Instructor in Research Methods and Comparative Politics

Job Description

The Department of Political Science at Virginia Tech invites applications for a two-year full time renewable Instructor position in the areas of research methods and comparative politics. The teaching requirement for this position will be eight courses per year (4/4) with the appointment beginning on August 10 2026.

The position will support the majors and minors offered by the Department of Political Science. We are seeking faculty specifically interested in undergraduate teaching and curriculum initiatives revolving around empirical political science methods in addition to areas such as comparative politics and/or Latin American politics global development international conflict management or related areas of study within these specialties. Applicants with empirically based approaches are especially encouraged to apply as are those who would benefit from working in an intellectually diverse environment and are committed to excellence in the classroom. Successful applicants will engage in teaching and consultation with students to foster proficiency in political science research methods and comparative politics as well as in meetings with departmental leadership to enhance and improve curriculum development.

For further information on our academic programs see Department of Political Science seeks broadly trained applicants with an expertise in empirical methodology.

Required Qualifications

• M.A./M.S. degree in Government Political Science or related field by the time of appointment
• Candidates must have adequate evidence of teaching effectiveness to meet the Departments key teaching needs

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in degree in Government Political Science or related field by the time of appointment
• Prior experience with and/or training in at least some of the above noted substantive areas

How to Apply

Screening of applications will begin April 27 2026. Please submit:

1. Curriculum vitae
2. Cover letter (no longer than two pages)
3. A recent writing sample
4. Teaching Evaluations
5. List of 3 references with email contact information

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

The starting salary for this position is $50000 commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Review Date

April 27 2026

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its mottoUt Prosim(That I May Serve) Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world Virginia Tech is aninclusive communitydedicated to knowledge discovery and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36000 undergraduate graduate and professional students in eightundergraduate colleges aschool of medicine aveterinary medicinecollegeGraduate School andHonors university has a significant presence across Virginia including Blacksburg the greater Washington D.C. area the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke sites in Newport News and Richmond and numerousExtension officesandresearch institutes.A leading global research institution Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.