UW–Madison Assistant Professor of Public Policy Position 2026: Apply to Research Market-Based Solutions to Societal Challenges

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is accepting applications for an Assistant Professor of Public Policy position focused on “Market-Based Solutions to Societal Challenges.” The appointment will be based at the university’s La Follette School of Public Affairs within the College of Letters & Science in Madison, Wisconsin.

This opportunity is intended for an academically accomplished scholar whose research investigates how markets, competitive arrangements, incentives, property rights, institutional structures, and carefully designed public policies can be used to address complex social and economic problems.

The selected scholar will be expected to conduct theoretically grounded and empirically rigorous research, contribute to public policy teaching and student mentoring, participate in interdisciplinary collaboration, and support the wider academic and service mission of the La Follette School and the College of Letters & Science.

Important Details at a Glance

• Position title: Assistant Professor of Public Policy — Market-Based Solutions to Societal Challenges
• Requisition number: JR10012581
• Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison
• School: La Follette School of Public Affairs
• College: College of Letters & Science
• Location: Madison, Wisconsin, United States
• Work arrangement: On-site
• Employment type: Regular
• Position profile: Assistant Professor
• Appointment basis: Academic, nine-month appointment
• Compensation: Negotiable
• Full-consideration deadline: October 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
• Final closing arrangement: Applications may continue to be accepted until the position is filled
• Employment sponsorship: Not available
• Application method: Online through the UW–Madison employment system

The university’s official posting identifies the appointment as regular, on-site faculty employment on a nine-month academic compensation basis. It does not publish a fixed salary range; compensation will be negotiated with the successful candidate.

About the La Follette School of Public Affairs

The Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs is part of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is situated within the College of Letters & Science. The school focuses on strengthening the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policy and improving the practice of governance.

Its broader mission emphasizes evidence-based policymaking, interdisciplinary research, public engagement, and the advancement of the public good. La Follette students and faculty also collaborate with government institutions, nonprofit organizations, private-sector entities, and other stakeholders to address real-world public policy challenges.

The College of Letters & Science is home to 39 academic departments and a wide range of research centers. The successful candidate will therefore join a broad intellectual community with potential opportunities for collaboration across multiple disciplines, departments, and policy research initiatives.

Purpose of the Assistant Professor Position

Through this appointment, the La Follette School seeks to recruit a scholar who can examine the potential of market-based institutions and incentive-compatible public policies to address major societal challenges.

The successful candidate’s research should explore the role of markets in areas that have traditionally been influenced by:

• Government policy;
• Economic and social regulation;
• Public-sector intervention;
• Institutional limitations;
• Market failure;
• Government failure;
• Collective action problems; and
• The need to coordinate individuals, firms, communities, and public institutions.

The school is particularly interested in research that evaluates how market mechanisms operate, when they produce socially beneficial results, where they fail, and how institutional or policy reforms can improve their performance.

Research should be both theoretically informed and empirically rigorous. This means that applicants should be capable of connecting economic, legal, political, institutional, or public policy theory with credible evidence and appropriate research methods.

Core Research Themes

The successful candidate may examine how the following concepts affect public policy and societal outcomes:

Prices

Research may consider how prices communicate information, influence behavior, allocate scarce resources, or create incentives for individuals and organizations.

Relevant work may also examine the limitations of pricing systems, including situations involving externalities, unequal access, concentrated market power, incomplete information, or public goods.

Property Rights

Applicants may study how the design, allocation, enforcement, or reform of property rights affects investment, resource use, innovation, environmental protection, housing development, agricultural production, or economic participation.

Competition

Research may investigate how competitive structures influence service quality, affordability, productivity, consumer welfare, innovation, institutional performance, or the distribution of economic opportunities.

Decentralized Information

Scholars may analyze how information dispersed among individuals, firms, governments, and communities can be incorporated into policy design and institutional decision-making.

Institutional Design

The appointment is particularly relevant to researchers studying how laws, regulations, governance structures, administrative systems, contractual arrangements, or market rules shape behavior and public outcomes.

Incentive-Compatible Policy Design

Candidates may examine how policies can be structured so that the incentives of individuals, organizations, public authorities, and private firms support the intended public policy objectives rather than undermining them.

Priority Public Policy Areas

The La Follette School has identified several substantive areas of interest. Applicants do not necessarily need to cover every area, but their research should demonstrate a strong connection to markets, incentives, competition, institutional design, or related economic principles.

