Job Summary:

The Department of Leadership in Education in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Massachusetts Boston seeks applicants for two tenure-track Assistant Professors of Higher Education to begin September 1, 2027. Of particular interest are equity-minded candidates whose teaching, research, and service advances our college mission and the commitments outlined within our university strategic plan (p.11).

We are interested in candidates who possess the following qualifications: 1) scholarship that incorporates critical theoretical lenses to advance equity and social justice in higher education research and practice, 2) experience with culturally sustaining and asset-based approaches to teaching and learning, and/or 3) involvement in community-engaged scholarship. Candidates’ research agendas should be grounded in the field of higher education and focus on one or more of the following areas: (1) community colleges, with a focus on practitioner experiences and/or student pathways into and through degree and non-degree programs; (2) the development and experiences of undergraduate students from communities historically underserved and underrepresented in higher education; or (3) organization, administration, and governance.

In addition to demonstrating expertise in one or more of the identified research areas, one of the two positions will focus on candidates with expertise in survey research approaches, particularly those that apply a critical lens. For the second position, we are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in critical and creative research methodologies across qualitative, quantitative (QuantCrit), and/or mixed methods traditions.

Faculty are responsible for teaching, research, and service that enhance CEHD’s community-engaged mission. Responsibilities for this position include: 1) teaching graduate courses in the Higher Education Program; 2) conducting research that is relevant to the field of higher education and aligned with our college mission; 3) advising doctoral students and serving on dissertation committees; and 4) contributing service to university, college, departmental, and program committees, to professional associations, and to local, national, and/or international communities. The position also offers opportunities for collaboration with UMass Boston’s Collaborative of Asian American, Native American, Latino, and African American Institutes (CANALA—UMass Boston). 

CEHD is ranked the top public college of education in the state of Massachusetts (U.S. News and World Report, 2026) and is guided by our core values of social justice, community engagement and academic excellence. Its Department of Leadership in Education is home to cohort-based M.Ed., CAGS, PhD, and EdD programs that are highly regarded in the region and nation. The Higher Education EdD/PhD Program is one of the largest doctoral programs at UMass Boston. The program develops scholar-practitioners who can, through their research, leadership, and educational practice, bring about changes in colleges and universities to advance equity and racial justice. Our students include many full-time professionals with diverse backgrounds and work experiences. For details, visit our website.  

The College recognizes that the scholarly work of faculty often includes the integration of teaching, research, and service. The Higher Education Doctoral Program provides a dynamic environment for faculty and graduate students to conduct nationally recognized research, particularly in areas related to access, equity, leadership, governance, organizational change, public policy, teaching and learning, and college student experiences and outcomes.

UMass Boston is an urban public research university with a teaching soul, whose impact is both local and global. We are the third most diverse university in the country—more than 60% of our undergraduate students come from historically marginalized communities and groups and more than half of our students are the first in their families to attend a college or university. Thus, our students come to us from richly diverse life experiences and backgrounds; they bring to our classrooms and research settings the robust range of perspectives growing out of the socio-cultural, economic, and historical contexts in which they have lived, along with the challenges they encounter, engage, and strive to overcome. We invite applications from candidates who reflect the diverse life experiences of our student body, who appreciate that students bring their holistic selves into the academic setting, and who recognize and articulate how their own life experiences and backgrounds have shaped their journeys, practices, and commitments as researchers, scholars, and educators.  

Application review will begin on October 5th and continue until the position is filled. Inquiries about the position can be directed to Dr. Monnica Chan (monnica.chan@umb.edu), search committee chair. Applicants can apply online using the following link: UMass Boston - Human Resources Employment Opportunities

Interested applicants should submit the following materials: 

• A letter of interest that: 1) describes the applicant’s research agenda and how it supports our program mission; 2) explains how the applicant’s research and scholarship contribute to theory, practice, and policy in the field of higher education; and 3) indicates how the applicant’s teaching and advising philosophy fits with a practitioner-focused doctoral program and the mission of the UMass Boston Higher Education Program.  
• A current curriculum vitae. 
• Three samples of scholarship published in academic venues, such as peer-reviewed journals, academic books, and conference proceedings, or scholarly artifacts in the form of reports, digital publications, blog posts, policy briefs, among other products. 
• Names and contact information for three academic references. We will only contact references for finalists for the position.

UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact HR@umb.edu or 617-287-5150.