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Job Category:

Faculty

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Assistant Professor

Job Summary:

The highly ranked Department of Philosophy, in collaboration with the Integrated Liberal Studies (ILS) program, is seeking excellent junior candidates for a tenure-track faculty position in the area of Early Modern British Political and Moral Philosophy. The selected candidate will mount a vigorous research program while making significant contributions to the department's teaching missions of the Departments of Philosophy and the ILS program. The area of research is 17th and 18th century British Political and Moral Philosophy and could include such figures as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith, David Hume, Francis Hutcheson, Edmund Burke, and Mary Wollstonecraft. The tenure home of this position will be the Department of Philosophy while the teaching responsibilities will be split 50/50 between the Department of Philosophy and the ILS program.

The successful candidate will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science that values, prioritizes, and actualizes evidence-based and student-centered teaching and (undergraduate student) mentoring. They will contribute to an environment that fosters engagement and a sense of belonging for faculty, staff, students and members of the broader community. They will also contribute to the ILS program’s undergraduate mission of innovative, interdisciplinary liberal education.

Successful applicants will teach graduate and undergraduate classes, mentor students, conduct scholarly research, and provide service to the department, college, university, and academic community nationally or internationally. The general teaching load is 4 courses per year, 2 in one semester and 2 in the other. The successful candidate, as a member of the College of L&S, will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college’s commitment to excellence among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service.

The Department of Philosophy at UW-Madison is highly rated in traditional areas of Philosophy as well as a variety of subdisciplines, including Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Education, Philosophy of Mind, and History of Philosophy. Our department is multidisciplinary and has a highly collaborative environment. Madison is the state's capitol city and is well known for offering a small town feel in a medium sized city. It is a great place to raise a family and offers an ideal combination of natural beauty, stimulating cultural events, outstanding schools and outdoor recreation.

In the College of Letters & Science, we provide a liberal arts education that is both broad and deep through excellent, empathic teaching. We hire faculty who are interested in pursuing difficult questions, making new discoveries, and making an impact in their field. We reward excellent teaching and classroom innovation, and we are committed to shared governance. Learn more about the L&S mission on our webpage: https://ls.wisc.edu/about/mission and about the ILS program here https://ils.wisc.edu/.

Key Job Responsibilities:

Successful applicants will teach graduate and undergraduate classes, mentor students, conduct scholarly research, and provide service to the department, college, university, and academic community nationally or internationally. The general teaching load is 4 courses per year, 2 in one semester and 2 in the other. The successful candidate, as a member of the College of L&S, will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college’s commitment to excellence among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service.

Department:

College of Letters and Science, Philosophy Department

Compensation:

Negotiable – 9 months / ongoing / renewable

Required Qualifications:

Candidates should demonstrate evidence of creativity and excellence in teaching and scholarly research. In addition, the successful will demonstrate fostering or the ability to foster a teaching, learning, mentoring, departmental, and research environment where all can thrive.

Education:

PhD in Philosophy or similar by start of appointment by start of appointment

How to Apply:

Apply online at "Jobs at UW" (http://jobs.wisc.edu) under Job Requisition JR10012096 . Applications must be received through UW- Madison's online application system. Applications submitted outside of this system will not be considered. Click the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. Applicants should submit the following 5 items:

1. a letter of application,

2. curriculum vitae,

3. a teaching and mentoring statement,

4. a writing sample of roughly 35 pages,

5. 3 letters of reference

Applicants will receive an email requesting the names and contact information for three references; each reference will receive an electronic link through which they can upload a signed letter of reference. For full consideration, all materials must be received no later than 11:59pm on 10/15/2026. Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

Please note that applicants will be evaluated based upon submitted application materials and therefore should speak to and include evidence of their qualifications. Application materials must clearly demonstrate the applicant’s dedication to excellence in student-centered teaching and mentoring. Additionally, materials should showcase the applicant’s ability to purposefully plan their teaching practices, evidenced through goals, action plans, reflection, and related documentation. This portion of the application materials must be created by the applicant and may include supporting letters. It cannot be only in the form of letters and testimony by others.

Contact Information:

Hiring Committee Chair: Professor Steven Nadler: smnadler@wisc.edu or Philosophy Department Administrator Wendy Crabb: jr10012096@philosophy.wisc.edu

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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