1. Education, School Finance, and School Choice

Relevant research may explore:

• School funding models;
• Education vouchers;
• Charter schools;
• Competition among educational institutions;
• Incentives for teachers and administrators;
• Resource allocation in education;
• Parental choice;
• Access and equity implications; and
• The effects of alternative education financing arrangements.

2. Financial Regulation and Capital Markets

Research could address:

• Banking regulation;
• Financial market competition;
• Consumer financial protection;
• Capital allocation;
• Securities regulation;
• Financial stability;
• Market transparency;
• Risk incentives;
• Corporate governance; and
• The relationship between regulation and financial innovation.

3. Housing Supply and Land-Use Reform

Candidates may investigate:

• Housing affordability;
• Zoning and land-use regulation;
• Barriers to housing construction;
• Property development incentives;
• Urban growth;
• Rent and ownership markets;
• Housing finance;
• Local government regulation; and
• Reforms intended to increase housing supply.

4. Technology Policy and Innovation Markets

Potential topics may include:

• Technology regulation;
• Competition policy;
• Digital markets;
• Intellectual property;
• Innovation incentives;
• Platform governance;
• Artificial intelligence policy;
• Data governance;
• Market concentration; and
• The relationship between regulation and technological development.

5. Transportation and Infrastructure Finance

Relevant areas may include:

• Road pricing;
• Public-private partnerships;
• Transportation markets;
• Infrastructure investment;
• User-fee models;
• Public transit finance;
• Congestion pricing;
• Project financing;
• Infrastructure regulation; and
• Incentives for efficient infrastructure use.

6. International Trade and Tariffs

Scholars may examine:

• Tariff policy;
• Trade restrictions;
• Global supply chains;
• International competition;
• Trade agreements;
• Industrial policy;
• Distributional effects of trade;
• Market access; and
• The political economy of international trade.

7. State and Local Economic Development

Potential research areas include:

• Local business incentives;
• Tax incentives;
• Regional economic development;
• Public investment;
• Business attraction strategies;
• Employment creation;
• Urban and rural development;
• Local government competition; and
• Evaluation of economic development programs.

8. Climate and Environmental Policy

The announcement specifically identifies market-oriented environmental mechanisms such as:

• Carbon pricing;
• Cap-and-trade systems;
• Emissions trading;
• Environmental taxes;
• Pollution permits;
• Conservation incentives;
• Climate finance;
• Market-based environmental regulation; and
• Institutional mechanisms for addressing environmental externalities.

9. Energy Markets and Grid Reform

Applicants may research:

• Electricity market design;
• Energy pricing;
• Renewable energy incentives;
• Grid modernization;
• Energy competition;
• Utility regulation;
• Distributed energy resources;
• Energy reliability;
• Market integration; and
• Reforms supporting efficient and sustainable energy systems.

10. Agricultural Policy and Food Systems

Relevant work may involve:

• Agricultural subsidies;
• Food market regulation;
• Farm incentives;
• Commodity markets;
• Food security;
• Agricultural insurance;
• Rural economic development;
• Environmental effects of agriculture;
• Supply-chain competition; and
• Institutional reforms affecting food systems.

Academic Disciplines Considered

The position is intentionally interdisciplinary. The La Follette School may consider candidates from several academic traditions, including:

• Economics;
• Political science;
• Public policy;
• Public administration;
• Law;
• Sociology; and
• Other affiliated social science disciplines.

A candidate’s formal disciplinary title is less important than the substance of the research. The applicant’s scholarship should engage seriously with the economic logic of markets, incentives, competition, institutional structures, and public policy design.

Research Methods Welcomed

The school welcomes candidates using diverse methodological approaches. Appropriate research methods may include:

Structural Modelling

Structural modelling may be used to estimate behavioral relationships, test theoretical mechanisms, simulate policy reforms, or evaluate how individuals and organizations respond to changes in prices, incentives, regulations, or institutional arrangements.

Reduced-Form Econometrics

Candidates may use quasi-experimental and other econometric techniques to estimate causal or empirical relationships between policies, institutions, markets, and societal outcomes.

Field Experiments

Researchers may conduct randomized or carefully designed field experiments to test incentives, policy interventions, institutional mechanisms, or behavioral responses in real-world settings.

Institutional Analysis

Institutional research may evaluate how formal rules, informal norms, legal structures, governance arrangements, or administrative systems influence policy performance.

