Assistant Professor of Emergency Management

Job Description:

APPOINTMENT: Full-time, tenure-track appointment beginning January 2027

RESPONSIBILITIES: The School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses in emergency management, public safety and related fields; maintain an active scholarship agenda; advise and mentor students; and contribute to departmental, college, and university service.

The successful applicant will be required to teach Emergency Management undergraduate or graduate courses as assigned. Teaching responsibilities for this position will concentrate on the relationships between natural, technological, and human-made terrorism and hazards and disasters and the associated requirements for FEMA's, DOD's, CDC"s and civilian military competencies and requirements for Emergency Management: Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. In particular, the applicant will be expected to teach and meet the primer and competencies expected from the following agencies, FEMA, DoD, United Nations and related public agencies as reflected in the upper division Emergency Management courses. Other course topics may include aspects of cyber investigations, homeland security, leadership, administration, diversity and ethics for public safety practitioners. Successful applicants could also be assigned to teach and develop courses that concern special topics, involving 21st Century emergency responses on an international level and compliance with HICS and United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC), and report writing and evacuation plans. Applicants should also demonstrate an understanding of the application of technology to enhance learning. Other duties may be assigned as required by the Director of LEJA. Unit A faculty must also engage in ongoing recruitment and service to the university to satisfy retention and promotion requirements (see https://www.wiu.edu/provost/upi_agreement/pdfs/UPIAgreement23-26.pdf ).

RANK & SALARY: Assistant Professor, 9-month appointment. $12,500-$13,888 per month, commensurate with experience.

Western Illinois University employees may be eligible for a variety of State of Illinois benefits.

These benefits are administered through the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS). These benefits include: Health Insurance plans, (HMO's, OAP's, QCHP, and CDHP), Dental Insurance, Vision Plan, Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), Supplemental Long-Term Disability (LTD), Flex Spending Accounts (HAS, MCAP, and DCAP), 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plans and 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans.

Eligible employees are required to participate in the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). SURS is the retirement administrator for employees in public higher education in the State of Illinois.

Other benefits available to eligible employees include: paid time-off, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Waiver programs, and discounts to the local YMCA. For a full list of benefits as a WIU employee, please visit our Benefits Homepage: http://www.wiu.edu/human_resources/benefits/.

For questions on benefits, or eligibility, contact our benefits team at [redacted] or by calling [redacted].

Requirements:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Doctorate degree (Ph.D) in Emergency/Disaster/Crisis Management/Public Safety or related field.
• Experience related to business (private or public) continuity, emergency preparedness operations, disaster preparedness, mitigation, community recovery, and training utilizing simulations from the U.S. regionally accredited institution of higher learning (or equivalent from an international accrediting body).
• Proficiency on D4H, Juvare, Veoci, and PDC platforms.
• Solid understanding of all social media platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to teach at the university level.
• Strong scholarly potential or record (e.g., publications, presentations).
• Commitment to excellence in teaching and student success.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Prior teaching in public safety related courses, or courses in a closely related field, at an institution of higher learning.
• Substantive practical field experience with the operations of an emergency operations center and or public safety/emergency management agency (such as FEMA, Homeland Security, state level emergency management, law enforcement, fire administration, Red Cross).
• Be Bilingual in oral and written forms.
• FEMA certifications IS-100.C, IS-230.E, IS-235.C, IS-240.C, IS-700.B, IS-906, IS-907, IS-317.A, IS-5.A, IS-120.C, IS-200.C, IS-241.C, IS-242.C, IS-244.B, IS-318.A, IS-319.A, IS-320, IS-321, IS-322, IS-323, IS-329, IS-350, IS-393.B, IS-559, IS-772.A, IS-800.D, IS-2200.
• Evidence of successful teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Active engagement in research with a record of publications.
• Experience with online instruction and modern educational technology.

For a degree to be considered, it must be conferred from a regionally accredited degree-ranting institution of higher education (or equivalent from an international accrediting body). Unless otherwise stated, the degree must be conferred at the time of appointment.

Additional Information:

THE UNIVERSITY:

WIU-Macomb, IL : Western's traditional, residential main campus offers a comprehensive slate of undergraduate and graduate programs, including a doctorate in education, and post-baccalaureate certificates. A diverse community in west central Illinois, Macomb features a unique blend of agriculture, industry, service, retail, education, and culture. Macomb serves as the county seat, with connections across the state with Amtrak providing twice-daily service from Macomb to Chicago (and point in-between). Macomb is located approximately 75 miles from the Quad Cities International Airport (Moline, IL) and 70 miles from the Greater Peoria Regional Airport (Peoria, IL).

WIU-Quad Cities : Located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Moline, Illinois, the WIU-Quad Cities campus is the only public four-year regional university that serves the Quad Cities region. Designed as a metropolitan commuter campus, WIU-Quad Cities offers select undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. Moline is located just 80 miles north of the Macomb campus and is centered within a diverse, bi-state community of 383,000 that offers a broad range of cultural, social, and entertainment amenities and experiences, as well as varied businesses and industries.

Academics

More than 61 undergraduate degree programs, 41 graduate programs, two doctoral programs and 16 post-baccalaureate certificate programs prepare students for a successful career after graduation.

Student Resources

More than 200 student organizations at Western provide social, academic, recreation, athletics, service, academic, and many other opportunities for students to grow and learn, develop leadership skills, and much more. Numerous concerts, lectures, films, dance performances, cultural events and more are presented and performed each year, along with numerous major theatrical and dance productions and studio shows, and a variety of service-oriented projects and activities, all in a diverse and inclusive campus environment.
The Multicultural Center is home to four cultural and resource centers: The Gwendolyn Brooks, Casa Latina, the Women's Center, and the LGBT*QA Resource Center. These cultural and resource centers promote WIU's goal of enhancing justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion through educational programming and advocacy.

WIU Intercollegiate Athletics

The University's athletics program, based on the Macomb campus, sponsors 17 NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's and women's varsity sports. Football competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision through the Missouri Valley Football Conference; all other varsity sports compete at the Division I level through The Summit League.

Application Instructions:

Complete applications include:

1. Letter of application listing teaching and research interests
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Names and contact information for three professional references
4. Evidence of teaching effectiveness
5. Research agenda statement (maximum 500 words)
6. Unofficial academic transcripts (official required upon hire).

Please upload the requested documents by clicking APPLY NOW or by navigating to the WIU Employment page at the following URL http://www.wiu.edu/employment/

**Note** In order to upload Individual documents must be under 2 MB in size.

Screening will begin on October 12, 2026.

Western Illinois University endeavors to provide a safe environment for its employees and students and requires candidates to submit to a background investigation upon offer of employment. Employment is contingent upon compliance with University policies and procedures relating to the receipt and evaluation of information contained in the background investigation.

Questions regarding the search may be directed to: Jamie Johnson at JL-Johnson12@wiu.edu.

For assistance with the online application system contact the Office of Human Resources at (309) 298-1971 or via email at hr-recruitment@wiu.edu.