Special Information

• This position is an on-site position which requires the incumbent to complete their work primarily at an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation. Opportunities for remote work are rare.

About the Department/College

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice has about 900 majors and oversees a BS in Criminology and Criminal Justice, a minor in Law, Rights and Justice, and an M.S. in Applied Criminology. Our department prepares students to be practitioners, advocates, and critically informed residents who value difference and social justice. Department graduates use their knowledge of criminology and justice to pursue meaningful and rewarding careers with integrity, using their knowledge to address justice concerns in the community and discipline.

There are 21 full-time faculty members with a range of teaching and research interests, involving, but not limited to: Communities, Health, and Justice; Human Rights and Global Justice; Critical Prison and Police Studies; Indigenous Justice; Gender-based Violence; and Communities of Color and the Criminal Justice System.

The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences is a community of change-makers. We support the strengths of students, staff, and faculty, and collaborate with communities through innovative teaching, scholarship, and creative work, public engagement, and practice. Together, we further inclusive excellence, sustainability, and human and community well-being. With student success as our central focus, our work produces critical insights about human societies, behavior, and communication that inform innovative approaches to solving and increasing awareness of significant regional and global challenges.

About the Position

Northern Arizona University’s Criminology and Criminal Justice Department invites applications for an Assistant Teaching Professor appointment on the Flagstaff Campus beginning August 2026. This position is a 9 month teaching-focused, non-tenure-eligible position with a 4-4 teaching load. It is expected to be a continuing line with yearly renewals and has the potential for promotion. Renewal is contingent upon successful completion of a probationary year, effective performance, continued funding, and department needs.

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice seeks candidates who will contribute to departmental and university efforts to elevate excellence in education, foster informed and engaged citizens, and develop career-ready skills and opportunities. The majority of our students identify as belonging to one or more of these groups: first-generation, Latinx, veterans, and Indigenous peoples. We seek a candidate who demonstrates a commitment to collaborative and inclusive learner-centered pedagogies, preparing students to use their knowledge to address justice concerns in the community and discipline.

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at NAU has a deeply democratic culture and values those who are committed to full participation in faculty governance and service.

Responsibilities Include

80% - Teaching

• Provide excellent instruction in both undergraduate core courses and elective courses in the candidate’s areas of specialization.
• Provide high-impact learning opportunities and/or mentorship to CCJ students, consistent with NAU’s Elevating Excellence plan.
• Help to build career-readiness initiatives into the CCJ curriculum.
• Engage in the teacher-scholar model of scholarship.
• Stay current with research and trends in the field of criminology and criminal justice, and use this understanding to advance student learning and knowledge. 

20% - Service

• Engage in service to the department, college, and profession. 

Minimum Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in Criminology, Criminal Justice, Sociology, or a closely related field by August 2026.
• One year of university teaching-related experience.

*A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least one year of university teaching as the instructor of record and evidence of the following: effective classroom teaching; innovative approaches to instruction, use of learner-centered pedagogies; curriculum design; and effective student success support.
• Evidence of, or willingness to, teach in different modalities and in medium to large-sized sections.
• A demonstrated ability to teach from among the following courses required for the BS in Criminology and Criminal Justice:
  • Introduction to Crime and Justice, Criminology, Research Methods, Investigating Difference (our intensive writing course), and contribute as needed to the delivery of the CCJ curriculum, including courses focusing on criminal justice inequalities.
• Evidence of teaching and scholarly interest, including a critical review of the criminal justice system and issues that are relevant to our students, the local community, and the geographic area.
• Demonstrated experience with and/or potential for future success in mentoring NAU students through teaching and/or research, and scholarship.
• Demonstrated excellence in scholarship, teaching, community engagement, and service that advance NAU’s Elevating Excellence goals.
• Experience creating and fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive learning and working environment with diverse populations, such that all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences are valued.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of learner- and experiential-centered pedagogy.
• Knowledge of Canvas Learning Management System.
• Effective Communicator.
• Ability to teach a wide variety of Criminology and Criminal Justice Courses, including both required and elective courses.
• An emphasis on research methods is favorable in this search.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to critically examining the criminal legal system.
• Demonstrates a commitment to providing materials that reflect diverse voices and perspectives within criminology and criminal justice, resonating with students’ varied backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.
• Reflect the student body’s demographics and interests.
• Ability to facilitate career preparation throughout the curriculum.

Compensation

Budgeted salary is $60,000. 

Pre-Employment Check

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Also, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.

This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Fire and Security Report

Each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Immigration Support/Sponsorship

Northern Arizona University will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

Submit your Application

Vacancy will remain open for 30 days.

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page.

Application must include (saved as PDF and/or Word documents):
1. a cover letter highlighting your particular qualifications for this position;
2. a curriculum vitae; and
3. names and contact information for three references.

Please do not include any other documents as they will not be considered.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.