Assistant Professor in Political Methodology or Computational Social Science - Full-Time

The Department of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh seeks candidates for a tenure-stream position in applied Political Methodology or Computational Social Science at the level of Assistant Professor, pending budgetary approval. We are seeking to hire a colleague who has expertise in developing and applying statistical and machine learning approaches, broadly construed, to explore important, computationally intensive problems in political science. Candidates with demonstrated experiences creatively leveraging less-structured data (e.g., text, audio, video, eye-tracking, MRI, GIS, or other such information) at scale through measurement, analytics, and visualization and/or innovating new methodologies to improve inferences and forecasts (e.g., utilizing neural network architectures, spatio-temporal models, Bayesian computation, or other relevant approaches) will be particularly competitive for the position.

We welcome applications from all scholars whose work complements and builds on our departmental strengths, including candidates whose main training is in political science as well as those who have interdisciplinary training relevant to the position.

The key evaluation criteria will include having a strong, relevant research agenda, evidence of teaching ability in political methodology or computational social science, the promise of attracting external funding, as well as providing impactful research experiences for undergraduate and graduate students. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to the Responsible Data Science initiative at Pitt as well as the Computational Social Science Major, which is co-run by Political Science and the Department of Informatics and Networked Systems, and benefit from the resources of the Center for Research Computing and Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center.

Applicants are required to have or expect to have, a Ph.D. in Political Science or a related field before the appointment begins. Applications should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, two or three writing samples, teaching evaluations (if available), a description of how your research, teaching, or service demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a minimum of three letters of reference; references will receive email notification with instructions about submitting their letters. In order to ensure full consideration, applications must be received by September 20, 2024, and the review of applications will continue until the position is filled. The official start date for this position will be September 1, 2025. References can be sent to psjobs@pitt.edu. Any additional questions about the position can be directed to the search committee chair, Michael Colaresi, at mcolaresi@pitt.edu.

The University of Pittsburgh is committed to championing all aspects of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within our community. This commitment is a fundamental value of the University and is crucial in helping us advance our mission, which includes attracting and retaining diverse workforces. We will continue to create and maintain an environment that allows individuals to discover, belong, contribute, and grow, while honoring the experiences, perspectives, and unique identities of all.

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. EOE, including disability/vets.