Political Economy Frameworks

Political economy research may examine how political institutions, interest groups, government incentives, public decision-making, and economic structures interact to shape public policy outcomes.

The listing of these approaches is not necessarily exhaustive. The central requirement is that the candidate’s methods should be appropriate for producing credible, analytically sound, and policy-relevant research.

Teaching Responsibilities

The selected Assistant Professor will contribute to the La Follette School’s teaching mission. Expected teaching areas may include:

• Public policy analysis;
• Microeconomics for public policy;
• Regulatory policy;
• Market and institutional analysis;
• Sector-specific public policy courses; and
• Other courses aligned with the candidate’s expertise.

The successful candidate will help students understand:

• When markets function effectively;
• Why markets sometimes fail;
• How public policy can improve market performance;
• How regulations and institutions affect incentives;
• How government interventions should be evaluated; and
• How government failure can create persistent risks for policy implementation.

Teaching should be evidence-based, student-centered, carefully planned, and responsive to the academic and professional development needs of students.

Student Mentoring Expectations

Student mentoring is a central component of the position. The successful candidate must demonstrate a commitment to creating a teaching and mentoring environment in which students can learn, develop, and thrive.

The application should show how the candidate approaches mentoring, including the goals, actions, reflection, and documentation used to support student development.

Applicants should not rely only on testimonials or letters written by other people to demonstrate their teaching and mentoring capabilities. Their own application materials must directly explain and provide evidence of their approach. Supporting letters may be included, but they cannot serve as the sole evidence.

Research and Institutional Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to:

1. Develop and maintain a productive research program.
2. Produce theoretically grounded and empirically credible scholarship.
3. Contribute to teaching in public policy and related subjects.
4. Mentor students through evidence-based and student-centered practices.
5. Collaborate with scholars across disciplines.
6. Engage with relevant university research centers.
7. Contribute to departmental and school activities.
8. Participate appropriately in academic service.
9. Support an environment in which faculty, staff, students, and community members can engage and thrive.
10. Advance the College of Letters & Science’s educational and institutional mission.

The university expects the successful candidate to pursue important questions, contribute new knowledge, produce an impact within their field, and participate in the institution’s shared governance and academic community.

Required Educational Qualification

Applicants must possess a Ph.D. by the start of the appointment.

Acceptable fields include:

• Public Policy;
• Public Administration;
• Political Science;
• Law;
• Economics;
• Sociology; or
• A closely related discipline.

Candidates who are still completing their doctoral studies may therefore be considered, provided that all requirements for the Ph.D. will be completed by the appointment’s starting date.

Required Professional and Academic Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Excellence in research;
• Evidence of research productivity;
• A strong commitment to teaching;
• A commitment to student mentoring;
• The ability to create effective teaching and learning environments;
• The ability to contribute positively to a departmental research environment;
• Potential for interdisciplinary collaboration;
• Capacity to work with scholars from other departments;
• Potential to engage with university research centers; and
• Evidence that their background and scholarly agenda align with the position’s market-based public policy focus.

Application materials should contain specific evidence rather than unsupported claims. Candidates should explain their qualifications through research outputs, teaching experience, mentoring practices, academic achievements, and a clearly articulated future research agenda.

Employment Location and Work Arrangement

The position is based in Madison, Wisconsin, and is designated as on-site. Candidates should therefore expect to undertake their teaching, research, mentoring, service, and institutional responsibilities in Madison rather than as a fully remote appointment.

Madison is the capital of Wisconsin. The university describes the city as combining the atmosphere of a smaller community with the facilities and cultural opportunities of a medium-sized city. The area is also recognized for its natural surroundings, schools, cultural activities, and outdoor recreation.

Compensation and Appointment Structure

The compensation is listed as:

• Negotiable;
• Academic; and
• Based on a nine-month appointment.

The official announcement does not provide a fixed salary amount or salary range. Compensation will therefore be determined through the university’s appointment and negotiation process.

UW–Madison generally participates in the Wisconsin Retirement System and provides eligible faculty members with access to applicable university employee benefit arrangements. Final benefit eligibility, enrolment conditions, coverage, and deadlines should be confirmed directly through UW–Madison Human Resources.

United States Employment Eligibility Requirement

The successful applicant must be eligible for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment.

UW–Madison has clearly stated that university sponsorship is not available for this position. Applicants who would require the university to sponsor an employment visa should take this restriction into account before applying.

