Assistant Professor – Civics Education at UC Berkeley: Fully Detailed 2027 Faculty Job Opportunity
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is inviting applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Civics Education, with a particular emphasis on civic learning and democratic engagement. The position is based in the Berkeley School of Education (BSE) and is an excellent opportunity for scholars whose research and teaching focus on civics education, democratic participation, youth civic development, public policy, political science, education, history, ethnic studies, data science, or related interdisciplinary fields.
The successful candidate will contribute to UC Berkeley’s research, teaching, mentoring, and public-service mission while developing scholarship that addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing democratic societies, including political polarization, misinformation, civic exclusion, digital citizenship, information literacy, and threats to democratic institutions.
Opportunity Overview
- Institution: University of California, Berkeley
- School: Berkeley School of Education
- Department/Area: Civics Education
- Position: Assistant Professor
- Appointment: Tenure-track
- Job Number: JPF05516
- Location: Berkeley, California, United States
- Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2027
- Salary: $84,100–$132,900 for a nine-month academic year
- Application Opens: September 29, 2026
- Application Deadline: October 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time
- Next Review Date: October 29, 2026
- Application: UC Berkeley Academic Recruit
About the Assistant Professor Position
The Berkeley School of Education is seeking a scholar who can contribute to its growing work in Civics Education, civic learning, and democratic engagement.
The position is deliberately interdisciplinary. UC Berkeley welcomes applicants whose academic backgrounds are in education as well as scholars working in related disciplines such as:
- Political science
- Public policy
- History
- Ethnic studies
- Data science
- Education
- Other relevant interdisciplinary fields
The university is particularly interested in candidates whose research examines how people, particularly young people, learn about civics, participate in democratic life, develop civic identities, and engage with their communities and institutions.
Preference will be given to candidates whose work focuses on K–12 classrooms and youth civic development.
Research Focus
The successful candidate is expected to develop a strong research programme examining the teaching and learning of civics and contributing to theories of learning that help society understand and respond to contemporary democratic challenges.
The position recognizes that democratic societies are experiencing significant challenges. Young people increasingly encounter issues such as:
- Political polarization
- Misinformation and disinformation
- Declining trust in institutions
- Civic exclusion
- Inequality in political participation
- Challenges to democratic institutions
- Digital misinformation
- Rapid technological change
- Difficulties distinguishing reliable information from misleading content
- Changing forms of civic participation
The university therefore seeks a scholar capable of developing research and educational innovations that help educators respond to these challenges.
A particularly important component of the position is the relationship between civics education and technology.
Candidates are expected to have some expertise in areas such as:
- Digital citizenship
- Information literacy
- Technology and democracy
- Civic implications of emerging technologies
- Online civic participation
- Youth engagement in digital spaces
- Misinformation and democratic participation
This creates an opportunity for scholars working at the intersection of education, democracy, technology, political participation and youth development.
K–12 Education and Youth Civic Development
Although the position is interdisciplinary, Berkeley indicates a preference for scholars whose work is connected to K–12 classrooms and youth civic development.
This means candidates may be particularly well positioned if their scholarship examines questions such as:
- How do children and young people learn about democracy?
- How do schools prepare students for democratic participation?
- What educational practices encourage civic engagement?
- How can schools teach students to evaluate political information critically?
- How does social media influence young people’s understanding of politics?
- How can educators address political polarization in classrooms?
- How can schools create inclusive spaces for civic dialogue?
- How do young people develop civic identities?
- How can civic education promote democratic participation among historically excluded groups?
- How can technology be used to strengthen civic learning?
These areas are not necessarily an exhaustive list of possible research topics, but they illustrate the broad intellectual direction of the position.
Teaching and Mentoring Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to UC Berkeley’s teaching and mentoring mission.
The university is looking for someone with appropriate teaching and/or mentoring experience, particularly in relation to Civics Education.
The successful scholar may contribute to courses for:
- Undergraduate students
- Graduate students
- K–12 teacher preparation programmes
- Educational leadership programmes
- Other relevant academic and professional programmes
Applicants should therefore demonstrate not only research potential but also the ability to contribute meaningfully to student learning and development.
Inclusive Teaching and Mentoring
The Berkeley School of Education places considerable emphasis on educational equity and inclusion.
Candidates are expected to demonstrate an approach to teaching that supports the success of students from different backgrounds and experiences.
Applicants should be prepared to explain:
- Their previous teaching experience
- Their teaching philosophy
- Their approach to inclusive teaching
- How they support students with different educational backgrounds
- How they create inclusive classroom environments
- Their future teaching interests
- Their mentoring experience
- How they support students’ academic and professional development
- How they would create an inclusive research environment
The university is particularly interested in approaches that remove barriers and promote equitable access and advancement within research and education.
