Term Assistant Professorof Philosophy

Department: College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Classification: 9-month Instructional Faculty

Job Category: Instructional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

The Department of Philosophy at George Mason is a pluralistic program that offers courses and produces scholarly research and public philosophy drawing on diverse philosophical approaches and traditions, including continental, Anglo-American and applied philosophy, and with a focus on social, ethical and political thought. The program offers a Master’s degree, a major, and multiple minors including Philosophy of Law, Ethics and AI, and Philosophy for Social Change.

Our mission is to put philosophy to work to address key contemporary issues and enduring philosophical questions, to foster critically engaged citizens, and to enable students and faculty to engage with pressing matters of global and public concern. The Department is home to the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, the oldest applied ethics program in the United States, and a regional leader in producing normatively focused policies for various public and non-governmental policy institutions.

Faculty in Philosophy are affiliated with other departments and programs across Mason, including African and African American Studies, the Center for Advancing Human-Machine Partnership, Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center, the Center for Humanities Research, Cultural Studies, the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, the Honors College, Philosophy, Politics and Economics; the Schar School of Policy and Government, and Women and Gender Studies.

The Term Assistant Professor of Philosophy is a dynamic scholar who is committed to teaching excellence in political philosophy, with competence in philosophy of law and logic. The position will teach courses taken by majors and non-majors at a variety of levels, including pre-law, criminology, psychology, economics, and computer science students. Courses taught may include philosophy of law and political philosophy, with preference given to candidates able to contribute regularly to undergraduate teaching in philosophy of law.

The position also includes regular teaching in introductory logic, with opportunities to contribute to intermediate courses. These courses are integrated in Mason’s Philosophy, Politics and Economics Program, Philosophy and Law Program, as well as the Department’s new Logic Program. The teaching load is 4 courses per semester.

Especially welcomed are individuals with specialisms in philosophy of law, as well as from those whose teaching engages the societal implications of core topics in this area, for example in relation to artificial intelligence and the law, international law, and legal issues of gender, race, or disability.

The position will begin in the Spring 2027 term. The initial 9-month contract will span the Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 terms, with the possibility of renewal contingent on satisfactory performance and departmental and program needs. The position also includes possibilities for promotion and multi-year contracts as well as a full range of benefits.

• Teach a standard course load of 12 credits (4 courses) per semester.
• Engage in service at the department level or beyond.

• Terminal degree in a related field.
• Evidence of teaching experience with a commitment to diversity in the classroom.
• Knowledge of philosophical theories, methods, and scholarly research demonstrated through completion of a doctoral degree in Philosophy or a related field and the successful defense of a dissertation (or equivalent) by the time of appointment.
• Ability to provide high-quality instruction in political philosophy and introductory logic at the undergraduate level.

• Terminal degree in a related field.
• Evidence of experience teaching multiple modalities to non-majors at a variety of…