Who We Are

The Department of Sociology at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), a Carnegie-classified R2 institution in the mainstream of American Catholic higher education, seeks outstanding applicants for the position of Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) to assist in building a new Criminology, Law, and Society program. We invite candidates who value LMU’s mission and share its commitment to inclusive excellence and the building of a just society.

LMU is a Carnegie-classified R2 university that is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). LMU is also recognized by the State of California as a Black-Serving Institution (BSI). These designations reflect the university’s continuing commitment to supporting student success, belonging, and thriving within a diverse academic community. As a Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount University, LMU values faculty who engage students as whole persons and pursue scholarly work that promotes justice, equity, and the Common Good.

LMU embraces a teacher-scholar model, in which faculty are dedicated to (1) teaching a diverse student body in a transformative learning environment, (2) developing a thriving portfolio of research and mentoring students, (3) participating in service activities at the academic, professional, and/or community levels, and (4) working toward greater equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility for all. Teacher-scholars at LMU conduct research and creative work that contributes to the larger body of knowledge while setting an example for the importance of lifelong learning. The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to these principles and an eagerness to join our thriving community of teacher-scholars.

For more information about our current faculty, please visit Join Our Faculty.

Appointment Type and Details

The successful candidate will be appointed at the rank of Assistant Professor and is expected to begin in August 2027.  A Ph.D. is required by August 15, 2027. Strong preference will be given to candidates with doctoral degrees in Sociology, Criminology, Criminal Justice, or closely related interdisciplinary fields focused on the social study of crime, law, and justice (e.g., Socio-Legal Studies, Justice Studies, or Jurisprudence and Social Policy). This is a full-time, nine-month academic appointment (August – May) with an annual salary paid over 12 consecutive months, allowing for continuous benefits coverage.

Position Responsibilities

We seek a scholar with expertise in teaching and research in criminology, broadly defined, whose work engages the study of crime, law, and justice. We welcome applicants from any subfield of criminology and social justice, including, for example, policing, the courts, criminological theory, juvenile justice, victimization, corrective and rehabilitative institutions, restorative and community-based justice, and the intersections of crime, law, and punishment with race, class, gender, and migration. We are particularly interested in candidates whose work engages critical criminological perspectives, including Black feminist, abolitionist, and queer of color critiques of crime, law, punishment, and systems of social control.

The successful candidate will join a vibrant community of teacher-scholars in the Department of Sociology. The Department values collaborative, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged approaches to teaching and research.  Position responsibilities include maintaining an active program of scholarship, teaching and advising undergraduate students, and contributing to department, college, and university service. Department tenure-track faculty typically teach on a two-year 2-2-2-3 course rotation (4-unit classes) within a 40% research, 40% teaching, and 20% service model. Faculty in these positions will be encouraged to contribute to the LMU Core Curriculum, for example by developing a First-Year Seminar and/or courses that incorporate Interdisciplinary Connections.

Candidates that can teach courses that readily fit our department curriculum, such as statistics and quantitative research methods, Introduction to Sociology and Criminology, criminological or sociological theory; and candidates that can mentor students in quantitative methods are especially encouraged to apply.

We also seek candidates who are excited to teach and mentor a diverse student body in Los Angeles and who will contribute to LMU’s teacher-scholar model through excellent undergraduate teaching, an active research agenda, and innovative forms of student engagement, including collaborative and community-based learning, internships, and partnerships with Los Angeles justice and community organizations.

How to Apply

The application deadline is December 1, 2026. Questions regarding this position may be directed to the Committee Co-Chair, Dr. Sarah Adeyinka (Sarah.Adeyinka-Skold@lmu.edu)

The following application materials must be submitted online through the LMU Employment website to be considered:

• Cover letter addressing statement of teaching and research interests

• Curriculum Vitae

• Writing Sample

• Names/addresses of 3 references

Candidates who advance in the search will be asked to provide letters at a later stage.

Note: Workday allows a maximum of five uploaded documents (5 MB each).

Across their application materials, candidates should address their commitment to and any past and/or potential contributions to advancing LMU’s mission and promoting the success, sense of belonging, and thriving of students from a variety of lived experiences. Candidates may address these commitments in relation to their scholarship, teaching, mentorship, advising, and/or service, as appropriate to their experiences and future goals. Relevant examples may include fostering inclusive and accessible learning environments, supporting equitable educational outcomes, engaging multiple perspectives and ways of knowing, mentoring students from varied backgrounds, or pursuing scholarship and service that contributes to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, justice, and/or accessibility.

#HERC# #HEJ#

Please note that this position may not be eligible for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

LMU is committed to providing equal access to employment opportunities and ensuring a comprehensive recruitment and selection process for all applicants.

Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any stage of the application, interview, or selection process may contact Human Resources at hr@lmu.edu or by phone at (310) 338-2723. Applicants who use relay services or other assistive communication technologies are welcome to utilize those services when contacting Human Resources.

When contacting Human Resources, please include the job posting number, title of the position and department for which you are applying. Applicants are not required to disclose the nature of a disability or provide medical information when requesting an accommodation during the recruitment process.

LMU will work with applicants in a timely and interactive process to identify and provide reasonable accommodations consistent with applicable federal and state law.