About the Berkeley School of Education
The Berkeley School of Education places education at the centre of democratic and social progress.
The school emphasizes the importance of education in developing human potential, advancing equity and inclusion, strengthening communities, and fostering civic engagement.
Its work addresses questions concerning how:
- Children learn
- Young people develop
- Adults learn across different contexts
- Schools can become more equitable
- Communities can expand educational opportunities
- Societies can strengthen democratic participation
The school also emphasizes the importance of helping learners:
- Engage in dialogue across differences
- Develop critical-thinking skills
- Make informed decisions
- Participate in democratic life
- Advance individual and collective progress
The successful applicant would therefore join an institution that views education not simply as classroom instruction but as an important mechanism for strengthening society and the public good.
Research, Teaching and Public Service
UC Berkeley’s faculty mission extends beyond research and classroom teaching.
The successful candidate is expected to contribute through three interconnected areas:
- Research
The candidate will develop an independent programme of scholarly research and contribute to knowledge about Civics Education, civic learning and democratic engagement.
- Teaching and mentoring
The candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate students and potentially contribute to teacher preparation and educational leadership programmes.
- Service
The candidate will participate in academic, professional and public-service activities that contribute to the university, the discipline and wider society.
This could include professional associations, committees, community engagement, outreach and activities that expand participation in academia.
Required Qualifications
Applicants must satisfy the basic academic qualification at the time of application.
Candidates must have:
- A Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent international doctoral degree, or
- Be enrolled in a Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent international doctoral programme at the time of application.
A completed Ph.D. or Ed.D. is listed as a preferred qualification.
This means that doctoral students who have not yet completed their degree may potentially apply, provided they are enrolled in an eligible doctoral programme when they submit their application.
Preferred Academic Profile
UC Berkeley is particularly interested in scholars whose academic and research profile aligns with its priorities, including:
- Educational equity
- Democratic flourishing
- Student success
- Civics Education
- Civic learning
- Democratic engagement
- Youth civic development
- K–12 education
- Digital citizenship
- Information literacy
- Technology and democracy
Applicants from multiple academic disciplines are welcome, making this a particularly interdisciplinary faculty opportunity.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit several documents through the UC Berkeley academic recruitment system.
- Curriculum Vitae
Applicants must provide their most recent and updated academic CV.
The CV should clearly present relevant:
- Academic qualifications
- Research experience
- Publications
- Teaching experience
- Mentoring experience
- Presentations
- Awards
- Professional service
- Community engagement
- Other scholarly achievements
- Teaching and Mentoring Statement
Applicants must submit a statement discussing their teaching and mentoring experience.
The statement should address areas such as:
- Previous teaching experience
- Teaching philosophy
- Teaching methods
- Inclusive pedagogy
- Future teaching interests
- Efforts to support student success
- Inclusive curriculum development
- Classroom environment
- Mentoring experience
- Research mentoring
- Supporting students from different backgrounds
- Removing barriers to participation and advancement
Applicants should use this statement to demonstrate how their teaching philosophy aligns with Berkeley’s commitment to equity and inclusion.
- Research Statement
A research statement is required.
Applicants should discuss:
- Research accomplishments
- Current research programme
- Publications
- Research presentations
- Awards and recognition
- Future research plans
- Research methodology
- Contributions to Civics Education
- How their research addresses democratic challenges
- Inclusive research practices
The research statement should also demonstrate the candidate’s potential to develop an independent and impactful research programme.
- Authorization to Release Information Form
Applicants must download, complete, sign and upload UC Berkeley’s Authorization to Release Information form.
This document is particularly important because the university states that an application without the required signed authorization will be considered incomplete.
Institutional reference checks will only occur if the applicant progresses to the point where the hiring unit intends to extend a formal offer.
- Publications
Applicants must submit two publications or manuscripts.
These may be:
- Published articles
- Unpublished manuscripts
- Dissertation chapters
Applicants can therefore use a strong dissertation chapter as one of the submitted scholarly works where appropriate.
- Service Statement
Applicants must submit a statement addressing their academic, professional and/or public service.
Possible areas include:
- Professional associations
- Academic committees
- University service
- Discipline-related service
- Community outreach
- Public engagement
- Activities that increase participation in academia
- Service addressing barriers to participation
This component is particularly relevant for candidates whose work connects academic scholarship with communities and public institutions.
- References
Three references are required.
At the initial application stage, applicants provide the contact information for three references.
UC Berkeley states that references will only be contacted for letters if the candidate advances to the second round of review.
What Makes This Opportunity Distinctive?
This position stands at the intersection of several important areas of scholarship.
Civics Education
The core of the position is understanding how people learn about citizenship, democracy and civic participation.
Democracy
The position responds directly to contemporary challenges facing democratic institutions and public life.
Youth Development
Berkeley particularly values scholarship focusing on young people and K–12 education.
