Assistant Professor of Sustainable Community Economic Development and Planning

Position overview

Salary range: The salary range for this position is $106,800 - $130,700 (annual).  Off-scale salaries  and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience.

Open date: September 17, 2026

Next review date: Saturday, Oct 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) — Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Wednesday, Jun 30, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) — Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

The Department of Human Ecology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Community and Regional Development who focuses on community economic development and planning in areas that respond to pressing problems and opportunities (e.g., poverty, inequality, prospects for sustainable economies). Key areas of research could include, but are not limited to, equitable and collaborative economic models, cooperatives, regenerative and climate responsive economies, affordable housing, and climate smart/green technologies.

Seeking applicants with applied research and/or professional experience collaborating with diverse government, business, and civic community organizations to maximize public impact of their research. Research focused on domestic and/or global contexts is welcome.

This is an academic year (9-month), tenure track Assistant Professor position that includes an appointment in the California Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). Faculty members who hold an AES appointment have a responsibility to conduct research and outreach relevant to the mission of the California AES. Participation in outreach programs and performance of university service are also expected.

The appointee is expected to establish a competitively‑funded research program (as described above) to address critical or emerging issues that can facilitate or hinder sustainable and equitable economic development and planning in communities. The appointee will be responsible for teaching a typical course load of three courses per year (usually alternating between 2 and 3 undergraduate plus 1 graduate course every other year).

At either level, courses will reflect a combination of core courses and specialized topical courses. Examples include: CRD 1 (The Community), CRD 164 (Community Change Organizations), CRD 156 (Community Economic Development), CRD 172 (Social Inequality: Issues and Innovation), or CRD 171 (Housing and Social Policy) at the undergraduate level; CRD 240 (Theories of Community Development), CRD 245 (Political Economy of Community Development), CRD 250 (Community Development in Practice);

GEO 200DN (Methods of Socio‑Spatial Analysis in Geography) at the graduate level. Along with teaching, the appointee will engage in mentoring, advising, and curricular development at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Participation in and development of public outreach and/or community engagement programs, and performance of departmental and university service is expected in this position. This position is expected to collaborate with Cooperative Extension specialists and advisors, partners in allied industries or other appropriate policy and public stakeholders.

This recruitment is conducted at the assistant rank. The resulting hire will be at the assistant rank, regardless of the proposed appointee's qualifications.

Initial review of applications will be conducted using anonymized versions of the Statement of Research Accomplishments and Interests. Applications demonstrating sufficient potential based on this review will be advanced to full review.

Office and laboratory space will be provided by the Department of Human Ecology in Hart Hall on the UC Davis central campus.

Start-up funding will be provided based on the programmatic needs of the successful candidate.

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Ph.D. or equivalent in a fields of urban, rural, and/or regional planning, community development, human geography, sociology, public policy/ administration, applied economics, international…