in democracy policy – research and teaching that protects, promotes, and delivers on the promises of democracy through public policy.
We seek accomplished scholars who use rigorous methods to study how public policy shapes civic identity, civic participation, and disputes about civic standing. Specific areas of focus can include, but are not limited to: determinants of belonging; the role of educational institutions in promoting democracy and strategies for co-governance; policy implementation and the role of community organizations, bureaucracies, and experts; the courts and legal analysis of voting and election systems, political incorporation and civil rights; and the influence of technology and the broader information environment on civic learning and participation. We welcome applicants from any relevant discipline who use empirical approaches (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) to address issues with clear relevance to contemporary policy challenges. We will prioritize candidates with a strong track-record of research in the areas above or adjacent ones and who contribute actively to our rigorous interdisciplinary, evidence-based community of scholars and practitioners. We will also prioritize candidates who actively disseminate their research to, and learn from, diverse audiences of practitioners, policymakers, and affected communities.
Successful candidates will support and advance the research goals of GSPP's “Democracy Policy” initiative and OBI's Diversity and Democracy Cluster at the University of California, Berkeley. The Democracy Policy initiative and OBI's cluster both aim to build hubs of teaching, practice, and scholarship that examine how public policy shapes democratic processes and institutions, and how those processes and institutions in turn shape public policy. Democracy policies include policies governing elections and voting; speech and expression; policies that shape the functioning of educational institutions wherein quality public education is a gateway public good; information, journalism, and media integrity; civic, social, and political identity; institutional trust and responsive, accountable government; and data and technology.
The successful applicant's faculty home unit will be at GSPP, and the faculty member would also join a dynamic cluster of OBI faculty across academic units who together will connect and advance the study of democracy and diversity on the Berkeley campus. The cluster structure will provide support and cross-disciplinary opportunities intended to foster the success and career development of faculty hired into the cluster.
The department is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths or who have taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit:
information not available in this format.
Qualifications Basic qualifications
(required at time of application): PhD (or equivalent international degree), or enrolled in PhD or equivalent international degree-granting program at the time of application.
Preferred qualifications : Candidates should have a strong track-record of independent and/or collaborative research excellence, experience teaching, familiarity with or interest in a professional graduate school setting, and a commitment to interdisciplinary perspectives and collegial service. The ideal candidate will be a scholar whose work directly informs urgent policy questions facing democratic societies today.
Application Requirements Document requirements
Cover Letter - A cover letter detailing the applicant's research and teaching interests, and their reason for applying for the position. The cover letter should separately address the candidate's research accomplishments/interests as well as their teaching interests.
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
Research Statement - Please discuss research accomplishments and proposed plans. This can include, for example, your publication record, awards, presentations, inclusive research practices that promote the excellence of your research, and areas for future research.
Significant Research Sample
Optional Significant Research Sample #1
Optional Significant Research Sample #2
Teaching, Mentoring, and Service Statement - Please discuss prior teaching experience, teaching approach, and future teaching interests. This can include, for example, specific efforts and accomplishments, and future plans to support the success of all students through inclusive curriculum, classroom environment, and pedagogy. Please also discuss your mentoring experiences and approach. This can include, for example, past efforts and future plans to support the success of all students, and to foster an inclusive research environment that removes barriers and promotes equitable access and advancement of the research program. Finally, please discuss specific prior and proposed academic, professional and/or public service activities.
Authorization to Release Information Form - A reference check will be completed only if you are selected as the candidate to whom the hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer. Download, complete, sign, and upload the Authorization to Release Information form.
Reference requirements
3-5 letters of reference required
Reference letters must be requested by the deadline to have a complete application in APRecruit, but the search committee expects to receive the letters by the deadline, or asap afterwards.
Apply link:
Essays and materials should be submitted via the official posting on APRecruit.
Help contact:
aaschiller@berkeley.edu
About UC Berkeley UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals can work and learn together in a safe environment free of violence, harassment, or discrimination.
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining misconduct.
Job location : Berkeley, CA
To apply, visit the official posting on APRecruit.
#J-18808-Ljbffr