Assistant Professor American Public Law and Politics

Application review begins October 1, 2026; position begins August 2027.

About the Role

The Department of Politics and International Relations at Lake Forest College invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor specializing in American public law and politics. We seek a candidate dedicated to teaching and advising excellence, with a robust research program and scholarly promise.

The successful candidate will contribute to the Legal Studies minor and Mock Trial program, with opportunities to connect students to legal internships and Chicagoland-area opportunities. Candidates who can support the Public Policy Studies minor—particularly through courses intersecting American public law, politics, and public policy—are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Teach six courses per academic year, including:
  • Introduction to American Politics (offered twice annually)
  • Introduction to Legal Studies
  • American Constitutional Law
  • The American Judiciary
  • Intermediate- and advanced-level public law courses in areas of expertise (beyond criminal law)
  • One first-year studies course (including while on the tenure track)
• Advise students and incorporate them into research programs, leveraging Lake Forest College’s proximity to Chicago as a learning laboratory.
• Maintain an active research agenda, including peer-reviewed publications by tenure review.
• Participate in departmental and college-wide initiatives, including the Mock Trial program.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in political science or a related field and/or a J.D., completed by the start of the 2027–28 academic year.
• Demonstrated commitment to teaching excellence in a liberal arts setting, with experience addressing diversity in the classroom.
• Scholarly promise, evidenced by a research agenda and potential for peer-reviewed publications.
• Willingness to teach small classes (15–25 students) and engage in advising.

Benefits

• Student research assistants and access to summer research funding.
• One-semester sabbatical at full pay after successful third-year review.
• Tenure review in the sixth year of service.
• Comprehensive benefits package (details at www.lakeforest.edu/offices-and-departments/human-resources/employee-benefits).

Pay

Salary range: $67,000–$71,000.

About Lake Forest College

A highly selective liberal arts college on Chicago’s North Shore, Lake Forest enrolls ~1,800 students from 40+ states and 100+ countries. The college is recognized for its diversity (~40% domestic students of color and international students) and social mobility, ranking among the top three national liberal arts colleges for social mobility by U.S. News & World Report (2023–2025) and as the nation’s thirteenth “Best Value” (2023). The Wall Street Journal ranked Lake Forest the top liberal arts college in the Midwest in 2023. Teaching excellence is the primary criterion for faculty evaluation.