Lecturer and Associate Director, Research Methodology

University of Central Florida•Orlando, FL

52d

About The Position

The Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in the College of Sciences invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, non-tenure earning Lecturer anticipated to begin August 2026. This position will have an additional administrative function as Associate Director of the UCF Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS). This position is renewable annually and offers a clear career path with the possibility of promotion (i.e., Associate Lecturer and Senior Lecturer) based on years of service and performance. We seek candidates with a commitment to effective teaching and the ability to contribute to department teaching needs in research methods, GIS, medical sociology, and/or crime and deviance. The ideal candidate will have the ability to design and conduct mixed-method, applied social research with community partners, manage a team of researchers, and an active research agenda. The instructional duties and service assignments for this position are in accordance with the department's current workload policy. The Associate Director of ISBS will design and oversee applied social research projects conducted in partnership with community organizations and by mentoring university students engaged in research and evaluation activities. The Associate Director plays a key leadership role in ISBS related to project management, data collection, proposal development, community engagement, research design, and dissemination of findings. The Associate Director is also expected to supervise and mentor students engaged in research and evaluation activities providing guidance in research methods, data management, ethics, and professional development. Lastly, the Associate Director will serve as ISBS Acting Director in the Director's absence when applicable as needed. Additionally, we are especially interested in a candidate who can contribute through their research, teaching and service to the excellence of our academic community and foster an environment in which faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive. The UCF Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS) (https://sciences.ucf.edu/sociology/isbs/) specializes in research relevant to public health and policy issues. To meet this end, ISBS employs various quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including, but not limited to, interviews, focus groups, secondary data analysis, statistical analysis, survey administration, content analysis, and GIS mapping. ISBS community partners have broad representation and include local governments, not-for-profit agencies, and academics. ISBS research answers critical research and evaluative questions on health, violence, crime, food insecurity, homelessness, and other social problems. ISBS also leads the Applied Sociology Experience (ASE@ISBS) where up to 20 undergraduate and graduate students from across the campus serve as research assistants on ISBS projects every semester. The Department of Sociology (https://sciences.ucf.edu/sociology/) has an active graduate program, offering both Applied M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. The department includes 20 full-time faculty, including 15 tenured and tenure-track, who are committed to impactful scholarly research, public dissemination of research findings, innovative teaching, collaborative community relationships, and are actively involved in professional organizations. Sociology faculty have had their research activities funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Justice, as well as state and regional agencies. With a focus on innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty are affiliated with a variety of campus research centers and work with UCF faculty in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Academic Health Sciences Center and through the Violence against Women Cluster. The department also collaborates with the GIS Research Cluster Laboratory, which is focused on the use of mapping and drones to understand social and environmental inequalities. The department houses the Institute for Social and Behavioral Science, which specializes in research relevant to public policy issues in the state of Florida. The UCF College of Sciences (COS) is the largest college at the university and a powerhouse for the regional and national STEM workforce, spanning the natural, computational, physical, and social sciences and housing centers, institutes and initiatives that serve as hubs for research and innovation. Through sharing and applying knowledge, COS is cultivating pathways for students to solve our world's most pressing and complex problems. With a mission to provide a world-class education in an environment where faculty, staff, and students thrive, research flourishes, and our community prospers; a number of COS academic programs are among those nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report, Princeton Review, and others. For more information, please visit https://sciences.ucf.edu. UCF, named one of the most innovative public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, is located in Orlando, Florida and is classified as a Very High Research Activity university by the Carnegie Foundation. With more than 70,000 students, UCF is one of the largest universities in the country, offering more than 240 degree programs. UCF is an economic engine, attracting and supporting industries vital to the region's future while providing students with real-world experiences that help them succeed after graduation. For more information, visit http://www.ucf.edu.

Requirements

A doctoral degree in sociology or a very closely related field from an accredited institution at the time of application.

Nice To Haves

The capacity to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in research methods, GIS, medical sociology, and/or crime and deviance, ability to teach courses in different modalities (e.g., face-to-face and online) and courses of varying sizes, and contribution to the undergraduate and graduate programs through student supervision.
Experience designing and leading, mixed-method, community-based research studies.
A publication record that includes technical reports, white papers and/or peer-reviewed articles.
The capacity to secure external funding.

Responsibilities

Design and oversee applied social research projects conducted in partnership with community organizations
Mentoring university students engaged in research and evaluation activities
Project management
Data collection
Proposal development
Community engagement
Research design
Dissemination of findings
Supervise and mentor students engaged in research and evaluation activities providing guidance in research methods, data management, ethics, and professional development.
Serve as ISBS Acting Director in the Director's absence when applicable as needed.

Benefits

Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program.
Paid time off, including annual (12-month faculty) and sick time off and paid holidays.
Retirement savings options.
Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions.
Education assistance.
Flexible work environment.

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