Job Summary
Purdue University’s Department of Political Science is seeking to hire a teaching-focused faculty member in state and local political institutions at the rank of clinical (non-tenure track) assistant professor, to be based in Indianapolis.
Principal Duties
The successful candidate will teach primarily undergraduate courses on state and local political institutions and play a key role in developing and implementing the department’s academic programs at Purdue in Indianapolis, an extension of the West Lafayette campus. In addition to courses on state politics, local government, and Indiana politics, the ability to teach upper-level courses in political institutions and public policy making is particularly welcome. Purdue-Indianapolis faculty will collaborate with West Lafayette faculty to ensure curricular alignment and program excellence, contributing to a collegial, innovative academic environment that prioritizes experiential learning and public engagement in Indianapolis. Thus, this faculty member will have the benefit of joining a large Political Science department with the opportunity to contribute to the expansion of Purdue’s land-grant mission, potentially including the new Professional MA in Applied Governance, Technology, and Ethics. The standard teaching load is four courses per semester; a portion of the workload may be fulfilled through administrative or engagement roles such as managing the Department’s internships or other similar programs.
Qualifications
The candidate must have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. in political science or a related field by the date of employment and have expertise in state and local government. All candidates must demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring.
The College and University
Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its integrated, comprehensive Indianapolis urban expansion; the Mitch Daniels School of Business; Purdue Computes; the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives/.
Application Procedures
To apply, please visit careers.purdue.edu (Req #43975). Applications must be submitted online and include: 1) Curriculum Vitae, 2) Cover letter of interest that includes a statement describing how the applicant’s fit the principal duties of the position, and 3) confidential letters of recommendation from three academic references must be sent to politicalscienceamerican@purdue.edu.
Screening of applicants will begin on October 24, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. A background check is required for employment in this position. For additional information, contact search committee chair Logan Strother at lstrothe@purdue.edu or politicalscienceamerican@purdue.edu.
Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access university.