Job Description

• Can you contribute teaching that helps our students understand and engage with international politics?
• Do you have a completed, or nearly completed, PhD in Political Science, International Relations or cognate discipline?
• Are you an outstanding scholar-educator interested in International/Global Political Economy or Environmental Politics?

Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a Pūkenga - Lecturer or Pūkenga Matua - Senior Lecturer to join the Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) programme on a permanent, full-time basis, based at our Kelburn campus.

This is an exciting opportunity for an outstanding scholar to join the PSIR Programme to develop new undergraduate and postgraduate teaching offerings. We seek applications from candidates with research interests in International/Global Political Economy or International/Global Environmental Politics, both very broadly defined. Research expertise could include a focus on international organisations and agreements; international order and governance; production networks; global finance, money, and investment; international trade; indigenous perspectives on political economy or the environment; labour, gender and inequality; or the movement politics of climate change. We welcome researchers working with any combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including using critical theories.

Key responsibilities

• Contributing to the development and delivery of courses in Political Science and International Relations, including contributions to the Bachelor of Politics degree, at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
• Developing new curricula and research in areas of your expertise.
• Supervising postgraduate research on a broad range of topics in Political Science and International Relations.
• Contributing to hautūtanga/leadership, administrative roles, and engagement with the wider community.
• Being part of an active, collegial team committed to equity and diversity, and supporting research and teaching that upholds our programme’s responsibilities to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Ō pūmanawa - About you

You will be a scholar-educator committed to high-quality teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, who is developing an innovative, independent research agenda.

Key requirements:

• A completed (or soon to be completed) PhD in Political Science, International Relations, or a cognate discipline.
• Some experience in teaching at a tertiary level or, in the case of applicants to Senior Lecturer, demonstrated evidence of successful teaching at tertiary level.
• A developing record or, in the case of Senior Lecturer, an established record, of scholarly research and publications.
• Strong capacity to work as part of a collegial team and to develop and teach courses in the area of global political economy and/or environmental politics.

We welcome applications from diverse areas of expertise within Political Science and International Relations.

Role Descriptions: Click the below links to see further information, including salary details.

Pūkenga - Lecturer

Pūkenga Matua - Senior Lecturer

If these links are not available, click 'apply' to view them on the University careers page.

Close date for vacancy: 23 November 2026.

Contact details for vacancy: We welcome the opportunity to discuss the role with you if you have any questions before applying. Please contact Head of School, Associate Professor Fiona Barker (fiona.barker@vuw.ac.nz).

How to apply: Please ensure you are applying for this role directly on our careers page and not via email. Candidates must submit supporting documents along with their resume, such as a cover letter. Applicants who do not have residency or citizenship and require a visa to work at the University must clearly indicate their visa status in their application.

Mō Te Herenga Waka - About Our University

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is renowned for its high-quality research and exceptional teaching. We attract people from around the world. Our university campus spans Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington - the creative, scientific and political centre of Aotearoa New Zealand - and our students thrive on the connections we have made here.

Explore the many benefits of working at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Find out where you fit in our strategic direction and learn more about our research expertise.