Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor in Consumer Science

Building on the Wisconsin RISE Initiative, the School of Human Ecology (SoHE) at University of Wisconsin-Madison invites applications for 5 full time, tenure-track positions (on an annual 9-month contract) at the rank of Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in the next 1-2 years.

In SoHE, cross-unit collaborations expand our capacity to obtain funded research support and provide students with high-impact learning opportunities. We seek colleagues who are imaginative, collaborative, with strong disciplinary training who are interested in shaping the future in connecting communities of researchers, students and stakeholders. The successful candidates will bring methodological diversity and rigor applied to understanding and solving real-world problems along with a strengths-based approach to understanding and promoting equity and justice. More specifically, we are seeking colleagues who are poised to make major discoveries and translate them into real-world impact under the following areas:

RISE-AI: AI-enhanced design analytics, creativity, and collaboration; AI applications in consumer and personal finance, family caregiving and community health services through multi-modal models; and ethical AI in design and innovations.

RISE-EARTH: The built environment and its impact on human behavior; the impact of climate change on financial vulnerability, risks and exposures to marginalized groups; food security and food systems and working with people and communities; the impact of fashion and textile industry on social, environmental, and economic sustainability.

RISE-THRIVE: Social, educational and economic determinants of health and linking early and midlife exposures with later life health and health disparities; new technologies (including AI and robotics) to support health, health equity, and general well-being; caregiving, social supports, and connection across the life course.

Applicants are invited to examine one or more departments, and one or more RISE areas. Applicants are encouraged to visit our webpage for additional information: https://humanecology.wisc.edu/futurefaculty/

Typical responsibilities of a SoHE tenure/tenure-track position are to:

• Participate in interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts with other departments, schools and colleges
• Publish research findings or exhibit creative works in venues appropriate to areas of scholarship
• Seek external research funding as appropriate for the area of study
• Disseminate findings of high-impact research to a wide range of stakeholders appropriate to areas of investigation
• Teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses in the area of expertise
• Advise graduate students and mentor undergraduate students
• Contribute to undergraduate program development in an academic program
• Join the faculty in shared governance of the School of Human Ecology
• Participate in department, school, university, and professional service appropriate to the faculty rank

This vacancy is being announced simultaneously with jobs JR10000098, JR10000109, JR10000107. Please note that only five vacancies exist between four job requisitions. Having four job postings allows the School of Human Ecology to consider candidates from multiple job requisitions for this position.

This position is part of the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative. Through accelerated and strategic faculty hiring, research infrastructure enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and increased student and educational opportunities, RISE addresses complex societal challenges of importance to the state, nation and world. Building on UW-Madison's strengths, RISE expands the University's successful track record of connecting with communities and industry on collaborative solutions.

Over the next three academic years, UW-Madison will substantially increase current hiring levels, bringing 150 new RISE faculty to campus. Candidates hired through RISE will join a community of scholars working across disciplines, schools and colleges on research, teaching and outreach endeavors. The community will engage regularly in venues such as seminar series and colloquia to share ongoing projects and identify opportunities to work together. The University will support the community, facilitating access to research infrastructure, and funding to support broad and rich collaboration.

Further information regarding RISE can be found at: https://rise.wisc.edu/

SCHOOL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY: The mission of the School of Human Ecology is to understand the complex relationships and interdependence among individuals, groups and families, and to focus on human thriving issues through research, creative innovation, education, and outreach. The School has four academic units (Civil Society and Community Studies, Consumer Science, Design Studies, and Human Development and Family Studies) with a collective undergraduate enrollment of over 2,200 students, and 100+ graduate students. Faculty members in the School of Human Ecology often affiliate with multidisciplinary centers and institutes across the campus.

Negotiable, 9-month appointment

Associate and Full Professor candidates must possess experience and scholarly credentials that meet UW-Madison's promotion and tenure standards. To qualify for Assistant Professor the candidate must have a terminal degree at the time of application or official notification of completion of degree by the appointment date.

The successful candidate(s) will have either demonstrated or potential ability to:

• Lead a research program that produces high-impact scholarship
• Attract external funding individually and/or through active collaboration
• Engage undergraduate and/or graduate students.
• Teach lecture, seminar or studio courses at a range of levels to support academic programs in one or more of our seven undergraduate majors (community and organizational development; consumer behavior and marketplace studies; design, innovation and society; human development and family studies; interior architecture; personal finance; and textiles and fashion design) and at least one of our graduate program options (civil society and community research; consumer behavior and family economics; design studies; human development and family studies).
  

PhD or other terminal degree required by the start date. Preferred degree areas: Economics, Consumer Science, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Marketing, Public Policy, or a related discipline.

Please upload the following materials:

• A cover letter detailing your interest in and relevant experience for this position and why you are applying to the School of Human Ecology (max 2 pages). A successful candidate must highlight how their background and experience would fit the goals of the School of Human Ecology RISE hiring efforts. Identify at least one RISE Initiative under which your application should be considered: RISE-AI, RISE-EARTH, or RISE-THRIVE
• A research statement describing your research program, impact, and plans (max 2 pages)
• A teaching statement describing your teaching beliefs and practices (max 2 pages)
• A current CV
• Examples of scholarship most relevant for your field, such as a design portfolio (max. 20 slides) representative of practice-based research and/or published written works (up to 2 representative publications)

In addition, you may be asked to provide the names and contact information of three references willing to be contacted for reference checks and letters of recommendation at a later date.

The deadline for assuring full consideration is October 1, 2025; however, applications will be considered until the positions are filled.

Michelle Hamilton, mehamilton4@wisc.edu, 608-890-0011

Abby Putnam, aputnam3@wisc.edu, 608-263-9121

Dana Clay, dclay3@wisc.edu

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, click here.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.