Technology
Digital citizenship, information literacy and the civic implications of technology are increasingly important components of the field.
Public Policy
Scholars with public policy backgrounds can contribute perspectives on institutions, governance and policy implementation.
Political Science
Political scientists studying democratic participation, political behavior, institutions and civic engagement may also fit the interdisciplinary nature of the position.
Data Science
Data-oriented approaches to studying civic learning, digital participation, misinformation and youth engagement may also be relevant.
Who Should Consider Applying?
This opportunity may be particularly relevant to scholars working in or across:
- Education
- Civics Education
- Political Science
- Public Policy
- History
- Ethnic Studies
- Data Science
- Educational Leadership
- Youth Development
- Democratic Education
- Digital Citizenship
- Information Literacy
- Technology and Society
Candidates with interdisciplinary research programmes may be particularly well positioned because Berkeley explicitly welcomes applicants from multiple connected disciplines.
Application Timeline
The application timeline is important.
Application opening date: September 29, 2026
Next review date: October 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time
Final application deadline: October 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time
Expected appointment start: July 1, 2027
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their materials before the October 29 deadline to ensure consideration.
Salary and Appointment
The position is a tenure-track Assistant Professor appointment.
The listed salary range is:
$84,100–$132,900
This represents the nine-month academic-year salary.
UC Berkeley notes that off-scale salary and other compensation components may be offered in competitive circumstances, meaning the eventual compensation may exceed the listed range.
Location
The position is based in:
Berkeley, California, United States
The successful candidate will join the Berkeley School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley.
UC Berkeley also recognizes that faculty recruitment can involve family and relocation considerations. The university provides information concerning relocation and career needs of accompanying partners and spouses through its Office for Faculty Equity and Welfare.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
UC Berkeley emphasizes diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as important elements of its public mission.
The university states that these principles are connected to its broader commitment to:
- Critical inquiry
- Debate
- Discovery
- Innovation
- Educational equity
- A safe and humane academic environment
- Public service
- Academic excellence
Candidates should therefore be prepared to demonstrate how their research, teaching, mentoring and service contribute to inclusive educational environments.
Institutional and Professional Conduct Requirements
UC Berkeley requires Senate faculty applicants to complete the required Authorization of Information Release form.
The university also states that finalists may be required to disclose certain final administrative or judicial decisions concerning misconduct within the preceding seven years.
The stated definition of misconduct includes violations of policies or laws governing conduct at a previous place of employment, including matters involving harassment or discrimination.
Applicants should therefore carefully review the university’s relevant policies and requirements when preparing their applications.
Why Civics Education Matters
The position reflects a broader concern about the future of democratic participation.
Modern citizens increasingly encounter political information through digital platforms, social media and other rapidly changing technologies. As a result, effective civics education now involves more than teaching students about government structures.
Students increasingly need the ability to:
- Evaluate information critically
- Identify misinformation
- Understand democratic institutions
- Participate constructively in public debate
- Engage with people who hold different perspectives
- Understand civic rights and responsibilities
- Participate in their communities
- Navigate digital information environments
- Make informed decisions
- Understand how technology affects public life
This makes Civics Education an increasingly interdisciplinary field involving education, political science, public policy, technology, psychology, communications and data science.
How Applicants Can Strengthen Their Applications
Because this is a tenure-track faculty position, applicants should present themselves as independent scholars with a clear research identity.
A strong application should establish a coherent connection between:
Research → Teaching → Mentoring → Service → Democratic impact
Applicants should make it easy for the search committee to understand:
- What research questions they investigate.
- Why those questions matter.
- What their existing scholarship has contributed.
- What their future research programme will investigate.
- How their research advances Civics Education.
- How their work relates to youth or K–12 education where applicable.
- How they address contemporary democratic challenges.
- How they incorporate digital citizenship or information literacy where relevant.
- What they can teach at Berkeley.
- How they mentor students.
- How their service contributes to the university and wider public.
- How their scholarship aligns with Berkeley’s commitment to equity and democratic flourishing.
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Conclusion
The Assistant Professor in Civics Education position at the University of California, Berkeley, is a major academic opportunity for emerging scholars working at the intersection of civic learning, democratic engagement, education, youth development, public policy, political science and technology.
The position is particularly relevant to scholars whose research examines how young people develop civic knowledge and participate in democratic life, while also addressing contemporary challenges such as polarization, misinformation, civic exclusion, digital citizenship and the changing role of technology in democracy.
Successful applicants will be expected to demonstrate strong potential in research, teaching, mentoring and service, alongside a clear commitment to educational equity and democratic flourishing.
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With an anticipated start date of July 1, 2027, a listed nine-month salary of $84,100–$132,900, and an application deadline of October 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, prospective candidates should begin preparing their academic materials well in advance of the deadline.
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