Description
The Department of Psychology and the Department of Urban Planning and Public Policy (UPPP) in the School of Social Ecology at the University of California, Irvine, invite applications for a joint tenure-track faculty position at the Associate Professor level in Behavior Change, Decision Science, and Policy.
The position will advance research on how individuals and groups make decisions, change behavior, and respond to interventions, institutions, and public policy. We seek scholars who connect behavioral science to important real-world problems with a strong commitment to translating research into effective interventions, actionable programs, and policy solutions.
The successful candidate will complement the Department of Psychology’s strengths in basic and applied behavioral research (spanning developmental, health, social, or clinical domains) as well as UPPP’s focus on public policy, inequality, social problems and environmental issues.
Interdisciplinary Research and Policy
We welcome scholars whose research examines behavior change and decision-making––such as motivation, beliefs, social influence, self-regulation, and risk perception––and connects them to policy design, practice, and broader societal outcomes. We are particularly interested in candidates who bridge individual-level psychological science with social, institutional, community, or environmental contexts. The successful candidate will advance an interdisciplinary agenda that explores both how policy shapes human behavior and how behavioral insights can optimize the design, evaluation, and translation of public interventions and policies. This joint appointment offers rich opportunities for collaboration across Psychology, Urban Planning and Public Policy, the School of Social Ecology, and the broader UC Irvine campus.
Teaching and Mentoring
The successful candidate will contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching in Psychology and UPPP. Teaching may include courses addressing behavior change, decision-making, behavioral science, public policy, urban planning, and/or the candidate's substantive area of expertise.
The candidate will mentor students across disciplinary boundaries and contribute to preparing students to apply psychological and behavioral science to complex social and policy problems.
Qualifications
Candidates must have a doctoral degree in psychology, public policy, urban planning, or a closely related discipline by the time of appointment.
Candidates should demonstrate:
a strong or emerging independent research program;
expertise in behavior change, decision science, behavioral science, policy, or a related area;
a strong foundation in psychological or behavioral science;
potential for interdisciplinary research and external funding
commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring; and
commitment to service to UCI and the academic profession.
Candidates whose work bridges behavior change, decision-making, and public policy are particularly encouraged to apply.
Joint Appointment
The position will be jointly appointed between the Department of Psychology and the Department of Urban Planning and Public Policy within the School of Social Ecology.
The joint appointment is intended to create sustained intellectual collaboration between the two departments and establish a strong interdisciplinary presence in behavioral science, decision-making, and policy.
The successful candidate will be expected to develop an independent research program that contributes meaningfully to both departments while maintaining a clear foundation in psychological and behavioral science.
Position Details
The position will begin July 1, 2027, with teaching beginning Fall Quarter 2027.
Document requirements:
Cover Letter
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
Statement of Research
Reflective Teaching and Mentoring Statement
Reference requirements
3 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF10374
Please direct questions about the position to the chair of the search committee, Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman from the Department of Psychology and/or Dr. Seth Pipkin from UPPP.
