Associate Professor/Professor

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on:

December 7, 2025

If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.

Available Title(s):

280-NN_FACULTY - Associate Professor, 290-NN_FACULTY - Professor

Business Title:

Associate Professor/Professor

Employee Type:

Faculty

Position Term:

9.5 Month - Summer

Position Details:

The Opportunity:

Washington State University seeks a visionary leader for the position of Director of the Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service and as a faculty member in the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs (PPPA) in the College of Arts and Sciences. Applications are invited for a permanent, full-time 9-month, tenure-eligible position at the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor as well as a termed, though renewable, administrative leadership appointment as the Director of the Foley Institute for which an administrative stipend will be paid.

The mission of the Foley Institute is to provide public affairs education, engage students in public service, and support academic research on public policy and democratic institutions. As the Director you are expected to interact with and serve the public, build connections with state and national institutions, and create and sustain pathways for students interested in pursuing public service careers.

You will be expected to strengthen your own disciplinary area while fostering collaboration and building connections across PPPA’s multiple disciplines. PPPA engages in scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and public outreach to address the ethical, philosophical, and political challenges facing the world. As a member of PPPA faculty, you are expected to work within the School to prepare students to be effective and engage citizens and leaders equipped with a strong understanding of research methods and a multidisciplinary, problem-solving mindset. Additionally, you are expected to be an effective administrator, while maintaining a strong research agenda in your area of expertise, and contribute to teaching in the School of PPPA.

As the successful candidate is expected to have an exceptional record of collaborative leadership that fosters common goals within a department or program and the broader university community, experience with public service, and a record of effective communication with the university community and the broader public. The successful candidate will also have an outstanding record in research and teaching in American Politics, interpreted broadly. Successful candidates will be expected to begin the four (4) year renewable appointment as Director on August 16, 2026.

As Director of the Foley Institute, the successful candidate will:

• Collaboratively develop and implement strategies for the Institute to strengthen its public outreach, interaction with state and national institutions, and student support, ensuring access and opportunity in alignment with WSU’s land-grant mission.

• Promote internship and public service opportunities for WSU students

• Foster a collaborative culture and environment in the Institute.

• Administer and lead the delivery of the Institute’s programs and the regular refresh and renewal of the Institute’s activities

• Champion the Institute to the university administration, other university units, and external stakeholders

• Engage in fund-raising activities for the Institute.

• Oversee the management of the Institute, with budgetary responsibilities for strategic, academic, and operational development

• Serve as a member of the College of Arts and Sciences broader academic leadership team and work collaboratively to position the Institute within both college and university priorities

As a PPPA faculty member, the successful candidate will:

• Mentor graduate students.

• Maintain an active research program, which may include publishing books and in journals, the pursuit of community-engaged scholarship, participation in national and international conferences and colloquia, and service to the discipline more broadly.

• Serve on school, college, and university committees and participate in the shared governance of the School of Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs.

• Teach graduate and/or undergraduate courses in American politics and/or public policy.

These responsibilities are designed to integrate the Director’s scholarly expertise with the Institute’s applied and educational goals, rather than to serve as a traditional full teaching and research load.

Additional Information: