Assistant Professor of Sociology

Job Title

Assistant Professor

Job Description

The Department of Sociology is a small, collegial, multidisciplinary department that offers undergraduate majors in Sociology and Criminal Justice. The Department is committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and community engagement and provides students with a collaborative, student-centered learning environment. The Criminal Justice major is a new and rapidly growing program, creating exciting opportunities for faculty to contribute to its continued development while supporting the department's long-standing Sociology program.

About the Position: The tenure-track Assistant Professor position strengthens the Department of Sociology's instructional, research, and public engagement capacity while supporting the continued growth of the Criminal Justice and Sociology majors. The successful candidate will contribute to the department's teaching, research, and enrollment goals through excellent undergraduate instruction, an active research agenda, and engagement with students, colleagues, and community partners. The position will strengthen the department's core instructional and research capacity, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and advance the strategic priorities of the department, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the University of Maine.

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Teaching: Teach undergraduate courses in criminal justice and sociology consistent with departmental needs (3-2 load); develop and maintain high-quality instructional materials; assess student learning; and advise and mentor undergraduate students in their academic, career, and research pursuits.
• Research: Maintain an active program of scholarly research leading to peer-reviewed publications and other scholarly contributions consistent with departmental expectations for tenure and promotion. Pursue opportunities for external funding and engage undergraduate students in research when appropriate.
• Service: Contribute to the mission of the department, college, and university through service on committees and participation in shared governance. Support the department's goals through program development and assessment, and engagement with professional and community partners.

Qualifications

Required:

• Ph.D. or advanced ABD (degree conferral will be required before position start date).
• Specialization in criminal justice, criminology, or sociology with a strong background in the study of crime, law, and justice.
• Experience and demonstrated ability in undergraduate teaching in areas of candidate's specialization.
• Evidence of an active research agenda with strong promise of scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications, related to criminal justice, law and society, and/or criminology.
• Evidence of ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary department.

Preferred:

• Expertise in restorative justice, race/ethnicity, or criminal justice institutions and systems.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality, peer reviewed publications.
• Demonstrated ability to seek and/or obtain extramural funding for research.
• Commitment to public/engaged scholarship.
• Experience collaborating on research projects with undergraduate students.

Other Information:

To be considered for this position you will need to "Apply" and upload the documentation listed below:

1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position 2.) a resume/curriculum vitae

Candidates selected to proceed to the final stages of the search process will be requested to provide teaching evaluations and a list of names and contact information for references.

Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University. For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. EST on September 30, 2026.

For questions about the search, please contact search committee chair Michael Haedicke at View email address on click.appcast.io. The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening.

The University of Maine System (the System) is an equal opportunity institution committed to fostering a nondiscriminatory environment and complying with all applicable nondiscrimination laws. Consistent with State and Federal law, the System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran or military status in any aspect of its education, programs and activities, and employment. The System provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you believe you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you are encouraged to contact the System Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services at 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, Orono, ME 04469-5713, by calling View phone number on click.appcast.io, or via TTY at 711 (Maine Relay System). For more information about Title IX or to file a complaint, please contact the UMS Title IX Coordinator at

Clery Act The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, such as the University, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report, (ASR) and provide notice of the availability of the ASR to all prospective employees. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University's crime statistics for the past three calendar years; and disclosures regarding the University's current campus security policies. You may view the University's Annual Security Report. If you wish to have a paper copy of the ASR or you need to have a copy of the ASR in an accessible format, the University will provide such a copy upon request. Please contact: UMaine Police Department, 81 Rangeley Rd., The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5794, or call View phone number on click.appcast.io.