Dean of Social Science

The Opportunity

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks an accomplished scholar and visionary leader to serve as its next Dean of the Division of Social Science. The Dean will lead a vibrant community of scholars who advance foundational and applied research on pressing issues such as inequality, governance, and social change within an international, interdisciplinary environment.

The Division

The Social Science Division is home to over 80 full time faculty, including a Nobel Laureate in Economics and a community of post doctoral researchers across Economics, Political Science, Social Research & Public Policy, Business Organizations & Society, and Legal Studies. The Division offers five undergraduate majors and graduate programs, with faculty conducting world class research that is both theoretically rigorous and globally engaged.

About NYU Abu Dhabi

Founded in partnership with New York University and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, NYUAD has become one of the most selective universities worldwide. With an admission rate of 2.7 % in 2025, it enrolls students from over 120 countries and has produced 24 Rhodes Scholars. NYUAD's more than 370 faculty members include four Nobel laureates, drawn from leading institutions globally.

The Role

The Dean reports to the Provost and serves as a key member of NYUAD's senior leadership team. As the Division's chief academic officer, the Dean will provide strategic leadership for faculty, curricula, and the research agenda, championing excellence and innovation in both research and pedagogy. The role also carries responsibility for fostering an accessible and collaborative academic community and representing the Division's strengths to partners within and beyond NYU.

In addition to engaging with members of the Division, the Dean must collaborate with other deans, academic and administrative leaders, and faculty across the institution. Commitment to two way communication, fostering trust, and building community at the campus, national, and international levels are essential.

Specifically, the Dean will be a catalyst in addressing the following key challenges and opportunities for the Division:

• Recruiting and retaining an excellent, collaborative, and engaged faculty
• Enhancing interdisciplinary research, scholarship, and creative activity
• Delivering programs that maximize the excellence and societal impact of NYUAD
• Engaging the Abu Dhabi and UAE community
• Cultivating and promoting the values and vision of NYUAD and the NYU Global Network

The Candidate

Candidates should hold a PhD in a social science discipline and possess a record of research, publication, and teaching that merits appointment as a tenured full professor at NYUAD. They must be internationally recognized scholars with proven leadership experience and intellectual breadth to guide a diverse division. The successful candidate will combine academic distinction with sound judgment and the ability to inspire others around a shared vision, while demonstrating strong leadership in managing, supporting, and developing faculty and staff.

Equal Opportunity Statement

NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.