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Instructor Positions in Political Science 

Winter &/or Spring 2026

The Department of Political Science invites applications for three part-time instructor positions in AY2025-2026. Each instructor will be responsible for teaching two courses, helping us round our curriculum across three of the subfields. We are particularly interested in instructors who can teach two of the following courses within a given field: (1) American politics/race and ethnic politics instructor – e.g., Race and Public Policy, Immigration Politics and Policy, and/or Racial and Ethnic Politics, (2) International relations instructor – e.g., International Organizations, National Security, and/or Ethics in International Relations, and (3) Comparative politics instructor – e.g., Social Movements, Refugee Crises and Human Rights, Politics of Latin America, and/or Chinese Foreign Policy.

Advanced graduate students (with advisor and Director of Graduate Study approval) and recent PhDs are welcome to apply. Candidates must have graduate training in Political Science or a similar field. Compensation ranges from $8,000-9,200 per course, depending on experience and qualifications. Courses will be offered in winter and/or spring 2026. Each quarter is 10 weeks in length, with 170 minutes of classroom instruction each week. Instructors can review previous course syllabi but are expected to design their own syllabus, course materials, and assessments. No grading support is provided for these instructional positions. Enrollment cap will vary across courses but are expected to be 25 students or less.

Candidates should submit a cover letter; CV; teaching statement that describes their teaching interests and experiences, including which courses they would seek to teach, pedagogy, and evidence of teaching effectiveness; and contact information for three letters of reference. Consideration of the application will begin on May 23 and continue until the position is filled. Note that these instructional positions are not eligible for moving, travel, housing, or related costs.  To apply for this position, please visit https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/88f1d2c4d23f48588dcf6c6d0540abde

For inquiries about job advertisements or the application process, please contact Stephen Monteiro, Business Administrator in the Political Science Department <mailto:stephen.monteiro@northwestern.edu>. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern’s non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

The University and the Union are dedicated to the principles of equal opportunity and freedom from discrimination. Accordingly, the University and the Union will comply with the provisions of all applicable laws against discrimination and harassment on the basis of any characteristic protected under applicable law as of the date the parties sign this Agreement or that later becomes protected by law. Neither the Union nor the University’s respective policies or activities will discriminate against any Employee based upon race, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, caste, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, color, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, gender expression, age, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, reproductive health decision making, height, weight, or any other classification protected by law. Prohibited discrimination includes harassment, which is prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct or any applicable successor policy. For purposes of this Article, the term “caste” is defined as a system of rigid social stratification characterized by hereditary status, endogamy, and social barriers sanctioned by custom, law, or religion, that originated in South Asia.