Assistant Professor, Sociology

The Opportunity

The Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in the College of Sciences (COS) invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, tenure-earning assistant professor anticipated to begin August 2025. We seek candidates with scholarly expertise in medical sociology who have an active research agenda and a commitment to effective teaching. The ideal candidate will have research and teaching interests in one or more of the following areas: (1) inequalities in health and medicine, (2) health outcomes as they relate to space and/or place, and/or (3) health, science, and technology.

Additionally, we are especially interested in a candidate who can contribute through their research, teaching, and service to the excellence of our academic community and foster an environment in which faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive.

The Department of Sociology (https://sciences.ucf.edu/sociology/) has an active graduate program, offering both Applied M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. The department includes 20 full-time faculty, including 15 tenured and tenure-track, who are committed to impactful scholarly research, public dissemination of research findings, innovative teaching, collaborative community relationships, and are actively involved in professional organizations. Sociology faculty have had their research activities funded by the National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, as well as state and regional agencies. Faculty are also affiliated with a variety of campus research centers. Several faculty are members of the Violence Against Women Cluster at UCF, which works across the disciplines social work, sociology, and population health to create knowledge to guide policymaking and practice designed to reduce the experience and impact of gendered violence. The department houses the Institute for Social and Behavioral Science, which specializes in research relevant to public policy issues in the state of Florida. The department also collaborates with the GIS Research Cluster Laboratory, which is focused on the use of mapping and drones to understand social and environmental inequalities. Some faculty collaborate with the Department of Population Health Sciences on funded research on LGBTQ health. The department collaborates with faculty in the Academic Health Sciences Center which includes the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Health Professions and Sciences and the School of Global Health Management and Informatics. Lastly, the Puerto Rico Research Hub is the center of activities dedicated to the study of Puerto Ricans at UCF. Opportunities exist for candidates to collaborate with faculty across the university.

UCF is one of the most innovative public universities in the nation, as named by the U.S. News & World Report. UCF is a leading, metropolitan, research-intensive university with over 68,000 students. As part of our comprehensive traditional benefits, UCF offers support for expectant mothers, paid parental leave for both parents, on-site pre-school, and professional development and leadership training for all faculty at all career stages. The university offers more than 240-degree programs. UCF is an economic engine, attracting and supporting industries vital to the region's future while providing students with real-world experiences that help them succeed after graduation. For more information, visit http://www.ucf.edu.

The UCF College of Sciences (COS) houses most of the university's natural, computational, and social sciences in ten departments and schools, and several centers. Seven departments hold national rankings for best graduate programs. The college's programs play a key role in advancing UCF as a national research university that is determined to help students from all backgrounds achieve success. For more information, visit https://sciences.ucf.edu/.

Minimum Qualifications:

A Ph.D. in sociology or a very closely related field from an accredited institution by time of appointment is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A promising research agenda in health-related research that reflects theoretical creativity and/or empirical sophistication.

• The capacity to teach health-related courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level, willingness to teach courses in different modalities (e.g., face-to-face and online), and contribution to graduate programs through student supervision.

• Strong potential to secure external funding.

Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/. In addition to the online application, interested candidates should upload the following:

• A curriculum vitae.

• A letter of interest describing qualifications for the position, such as research agenda and teaching experience/interest.

• The names and contact information for three professional references (please do not submit letters of recommendation).

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be attached at that time. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.

Questions regarding this search should be directed to: Dr. Shannon Carter at skcarter@ucf.edu.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

N/A

Job Close Date:

02/06/2025

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program. 

• Paid time off, including annual (12-month faculty) and sick time off and paid holidays.

• Retirement savings options. 

• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions. 

• Education assistance.

• Flexible work environment. 

• And more…For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide click here.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF's expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

Department

Work Schedule

Type of Appointment

Expected Salary

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Central Florida is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including Disabled/Vets.  Click on UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement to view the President’s Statement.

The UCF affirmative action plans for qualified individuals with disabilities and protected Veterans are available for inspection in the Office of Institutional Equity, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., upon request.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request. 

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.