Director, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Job Title Director, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Department School of Criminology & Criminal Justice Essential Functions

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The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) seeks a visionary leader and accomplished scholar to lead the prestigious School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

As a Metropolitan University of distinction, and Carnegie Doctoral Research Institution, the University of Nebraska at Omaha transforms and improves the quality of life locally, nationally, and globally. UNO is recognized as the premier Metropolitan University throughout the United States and the world.

The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (SCCJ) is a nationally recognized leader in criminological research, education, and community engaged scholarship, housed within the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) led by criminologist Dean Gaylene Armstrong. Uniquely, UNO entities, the college, and the SCCJ extend their reach beyond the Omaha campus to serve students at the University of Nebraska Lincoln campus.

The school is consistently ranked among the top criminal justice programs in the nation, with its Bachelor of Science program ranked #17, its Master's program ranked #5, and its Ph.D. program ranked #13 by U.S. News & World Report.

With more than 1,100 students across its Omaha and Lincoln campuses, the SCCJ offers one of the largest and most vibrant academic communities in the field. The school delivers five degree programs, from the BS through the MA, MS, and PhD, along with a fast-track (Bachelor to MS degree) options, graduate certificates, dual degree pathways, and extensive online opportunities, ensuring that students at all stages have flexible, high-quality routes to advancement.

The faculty of the UNO School of Criminology and Criminal Justice are nationally recognized leaders whose scholarship shapes the disciplinary direction. As one of the most productive criminology faculties in the country, the SCCJ scholars advance cutting edge research across victimology, policing, corrections, terrorism prevention, biosocial criminology, and the etiology of criminal behavior. Their work is showcased through major research labs and centers including the Victimology and Victim Studies Research Lab, the Advancing Research in Corrections Lab, the Criminological Research of Counter terrorism and Security, the Violence Intervention and Policing Research Lab, the Nebraska Collaborative for Violence Intervention and Prevention, the Nebraska Center for Justice Research, the Juvenile Justice Institute, and in partnership with the National Counter terrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center (NCITE), demonstrating both scholarly excellence and national influence.

Faculty routinely publish in top journals, secure competitive federal funding, and serve as trusted advisors to policymakers and justice system leaders, reinforcing the school's reputation as a premier hub for innovation and evidence-based practice in criminology and criminal justice. The SCCJ's robust partnerships locally and nationally have resulted in more than $10 million new externally funded grants and contracts since January 1, 2025.

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is deeply embedded in the community, maintaining strong, enduring partnerships with a wide array of criminal justice agencies and organizations. Students and faculty collaborate closely with federal, state, and local partners including the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Secret Service, Omaha and other metropolitan police departments, Nebraska Probation, and the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services creating pathways for internships, applied research, and evidence-based innovation.

These partnerships extend into the school's specialized applied research centers and labs, where faculty and students work alongside practitioners to address real world challenges through data driven solutions. Through these…