Quarterly Lecturer - Political Science (2026-2027 Pool)

Position Title:

Position Type:

Salary Range:

  $9,552 for each 4 or 5 unit course. 

Purpose:

The Department of Political Science at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit, Catholic university, invites applicants for Quarterly Lecturer position(s) (non-tenure track) positions to teach courses in International Relations and/or Comparative Politics. Specific assignments will be made according to the academic qualifications of the individual and programmatic need. Santa Clara University is on the quarter system, and the quarters are 10 weeks long with an 11th week for final examinations. 

This is an applicant pool; as such, positions are hired as needed. The successful candidate will teach no more than 2 courses in any quarter and no more than four courses over the fall, winter and spring quarters. All classes will be presented in person; however, if county health and university health conditions deteriorate, the successful candidate may be asked to teach part of the course online.

Fall Quarter (9/21/26 - 12/11/26, including exams; contract start date: September 1, 2026.)

Courses of interest: “Introduction to Comparative Politics” (2 sections), “Introduction to International Relations,” “Special Topics in Comparative Politics,” “International Law”

Winter Quarter (1/4/27 - 3/19/27, including exams; contract start date: December 16, 2026.)

Courses of interest: “Introduction to International Relations,” “Law, Security, and Force”

Spring Quarter (3/29/27 - 6/10/27, including exams; contract start date: March 1, 2027.)

No openings anticipated

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Terminal degree (Ph.D) in Political Science or a closely-related field. Applicants who are ABD or possess a Master’s degree, accompanied by commensurate academic experience in Political Science or a closely-related field (5-7 years of college or professional teaching) will be considered.
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching Political Science at the college level.
• Excellent communication skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with inclusive pedagogical practices that promote access and academic success for all students..
• Experience teaching and mentoring a diverse population of undergraduate students.

RESPONSIBILITIES

TEACHING (100%)

Teaching duties will not exceed more than two courses in any quarter and no more than four in any academic year, and will include but are not limited to fulfilling all responsibilities associated with assigned courses, including:

• Conducting and appearing at all assigned class meetings in a timely and prepared manner that demonstrates a command of the discipline and skill in presenting it effectively;
• Assigning and evaluating assignments that align with the course description and course learning outcomes, and providing timely feedback to students;
• Holding regular weekly office hours on campus;
• Submitting student grades that are appropriate, accurate and fair measures of student performance to the Office of the Registrar by the designated deadline;
• Administering numerical and narrative evaluations for all courses;
• Where applicable, teaching from an approved syllabus for the University Core courses assigned or working with the Chair to design an appropriate syllabus for submission for approval from the relevant Faculty Core Curriculum Committee.

SERVICE (0%) 

This position does not require any service duties. You may be invited, but not required, to attend department meetings or activities. 

REQUESTED APPLICATION MATERIALS:

• Cover letter
• CV
• Sample syllabi 
• Teaching evaluations
• Contact information for two references 

Applicants will upload all of their information into Workday, with the exception of confidential letters of reference from third parties. Those letters must be emailed to Pam Doherty at [email protected] who will then upload them into the applicant file.

Ad closing date: April 5, 2027.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Please note that your employment is subject to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 (“Local 1021”; see https://www.scu.edu/provost/faculty-affairs/cba-ntt/).

Telecommute

Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Illinois. Employees approved to telecommute are required to perform their work within one of these states.

EEO Statement

​Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy or related conditions, reproductive health decisionmaking, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.  For a complete copy of Santa Clara University’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX website at  https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/. 

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please visit the Campus Safety Services website. To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Consistent with its obligations under the law, Santa Clara University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.  Applicants who wish to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the Department of Human Resources ADA Team at [email protected] or by phone at (408)554-5750. Please note: This contact information is intended for accommodation requests only. Resumes or inquiries about application status sent to this inbox will not be reviewed or forwarded. For resumes or questions regarding application status, please contact [email protected].

Work Authorization:

SCU does not sponsor any applicants for work visas for this position.  The successful candidate must be able to provide evidence of identity and legal authorization to work in the United States.