Description
Assistant Professors
School of Social Work
The School of Social Work (SSW) in the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University invites applications for three full-time, benefits-eligible, tenure-track Assistant Professor positions, with appointments beginning August 16, 2026.
We are seeking three exceptional early career scholars, each with expertise in one of the following areas:
Social policy research and analysis, with an emphasis on advancing knowledge of policies that impact economic and social well-being. Areas of focus may include poverty and economic security, housing and homelessness, environmental policy, family and child policy, health services utilization, or immigration policy
Social work practice research, focused on examining current practices and developing, testing, or evaluating interventions across varied settings and populations.
Health and/or behavioral health, with an emphasis on research addressing mental health, physical health, substance use or integrated health systems.
Across all three positions, we seek candidates with clearly defined research agendas and demonstrated potential for producing high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship. We value varied methodological approaches and are especially interested in scholars with advanced research skills whose work is community-engaged, applied, and meaningful to the populations and communities we serve.
The School of Social Work and the Watts College are deeply committed to addressing the needs and strengths of communities across Arizona and the Southwest, including Hispanic, Indigenous, borderland, and other historically marginalized populations. Faculty in the School frequently engage in interdisciplinary and community partnerships with public agencies, health systems, and nonprofit organizations to inform policy, advance social justice, and improve service delivery.
ASU’s School of Social Work is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the country, serving more than 2,500 students across our campuses in downtown Phoenix, West Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma, as well as through synchronous and asynchronous online programs. The School is ranked #20 among MSW programs (U.S. News & World Report) and #11 in research productivity (National Science Foundation).
Our more than 70 tenure and career-track members are deeply engaged in innovative, interdisciplinary research and scholarship advancing social and economic justice in collaboration with communities locally, nationally, and globally. Many of our faculty are recognized leaders in the field, with distinctions such as induction as fellows in both the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and the Society for Social Work and Research, as well as selection as Fulbright Scholars. ASU’s location in the Southwest, combined with its designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), provides a distinctive context for scholarship focused on varied populations and pressing regional and global issues.
The SSW is home to 11 research centers and offices that engage deeply with communities, including:
The Southwestern Interdisciplinary Research Center
The Global Center for Applied Health Research
The Center for Child Well-Being
The Office of Gender-Based Violence
The Family Violence Center
The Office of American Indian Projects
The Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research
Faculty regularly collaborate with colleagues across ASU, including the College of Health Solutions, the College of Global Futures, the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, the Edson College of Nursing & Health Innovation, and the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. ASU’s forthcoming School of Medicine will further expand opportunities for social work researchers to engage in interdisciplinary, health-related collaborations.
Recognized as the most innovative university in the U.S. (U.S. News & World Report), ASU also ranks #1 in global impact (Times Higher Education), and #1 in sustainability (STARS tracking system). As one of the fastest-growing research universities in the country, ASU— and the School of Social Work— offer exceptional opportunities for research and scholarship that drive meaningful change locally, nationally, and globally.
For more information about the School of Social Work, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, and Arizona State University, please visit:
https://socialwork.asu.edu/
https://publicservice.asu.edu/
https://www.asu.edu/
Job Responsibilities
Teach undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in person, online synchronous and online asynchronous formats
Mentor graduate students
Conduct and publish research in peer-reviewed outlets
Pursue external funding to support scholarship
Engage in service activities to support the school, college, university, profession, and community
Required Qualifications
Earned PhD or equivalent research doctorate in Social Work or a related field (e.g., Public Affairs, Public Health, Political Science, Sociology) by time of appointment
Demonstrated record of rigorous, independent research
Record of scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications
Strong potential for securing external funding
Potential for excellence in teaching within the BSW, MSW, and/or PhD programs
Demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence, consistent with ASU’s Charter
Potential for meaningful professional and community engagement
Desired Qualifications
A well-defined and promising research agenda aligned with one or more areas outlined in job description
MSW from a CSWE-accredited program or equivalent, as defined by CSWE, related to teaching practice classes
Two or more years of post-MSW practice in area of expertise
Robust record of publishing in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals
Prior teaching experience at the undergraduate or graduate level
Commitment to community-embedded research with real-world impact
Commitment to scholarship applicable to the populations of the Southwest
Application Procedure
To apply, please visit https://publicservice.asu.edu/content/jobs. Candidates will be asked to submit the following through an Interfolio dossier. Complete applications must contain the following:
Letter of application that illustrates your interests and expertise in research and teaching, and your fit with our position;
Curriculum vitae including the month and year in which the doctorate was/will be earned, as well as the applicant’s complete contact information (mailing address, phone number, and email address);
Two writing samples (e.g. published article or book chapter, manuscript submitted for publication, dissertation chapter);
Information for three professional references (name, title, organization, e-mail address, phone number). At least one reference needs to be your chair or current supervisor. Please note that references are not contacted until a candidate is identified as a finalist for this position.
Application deadline September 26, 2025 11:59 pm Mountain Standard Time (same as Pacific Daylight Time). Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled.
Please direct any questions about the search to Dr. Renee Cunningham-Williams, Search Committee Chair & Watts Endowed Professor, School of Social Work, Arizona State University, [email protected]
About ASU
All we do at ASU is guided and inspired by the University Charter, which reads:
ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming
fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it
serves.
Successful candidates will demonstrate throughout their materials how their teaching, research, and service will contribute to the fulfillment of this charter.
The Watts College of Public Services and Community Solutions has a student body of over 6,700
undergraduate and graduate students, with over 57 percent of students of color. Likewise, the majority of the SSW’s faculty and student body are people of color.
A background check is required for employment. Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
(See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/)
In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf. You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.
Requirements
Job Responsibilities
Teach undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in person, online synchronous and online asynchronous formats
Mentor graduate students
Conduct and publish research in peer-reviewed outlets
Pursue external funding to support scholarship
Engage in service activities to support the school, college, university, profession, and community
Required Qualifications
Earned PhD or equivalent research doctorate in Social Work or a related field (e.g., Public Affairs, Public Health, Political Science, Sociology) by time of appointment
Demonstrated record of rigorous, independent research
Record of scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications
Strong potential for securing external funding
Potential for excellence in teaching within the BSW, MSW, and/or PhD programs
Demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence, consistent with ASU’s Charter
Potential for meaningful professional and community engagement
Desired Qualifications
A well-defined and promising research agenda aligned with one or more areas outlined in job description
MSW from a CSWE-accredited program or equivalent, as defined by CSWE, related to teaching practice classes
Two or more years of post-MSW practice in area of expertise
Robust record of publishing in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals
Prior teaching experience at the undergraduate or graduate level
Commitment to community-embedded research with real-world impact
Commitment to scholarship applicable to the populations of the Southwest