International scholars who already have independent authorization to work in the United States may still be eligible, subject to their individual immigration and employment circumstances. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they can satisfy the employment eligibility requirement by the appointment date.

Application Documents Required

Applicants must submit four principal documents:

1. Letter of Application

The application letter should explain:

• The candidate’s interest in the position;
• Alignment between the candidate’s research and market-based policy solutions;
• Relevant academic and research experience;
• Potential contributions to the La Follette School;
• Teaching interests;
• Interdisciplinary collaboration potential; and
• The candidate’s future research agenda.

2. Curriculum Vitae

The curriculum vitae should provide a comprehensive record of:

• Academic qualifications;
• Research appointments;
• Publications;
• Working papers;
• Teaching experience;
• Conference presentations;
• Research grants;
• Awards and distinctions;
• Student supervision or mentoring;
• Institutional service; and
• Other relevant professional activities.

3. Teaching and Mentoring Statement

The teaching and mentoring statement should explain the candidate’s philosophy, methods, evidence, and future plans.

The statement should demonstrate purposeful planning through:

• Clear teaching goals;
• Specific classroom practices;
• Mentoring strategies;
• Action plans;
• Reflection on teaching effectiveness;
• Evidence of student-centered teaching;
• Methods for supporting student development; and
• Relevant documentation or examples.

The university emphasizes that this part of the application must be created by the applicant. It cannot consist only of recommendations, testimonials, or statements written by others.

4. Job Market Paper

Applicants must submit a job market paper demonstrating the quality, relevance, rigor, and potential contribution of their research.

A strong paper should allow the selection committee to assess:

• The candidate’s theoretical contribution;
• Research methodology;
• Empirical credibility;
• Understanding of markets and institutions;
• Policy relevance;
• Clarity of argument;
• Quality of evidence; and
• Potential for future scholarly productivity.

Reference Letter Process

Applicants are not instructed to upload the three reference letters as part of the initial four-item application package.

After submitting the application, each applicant will receive an email requesting:

• The names of three references; and
• The contact information of those three references.

Each nominated reference will then receive an electronic link through which they can upload a signed reference letter.

Applicants should select references who can provide substantive evidence regarding their research quality, teaching ability, mentoring experience, academic potential, professional conduct, and suitability for an interdisciplinary public affairs school.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the official UW–Madison online application system.

Applicants should:

1. Open the official position announcement.
2. Select the “Apply Now” option.
3. Follow the appropriate application route for current or external employees.
4. Complete all required personal and employment information.
5. Upload the letter of application.
6. Upload the curriculum vitae.
7. Upload the teaching and mentoring statement.
8. Upload the job market paper.
9. Review all uploaded documents carefully.
10. Submit the application through the online system.
11. Monitor email for the request to provide three references.
12. Ensure that the nominated referees submit their signed letters.

Applications sent by email, post, or through a system other than the UW–Madison online portal will not be considered.

Current employees of any Universities of Wisconsin institution must use the internal Workday application process and search for requisition number JR10012581 in the Workday Jobs Hub.

Application Deadline

For full consideration, all application materials must be received no later than:

October 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

This is the full-consideration deadline rather than an absolute guarantee that the portal will close immediately afterward. The university states that applications may continue to be accepted until the position has been filled.

Applicants should nevertheless submit the complete application, including carefully prepared documents, before October 18, 2026, to ensure full consideration by the selection committee.

How Applications Will Be Evaluated

The university will evaluate candidates on the basis of the materials submitted through the application system.

Applicants should ensure that their documents directly demonstrate:

• Research excellence;
• Research productivity;
• Theoretical strength;
• Empirical rigor;
• Alignment with the market-based policy theme;
• Commitment to teaching;
• Commitment to mentoring;
• Capacity for student-centered instruction;
• Purposeful teaching practices;
• Interdisciplinary collaboration potential;
• Relevant methodological expertise; and
• Ability to contribute to the La Follette School and College of Letters & Science.

Candidates should avoid submitting generic documents that could be used for any university position. Each document should be tailored to the specific themes identified in the announcement, particularly markets, incentives, competition, decentralized information, institutional design, government failure, regulation, and major societal challenges.

Practical Guidance for Preparing a Competitive Application

A competitive applicant should explicitly connect their scholarship with the position’s central intellectual questions.

