Assistant Professor - Law, Crime, and Punishment Jurisprudence & Social Policy Program School of L

Assistant Professor - Law, Crime, and Punishment Jurisprudence & Social Policy Program School of Law

Position overview

Position description

The Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP) PhD Program at the University of California, Berkeley invites applications for a full‑time, tenure‑track faculty position focused on the criminal legal system and its practical, institutional, historical, social, economic, and political contexts. Candidates should have demonstrated or potential for outstanding scholarship in the field, including expertise in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, criminal courts, policing and civil rights, mass incarceration, race and the carceral state, abolition and reform, punishment and society, the economics of crime, and the politics of law and order.

JSP faculty are responsible for leading interdisciplinary training across the social sciences, history, and philosophy/political theory, directing a diverse PhD student body, and teaching core courses within Berkeley’s interdisciplinary undergraduate Legal Studies major. Faculty also mentor graduate and undergraduate students who employ a range of methods and theoretical traditions.

We actively support faculty with diverse family needs and non‑traditional career paths, including dual‑career couples, single parents, or individuals who have taken time off for family reasons.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required)

• Hold a Ph.D. or equivalent international degree, or have advanced to candidacy status for a Ph.D. or equivalent international degree.

Preferred qualifications

• Primary research focus on law, crime, and punishment in the United States, and/or comparative research including the U.S. as a component.
• Experience or potential to teach at least one introductory graduate course on law, crime, and punishment.
• Ability to work effectively with students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and to mentor a diverse student body.
• Commitment to building an equitable, diverse, and interdisciplinary learning environment for all students.
• Potential to contribute to the undergraduate Legal Studies program and, if desired, the JD program.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of California, Berkeley 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.

Legal Policies

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service. These values are embedded in our Principles of Community and reflected in our adherence to UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy.

Job location
—Berkeley, CA