** Job opening - Assistant Professor, SIS, American U - Politics of Disasters **
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simon.nicholson13
Aug 14, 2025, 3:08:19 PMAug 14
to gep-ed
Dear all - we're searching for a new colleague to join our Department of Environment, Development, and Health, in the School of International Service at American University, Washington DC.
Position Announcement
One Full-Time Tenure Track Faculty Position
Department of Environment, Development & Health
School of International Service
American University
The Department of Environment, Development & Health invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning August 1, 2026.
We welcome applicants whose research addresses causes of and responses to disasters. We view disasters as the serious harm to communities, economies or the environment triggered by 'natural' or human-generated hazards, such as extreme weather or industrial accidents. The ideal candidate will be skilled at analyzing the social, political and economic factors that cause disasters, such as institutions and policies, as well as poverty, inequality, and violence. We are especially interested in scholar-practitioners who view disasters through the lenses of sustainable development, gender, conflict, rights, food, natural resources, and/or environmental justice.
The ideal candidate will be an innovative social scientist with practical experience who is dedicated to teaching and mentorship. We are looking for a thought leader who can also teach practical agendas to graduate and/or undergraduate students, such as policy analysis, monitoring, evaluation & learning, disaster risk reduction, loss & damage funds, insurance programs, implementation science, gender programming, private sector engagement, and/or the application (and possible risks) of emerging technologies in disaster preparedness and response. Preference will be given to applicants whose work is theoretically informed, empirically grounded, applies mixed research methods, and is policy or practice relevant.
This search is open to applicants from any related academic discipline, using any research methods, any level of analysis, in any region of the world. Applicants focused on the United States are welcome, if their research and experience include an international or comparative perspective. The successful candidate will be enthusiastic about working in the multidisciplinary environment of the School of International Service.
Applicants should hold a PhD or the highest equivalent degree in a social science discipline by the start date, though ABD applications will be considered.
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Workday application system.
Applications should include the following:
• A cover letter detailing your research, teaching and service record to date along with your specific interest in joining, and potential contributions to, the SIS/AU community
• Curriculum vitae
• Sample publications
The opening is for an Assistant Professor who studies causes of and/or responses to disasters, broadly construed. Full description is copied below and in the attached pdf. Please share widely.
I'm serving on the search committee and can respond to queries at simon.nicholson (at) american.edu.
LinkedIn version of job posting here, for circulation: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7360710935331725312/
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One Full-Time Tenure Track Faculty Position
Department of Environment, Development & Health
School of International Service
American University
The Department of Environment, Development & Health invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning August 1, 2026.
We welcome applicants whose research addresses causes of and responses to disasters. We view disasters as the serious harm to communities, economies or the environment triggered by 'natural' or human-generated hazards, such as extreme weather or industrial accidents. The ideal candidate will be skilled at analyzing the social, political and economic factors that cause disasters, such as institutions and policies, as well as poverty, inequality, and violence. We are especially interested in scholar-practitioners who view disasters through the lenses of sustainable development, gender, conflict, rights, food, natural resources, and/or environmental justice.
The ideal candidate will be an innovative social scientist with practical experience who is dedicated to teaching and mentorship. We are looking for a thought leader who can also teach practical agendas to graduate and/or undergraduate students, such as policy analysis, monitoring, evaluation & learning, disaster risk reduction, loss & damage funds, insurance programs, implementation science, gender programming, private sector engagement, and/or the application (and possible risks) of emerging technologies in disaster preparedness and response. Preference will be given to applicants whose work is theoretically informed, empirically grounded, applies mixed research methods, and is policy or practice relevant.
This search is open to applicants from any related academic discipline, using any research methods, any level of analysis, in any region of the world. Applicants focused on the United States are welcome, if their research and experience include an international or comparative perspective. The successful candidate will be enthusiastic about working in the multidisciplinary environment of the School of International Service.
Applicants should hold a PhD or the highest equivalent degree in a social science discipline by the start date, though ABD applications will be considered.
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Workday application system.
Applications should include the following:
• A cover letter detailing your research, teaching and service record to date along with your specific interest in joining, and potential contributions to, the SIS/AU community
• Curriculum vitae
• Sample publications
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