Adjunct Instructor of Risk Analysis

University of Southern California
Sol Price School of Public Policy
Adjunct Instructor of Risk Analysis
Department of Public Policy and Management

The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy is seeking a working professional with expertise and a primary position in risk analysis. The successful candidate should possess a Ph.D. in economics, engineering, public policy, or a related field; a Master’s degree may be acceptable with appropriate experience. The candidate will be able to teach the graduate course PPD 587 Risk Analysis (“Concepts of risk analysis, risk in engineered systems, environmental risk, security risks; fault trees, event trees, risk simulations; risks and decision-making.”) in the Fall 2023 semester. Preference will be given to candidates with prior teaching experience and excellent teaching evaluations.

Adjunct instructor responsibilities include delivery of course content, scheduling office hours and being accessible to students as appropriate, and grading. Each instructor is expected to provide students with a syllabus outlining the course goals, schedule, and all requirements for the course under the direction of the Program Director.

Course Description: The course teaches concepts of risk analysis, risks in engineered systems, environmental risks, and security risks.  Students learn to quantify probabilities using data, models, and expert judgments.  The course covers multi-attribute utility, interlinking risk analysis with risk management, life and death decisions, building utility functions for health and consumption, and applications to homeland security decisions.

The hourly rate range for this position is $29.06/hr - $38.89/hr. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

About the Sol Price School of Public Policy: The mission of the Sol Price School of Public Policy is to improve the quality of life for people and their communities, here and abroad. We achieve this mission through education and research that promote innovative solutions to the most critical issues facing society, with a particular focus on governance, urban development, and social policy. The Price School offers Ph.D. programs in Public Policy and Management and Urban Planning; masters’ degrees in Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Health Administration, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, and Real Estate Development; executive masters’ degrees; and three undergraduate degrees.  USC is one of the nation’s premier research universities, and the Price School is a major contributor to the university’s reputation. Our school supports an array of thematic research centers with $35 million in active sponsored research, ranking third overall in funded research at USC on a per faculty basis. Much of the school’s research is conducted through its centers, institutes, and research groups.  For additional information, see our website: https://priceschool.usc.edu/

An Equal Opportunity Employer: USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed, and background. The University particularly encourages women, members of underrepresented groups, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply. USC will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in undue hardship. 

Apply for this Position: Applicants should submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and (if available) one or more sample syllabi and one or more sets of sample teaching evaluations.