Job Description

The Shyam Dev Patwardhan Department of Philosophy in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma is seeking an Assistant Professor (tenure track) specializing in an area of Socially Engaged Philosophy. We conceive of socially engaged Philosophy as concerned with matters of societal challenge and opportunity. Examples include practical, applied, and professional ethics (business, health, military, etc.); Philosophy of Technology; and approaches to Ethics, Political Philosophy, Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, and related fields that address issues in this domain. Areas of competence are open. The typical teaching load is 2 courses per semester and involves teaching B.A., M.A., and PhD students. The anticipated start date is August 16, 2026. 

The successful candidate will become a central member of a vibrant intellectual community that prizes the ability to converse across philosophical traditions and sub-disciplines and values interdisciplinary engagement. We are especially interested in applications from qualified candidates who are committed to practicing philosophy in a cooperative mode and to achieving rigor and excellence in their research and teaching. For more information about our department, please see https://www.ou.edu/cas/philosophy.

The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a growing Carnegie R1 public research university located in the city of Norman, Oklahoma. The university and the surrounding community create an environment where our faculty can integrate work with family, recreation, and a high quality of life. OU enrolls over 30,000 students and has more than 2,700 full-time faculty members in 21 colleges. 

Required qualifications:

• The candidate must have a PhD in philosophy or a related discipline at the time of application or be ABD with evidence that the PhD will have been defended prior to the fall 2026 start date. (If you do not already have your PhD in hand, please specifically discuss how you meet this qualification in your letter of interest. Describe how much of your dissertation is already complete, and explain your plan for completion by the August 16, 2026, start date.)


• A record of research in Socially Engaged Philosophy.

Preferred qualifications:

• Demonstrated excellence of research in Socially Engaged Philosophy. 


• Ability to contribute to the department’s curriculum beyond the candidate’s core research area.


• Having served as the instructor of record in courses at the university level.


• Demonstrated commitment to pedagogical approaches that foster the success of students with varied levels of preparation.

Submit applications (letter of interest, CV, writing sample, and evidence of teaching excellence) at https://apply.interfolio.com/175334. The letter of interest may elaborate on the candidate’s qualifications for the position in ways that go beyond the information contained in the other documents, such as providing examples of the candidate’s approach to teaching, classroom management, strategies for broadening access, graduate student mentorship, research, service, or the like. Additional materials may be requested at a later date.

**Please upload an anonymized version of your writing sample(s), with your name and affiliation removed.** If the paper has been published, it is fine to submit an anonymized penultimate draft. 

Three letters of recommendation will be required for all candidates. During the application process, you will be prompted for the contact information for references. Each letter writer will receive an e-mail with instructions about how to upload the letter.

Contact Person and Application Review Date:

To be guaranteed full consideration, please submit all application materials by Dec.5, 2025. The search committee will begin reviewing applications on Dec.6 and the search will remain open until filled.

Inquiries should be directed to the search committee chair, Dr. Zev Trachtenberg, at [email protected].