The letter and research materials should explain:

1. What societal challenge the candidate studies.
2. What market, institution, regulation, or incentive structure is involved.
3. Why the issue is important for public policy.
4. What theoretical framework guides the research.
5. What evidence or methodology is used.
6. What the research reveals about market success or market failure.
7. Whether government action improves or worsens the outcome.
8. What institutional or policy reform may be appropriate.
9. How the research agenda could develop at UW–Madison.
10. How collaboration with other departments or research centers would strengthen the work.

The teaching statement should go beyond broad declarations about valuing students. It should provide concrete evidence of how the applicant designs courses, communicates complex ideas, evaluates learning, mentors students, reflects on outcomes, and adjusts teaching practices.

Applicants should also make the job market paper accessible to an interdisciplinary committee. Technical rigor is important, but the paper should clearly communicate its public policy relevance, central findings, methodological contribution, and implications for markets or institutional design.

Equal Opportunity and Inclusive Recruitment

The University of Wisconsin–Madison describes diversity as a source of institutional strength, creativity, and innovation. The university seeks to create a welcoming community and recognizes the value of different identities, cultures, backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives.

Qualified applicants will receive employment consideration without discrimination on grounds including:

• Race;
• Color;
• Religion;
• Sex;
• Sexual orientation;
• National origin;
• Age;
• Pregnancy;
• Disability;
• Protected veteran status; and
• Other protected grounds recognized under applicable federal regulations and University of Wisconsin System policies.

Disability and Pregnancy-Related Accommodations

Applicants who require a disability-related or pregnancy-related accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process may contact the appropriate Divisional Disability Representative.

Accommodations may be requested for stages such as:

• Completing the application;
• Participating in interviews;
• Undertaking pre-employment testing; or
• Completing other recruitment requirements.

The university recommends submitting accommodation requests as early as possible so that they can be handled effectively.

Background Checks and Reference Inquiries

Employment may be subject to a criminal background check.

References may also be asked to respond to questions concerning professional misconduct, including matters related to sexual violence or sexual harassment.

Applicants should therefore ensure that all information submitted during the recruitment process is accurate, complete, and consistent with their academic and employment records.

Applicant Confidentiality

Under the applicable Wisconsin statutory framework, the University of Wisconsin System will generally not disclose the identities of applicants who submit a written confidentiality request.

However, the identity of the person ultimately selected for the position will be released. Applicants concerned about confidentiality should review the relevant university procedure and submit any request in the required form.

Contact Information

Questions about the position or recruitment process may be directed to:

Kayla Graser
HR Generalist
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Email: kayla.graser@wisc.edu

Applicants should use the official contact for legitimate questions that are not already answered in the announcement or application portal.

Why This Academic Opportunity Is Significant

This appointment offers a scholar the opportunity to work at the intersection of economic reasoning, institutional analysis, public policy, regulation, and real-world societal challenges.

It is particularly relevant to researchers seeking to understand not merely whether government should intervene in a policy area, but how markets and governments interact, when either arrangement fails, and how better-designed institutions can improve outcomes.

The breadth of eligible policy areas allows candidates to develop research agendas in fields ranging from education and housing to trade, technology, climate policy, energy systems, infrastructure, financial regulation, agriculture, and local economic development.

At the same time, the interdisciplinary structure of the La Follette School and the wider College of Letters & Science creates scope for collaboration with economists, political scientists, sociologists, legal scholars, public affairs specialists, and researchers working in sector-specific policy fields.

Conclusion

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Assistant Professor of Public Policy position represents a substantial academic opportunity for a scholar conducting rigorous research on market institutions, competition, incentives, regulation, and institutional design.

The successful candidate will join the La Follette School of Public Affairs and contribute to research, teaching, student mentoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, and academic service. Candidates may come from economics, public policy, political science, law, sociology, public administration, or another closely related discipline, but they must possess a Ph.D. by the appointment date and demonstrate excellence in research and commitment to teaching.

Applicants must submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, teaching and mentoring statement, and job market paper through the UW–Madison online recruitment system. Three references will be requested electronically after the initial application has been submitted.

For full consideration, complete materials must be received by 11:59 p.m. on October 18, 2026. Applications may remain open until the position is filled, but candidates should not treat that possibility as an extension of the priority deadline.

Prospective international applicants should pay particular attention to the employment authorization condition. Although the announcement does not restrict applicants by nationality, UW–Madison will not provide employment sponsorship for this appointment. Only candidates who can meet the United States employment eligibility requirement by the effective date should proceed with an application.

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