Assistant/Associate Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies (RISE - THRIVE)

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Job Profile:

Job Summary:

The Department of Gender and Women’s Studies (GWS) invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of assistant professor or recently tenured associate professor who works at the intersection of gender or sexuality and aging.

GWS envisions that the successful candidate focuses their research and teaching on health and aging at the intersection of sex, gender, and sexuality and on the long-term health effects of social and economic marginalization. This hire aligns with our scholarly focus on illuminating the structures of inequality, highlighting resilience and resistance, and advocating for a more equitable health landscape.

We are particularly interested in scholars who study gendered aging among socially or economically marginalized groups. Use of identifiable feminist research methods and interest in community-engaged research are a plus. Areas of interest include gendered aging among Indigenous people; aging concerns among queer/trans communities; women, aging, and sexuality; Black women and aging; women and elder abuse. Strong candidates with a commitment to interdisciplinary research on gender or sexuality and aging and an interest in advancing the health span (safe, secure, and healthy lifespan) regardless of sub-specialization, will be considered.

From its beginning, GWS has supported intersectional, interdisciplinary research and teaching focused on gender, sexuality, and health. Current faculty and students study reproduction, sexuality, disability and ableism, health activism, HIV/AIDS, and sexual violence in the United States and across the globe. We explore health and illness across the life course, and we have made important scholarly interventions into our collective understanding of age-mediated life events (e.g. menopause, “reproductive age,” marriage, and girlhood). Learn more at  https://gws.wisc.edu/.

This position is part of the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative. Through accelerated and strategic faculty hiring, research infrastructure enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and increased student and educational opportunities, RISE addresses complex societal challenges of importance to the state, nation and world. Building on UW–Madison’s strengths, RISE expands the University’s successful track record of connecting with communities and industry on collaborative solutions.   

The RISE-THRIVE (Transforming Healthspan through Research, InnoVation, and Education) initiative is built on advancing the “health span,” or the number of years a person is living with good health and well-being.

Over the next three academic years, UW–Madison will substantially increase current hiring levels, bringing 150 new RISE faculty to campus. Candidates hired through RISE will join a community of scholars working across disciplines, schools and colleges on research, teaching and outreach endeavors. The community will engage regularly in venues such as seminar series and colloquia to share ongoing projects and identify opportunities to work together. The University will support the community, facilitating access to research infrastructure, and funding to support broad and rich collaboration. Further information regarding RISE can be found at: https://rise.wisc.edu/

Situated at the heart of UW-Madison, the College of Letters & Science (L&S) serves as home to 39 academic departments and numerous research centers, including the Center for Demography and Ecology, the Center for Demography of Health and Aging, and the Center for Healthy Minds.  By hiring up to seven faculty researchers as part of UW-Madison’s RISE-THRIVE initiative, the College seeks to further bolster its expertise and capacity to serve as a dynamic hub for interdisciplinary and collaborative health research—one that integrates quantitative, qualitative, and community-engaged forms of research and brings this mixed-methods approach to bear on the complexities of health, disease, well-being and resilience, and aging.  L&S researchers explore the social, economic, historical, environmental, and behavioral factors that shape health outcomes, while advancing knowledge in genomics, epigenetics, and demography as well as driving innovation in health policy and technology—all for the goal of fostering healthier lives and healthier communities.

In the College of Letters & Science, we provide a liberal arts education that is both broad and deep through excellent, empathic teaching. We hire faculty who are interested in pursuing difficult questions, making new discoveries, and making an impact in their field. We reward excellent teaching and classroom innovation, and we are committed to shared governance. Learn more about the L&S mission on our webpage: https://ls.wisc.edu/about/mission.

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position, you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work.

Key Job Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science that values, prioritizes, and actualizes evidence-based and student-centered teaching and (undergraduate student) mentoring. They will contribute to an environment that fosters engagement and a sense of belonging for faculty, staff, students and members of the broader community. As a member of the College of Letters & Science, they will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college’s commitment to excellence among all aspects of their teaching, mentoring, research, and service.

Department:

College of Letters and Science, Department of Gender and Women’s Studies

Compensation:

Negotiable – 9 months / ongoing / renewable

Required Qualifications:

• Candidates should have an on-going research agenda that focuses on gender or sexuality and aging.

• Candidates should have evidence of or potential for excellent teaching.

• Candidates should exhibit the potential for excellent scholarship that complements the mission of the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies.

• Candidates should be interested in interdisciplinary research projects that focus on understanding social and cultural impediments to health span and/or efforts to improve health span and demonstrate potential for interdisciplinary collaboration across departments and with various research centers (e.g. Center for Demography and Ecology, the Center for Demography of Health and Aging, and the Center for Healthy Minds)

• Candidate will demonstrate fostering or the ability to foster a teaching, learning, mentoring, departmental, and a research environment where all can thrive.

• Appointment with tenure requires review by the Social Sciences Divisional Committee or the Arts and Humanities Divisional Committee prior to the start of appointment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior teaching experience is preferred.

• Interest in community-engaged research is a plus.

• Some gender studies training is desired.

Education:

Ph.D.  in gender studies (gender and women’s studies; gender and sexuality studies; feminist studies) or other disciplinary or interdisciplinary field required by start of appointment.

How to Apply:

The deadline for assuring full consideration is November 11, 2025; however, this position will remain open, and applications may be considered until this position is filled. Apply online at "Jobs at UW" (http://jobs.wisc.edu) under Job Requisition JR10004437. Your application must be received through the Jobs at UW portal to be considered as a candidate. Applications submitted outside of this system will not be considered.

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply Now" button and use the online UW Job Application system to submit the following 5 documents:

• Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)

• Cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for this position

• Research Statement and Teaching Statement with prior teaching evaluation materials if available (please include these two statements in one document)

• One writing sample (publication preferred)

• Contact information for three (3) professional references

Contact Information:

Questions or inquiries can be directed to:

Nicholas Syrett, Department and Search Chair, nsyrett@wisc.edu

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, click here.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.